Pope promises action against sexual abuse

Today at the weekly general audience in Rome, Pope Benedict spoke publicly for the first time on fighting clerical sex abuse within the Church.  The Holy Father told the crowd in St. Peter's Square about how he gave “assurances of the Church's action” at a meeting with  abuse victims in Malta.

The Pontiff made his remarks following his recent papal visit to Malta last weekend, where he met with eight men who said they were abused by priests in a Church-operated orphanage on the island.

Pope Benedict recalled on Wednesday that during his tearful encounter with the men, he “shared their suffering and, greatly moved, prayed with them, giving them assurances of the Church's action” on fighting clerical sex abuse.

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