Pope Francis began the last day of his six day visit to the United States meeting five sex abuse survivors, three women and two men, who had been victims of priests, relatives or teachers.
"For those who were abused by a member of the clergy, I am deeply sorry for the times when you or your family spoke out to report the abuse, but you were not heard or believed. Please know that the Holy Father sees you and believes you," said Francis, according to a transcript provided by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to the three women and two men, reports Daily News.
The Pope met the victims at the St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, which has been the subject of grand jury reports. The investigations had found that church leaders had not been proactive in stopping priests from raping and molesting children. The priest in charge of personnel was convicted of child endangerment in 2012.
"The people who had the responsibility to take care of these tender ones violated that trust and caused them great pain. Those who have survived this abuse have become true heralds of mercy. Humbly we owe each of them our gratitude for their great value, as they have had to suffer terrible abuse, sexual abuse of minors," Francis said, according to CNN.
The Pope promised action, saying in Spanish: "I pledge to you that we will follow the path of truth wherever it may lead. Clergy and bishops will be held accountable when they abuse or fail to protect children." He repeated his views again during a meeting of bishops from the U.S. and across the world, saying "God weeps" in sorrow over what had been done to young, innocent children by members of the Church, reports the Boston Herald.
