Pope Francis said Friday that the Catholic Church must "seek forgiveness" over the "scourge" of child sexual abuse, during a visit to Belgium where the Church's dark past looms large.

In a speech before political and civil society leaders that opened his three-day visit to the country, Francis denounced the "tragic instances of child abuse" as a stain on the Church's legacy.

"It is our shame and our humiliation," Francis told the gathering at the Laeken Palace royal residency.&nbsp;

"The Church must be ashamed and must seek forgiveness," he said.&nbsp;

The 87-year-old pontiff is due to meet with a group of clerical sexual assault victims in Brussels in the afternoon, as part of a three-day stay in the European nation tarred by decades of scandals and cover-ups.

The meeting with around 15 victims, taking place at 6:30 pm (1630 GMT) at the Vatican's diplomatic mission, was being held with the "utmost discretion", according to the Belgian church.

It was arranged after a hard-hitting documentary last year put Belgium's abuse scandal back on the front pages, prompting many new victims to come forward.

In an open letter published by Le Soir newspaper this month, some demanded the pope address paedophilia and set up a process for financial reparations.

"Words alone are not enough. Concrete measures must also be taken," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said in a preamble to the pope's speech.&nbsp;

The pontiff said the abuse scandal was "a scourge that the Church is addressing firmly and decisively by listening to and accompanying those who have been wounded, and by implementing a prevention programme throughout the world".

<h2>- Forced adoptions -&nbsp;</h2>

Francis has made combating sexual assault in the Church a main mission of his papacy, and insisted on a "zero tolerance" policy in the wake of wide-reaching abuse scandals around the world.

During his speech, Francis also said he was "saddened" to learn about a forced adoptions scandal in Belgium that saw institutions run by nuns give up the babies of thousands of underage girls and unmarried women.

"We see how the bitter fruit of wrongdoing and criminality was mixed in with what was unfortunately the prevailing view in all parts of society at that time," he said.&nbsp;

Belgium's HLN news site estimates that up to 30,000 children were taken from their mothers in Belgium between 1945 and the 1980s.

Bishops in Belgium apologised in 2023 and requested an independent investigation after fresh testimonies emerged from women and people claiming to have been "sold" by the Catholic Church to their adoptive family.

Child sexual abuse and forced adoptions have "badly damaged trust" between the Church and society, De Croo said.

In a sign of the work yet to be done, the program of an open-air mass concluding Francis's trip on Sunday had to be changed at the last minute after it emerged that the closing hymn was composed by a priest accused of sexual abuse.

The blunder prompted the head of the Belgian bishops' conference, Archbishop Luc Terlinden, to admit that the Church needed to get better at keeping a tab on cases and perpetrators.&nbsp;

"This represents a great challenge for us, but we must think about it seriously with the help of lawyers and psychologists," he told a local broadcaster. The composer, who died this month, reportedly settled a sexual abuse case in 2002.

<h2>- On the wane -</h2>

The Argentinian pope arrived in Belgium on Thursday evening after spending the day in neighbouring Luxembourg, where he made a plea for international diplomacy amid flaring conflicts across the globe.

He was welcomed by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, who hosted him on Friday morning, and he will head on to meet with academics at the Catholic university of Leuven in Dutch-speaking Flanders -- whose 600th anniversary next year is the official reason for Francis's visit.

On Saturday, during what is his 46th trip abroad, Francis will meet the clergy at the vast Basilica of the Sacred Heart before holding discussions with students at Louvain-la-Neuve in French-speaking Wallonia, notably on climate issues.

The last papal visit to Brussels was in 1995, when John Paul II attended the beatification of Saint Damien, who dedicated his life to lepers.

Nearly 65 per cent of Belgium's population is Christian, including 58 per cent who are Catholic, according to figures from Louvain university.

But their numbers are on the wane, reflecting a decline across Europe.

During his weekly general audience, Francis said he hoped his visit could be "the opportunity for a new impetus of faith".

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for&nbsp;WION&nbsp;audience.

Pope Francis said Friday that the Catholic Church must "seek forgiveness" over the "scourge" of child sexual abuse, during a visit to Belgium where the Church's dark past looms large.

