Félix Bolaños—a leading Spanish government official who serves as Minister of the Presidency, Relations with the Cortes and Democratic Memory, as well as Secretary-General of the Office of the Prime Minister—met for 50 minutes with Pope Francis on June 13, and pressed him to urge the Spanish bishops to cooperate with a government inquiry into the sexual abuse of minors. The nation’s bishops have commissioned their own separate investigation.

Bolaños, who described Pope Francis as a man of dialogue and solidarity, said that the Pope “beyond doubt” has the strength to continue as Pope. “It seems to me that he is very committed to the work he is doing and to continue his reform process.”

Bolaños added that he and the Pope discussed other topics, including a living wage, and that he avoided a discussion of abortion and euthanasia, which the Socialist government supports.