Leo did not directly refer to a recent report by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, which criticised the "substantial cultural resistance" in Italy to addressing abuse.
Unlike in many other countries, the Italian Catholic Church has not yet launched a national investigation into abuse by members of the clergy.
Italian survivors group Rete L'Abuso (The Abuse Network), expressed incomprehension at the pope's words.
"In reality, in Italy, there's nothing to be thankful for, and they (the Vatican) know that well," group founder Francesco Zanardi told AFP.
In a report published in October, Rete l'Abuso estimated that 1,106 priests had been accused of sexual abuse in Italy, with almost 4,400 known victims, dating back to 2000.
The vast majority of cases were never reported to the Italian judicial authorities, it said.
Zanardi said many priests accused are just transferred to another diocese, lamenting that there was no law that forced the Church to report abuse.
"Everything works as it did 30 years ago in Italy," he said.
"The only thing that has changed is that before they did it in secret, now they do it in full view of everyone."
In October, Pope Leo XIV held his first meeting with a group of survivors of sexual abuse since taking office in May, following the death of Pope Francis.
The US-based Ending Clergy Abuse (ECA) told AFP afterwards it had asked for the Vatican to extend a "zero tolerance" rule on abuse already adopted in the United States to the rest of the Church, but said the pope noted the significant resistance to such a change around the world.