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Pope Francis - Copyright AGF s.r.l./REX
World News

Pope begs for forgiveness from abuse victims

During his first meeting with a group of a victims from Britain, Ireland and Germany, the Pontiff also apologised for the failure of Church leaders to deal with the issue.

During his morning mass, attended by the six people, he gave a homily saying he had felt a deep pain and suffering in his heart.

He said: "I feel the gaze of Jesus and I ask for the grace to weep, the grace for the Church to weep and make reparation for her sons and daughters who betrayed their mission, who abused innocent persons.  

"Today, I am very grateful to you for having travelled so far to come here.  

"This is what causes me distress and pain at the fact that some priests and bishops, by sexually abusing minors, violated their innocence and their own priestly vocation.  

"It is something more than despicable actions. It is like a sacrilegious cult, because these boys and girls had been entrusted to the priestly charism in order to be brought to God" he said.

The pontiff also said the Church caused more pain to victims by not responding to the abuse properly.

He added: "Before God and his people I express my sorrow for the sins and grave crimes of clerical sexual abuse committed against you.  And I humbly ask forgiveness. 

"I beg your forgiveness, too, for the sins of omission on the part of Church leaders who did not respond adequately to reports of abuse made by family members, as well as by abuse victims themselves."

The identity of five of the six survivors has not been released and they made no public statement afterwards.

However, one of them - Marie Kane - from Dublin in Ireland, told The Irish Times that she told Pope Francis that "cover-up is still happening and you have the power to make these changes.

"The meeting has been condemned as a publicity stunt by the charity Minister and Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors.

Spokesperson Anne Lawrence spoke on Premier's News Hour:

At a press conference, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said each victim had spent half an hour with Pope Francis.He denied accusations the meetings were just for good publicity:

Pope Francis has said he will show zero tolerance for anyone in the Catholic Church who abused children.

During the homily he remade that commitment: "There is no place in the Church's ministry for those who commit these abuses, and I commit myself not to tolerate harm done to a minor by any individual, whether a cleric or not.  

"All bishops must carry out their pastoral ministry with the utmost care in order to help foster the protection of minors, and they will be held accountable."

This was the Pope's first meeting with abuse survivors since he was elected.His predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, met several abuse victims on trips outside Italy during his papacy.

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