Pope Francis said Friday that the Catholic Church must "seek forgiveness" over the "scourge" of child sexual abuse, during a visit to Belgium where the Church's dark past looms large. In a speech before political and civil society leaders that opened his three-day visit to the country, Francis denounced the "tragic instances of child abuse" as a stain on the Church's legacy. "It is our shame and our humiliation," Francis told the gathering at the Laeken Palace royal residency. "The Church must be ashamed and must seek forgiveness," he said. The 87-year-old pontiff is due to meet with a group of clerical sexual assault victims in Brussels in the afternoon, as part of a three-day stay in the European nation tarred by decades of scandals and cover-ups. The meeting with around 15 victims, taking place at 6:30 pm (1630 GMT) at the Vatican's diplomatic mission, was being held with the "utmost discretion", according to the Belgian church. It was arranged after a hard-hitting documentary last year put Belgium's abuse scandal back on the front pages, prompting many new victims to come forward. In an open letter published by Le Soir newspaper this month, some demanded the pope address paedophilia and set up a process for financial reparations. "Words alone are not enough. Concrete measures must also be taken," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said in a preamble to the pope's speech. The pontiff said the abuse scandal was "a scourge that the Church is addressing firmly and decisively by listening to and accompanying those who have been wounded, and by implementing a prevention programme throughout the world". - Forced adoptions - Francis has made combating sexual assault in the Church a main mission of his papacy, and insisted on a "zero tolerance" policy in the wake of wide-reaching abuse scandals around the world. During his speech, Francis also said he was "saddened" to learn about a forced adoptions scandal in Belgium that saw institutions run by nuns give up the babies of thousands of underage girls and unmarried women. "We see how the bitter fruit of wrongdoing and criminality was mixed in with what was unfortunately the prevailing view in all parts of society at that time," he said. Belgium's HLN news site estimates that up to 30,000 children were taken from their mothers in Belgium between 1945 and the 1980s. Bishops in Belgium apologised in 2023 and requested an independent investigation after fresh testimonies emerged from women and people claiming to have been "sold" by the Catholic Church to their adoptive family. Child sexual abuse and forced adoptions have "badly damaged trust" between the Church and society, De Croo said. In a sign of the work yet to be done, the program of an open-air mass concluding Francis's trip on Sunday had to be changed at the last minute after it emerged that the closing hymn was composed by a priest accused of sexual abuse. The blunder prompted the head of the Belgian bishops' conference, Archbishop Luc Terlinden, to admit that the Church needed to get better at keeping a tab on cases and perpetrators. "This represents a great challenge for us, but we must think about it seriously with the help of lawyers and psychologists," he told a local broadcaster. The composer, who died this month, reportedly settled a sexual abuse case in 2002. - On the wane - The Argentinian pope arrived in Belgium on Thursday evening after spending the day in neighbouring Luxembourg, where he made a plea for international diplomacy amid flaring conflicts across the globe. He was welcomed by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, who hosted him on Friday morning, and he will head on to meet with academics at the Catholic university of Leuven in Dutch-speaking Flanders -- whose 600th anniversary next year is the official reason for Francis's visit. On Saturday, during what is his 46th trip abroad, Francis will meet the clergy at the vast Basilica of the Sacred Heart before holding discussions with students at Louvain-la-Neuve in French-speaking Wallonia, notably on climate issues. The last papal visit to Brussels was in 1995, when John Paul II attended the beatification of Saint Damien, who dedicated his life to lepers. Nearly 65 per cent of Belgium's population is Christian, including 58 per cent who are Catholic, according to figures from Louvain university. But their numbers are on the wane, reflecting a decline across Europe. During his weekly general audience, Francis said he hoped his visit could be "the opportunity for a new impetus of faith". Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Pope Francis says the Catholic Church must 'seek forgiveness' for child sexual abuse

Bolivian prosecutors are investigating 35 members of the Catholic Church after more than a dozen victims accused them of sexual abuse, authorities said Tuesday.

The statement comes as the country is reeling from confessions of abuse that were found in the personal diary of a Spanish priest who died in&nbsp;Bolivia&nbsp;in 2009 after decades of service there.

"At present, 35 people are accused and under investigation," Daniela Caceres, a department head at the Bolivian attorney general's office, told a press conference.&nbsp;

"We have 17 people, identified victims, but out of respect and as a precaution for the protection of the victims, we are not going to give specific details," she added.&nbsp;

Prosecutors opened an investigation following a report by the Spanish daily El Pais in April about the late Spanish priest Alfonso Pedrajas, whose diary indicated that he had abused more than 80 minors in&nbsp;Bolivia, where he had lived since the early 1970s.&nbsp;

Pedrajas also noted in his journal that senior clergy had known about his crimes and kept quiet.

Prosecutors on Tuesday confirmed that a copy of Pedrajas' diary had been delivered to them by the Society of Jesus in&nbsp;Bolivia.

But Caceres said the diary was not complete, with some pages skipped and some passages crossed out and erased.

She said Bolivian authorities will try to obtain the complete document or request the cooperation of Spanish prosecutors.

In a letter released in mid-June by Bolivian President Luis Arce, Pope Francis expressed his "shame and dismay" at the sexual abuse committed by the clerics and vowed to shed light on what happened.&nbsp;

Arce's government has discussed with the Vatican the need to improve controls to prevent priests with a history of sex offences from entering the country.

The Catholic Church has also set up four commissions to receive and process complaints.

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Bolivian prosecutors are investigating 35 members of the Catholic Church after more than a dozen victims accused them of sexual abuse, authorities said Tuesday. The statement comes as the country is reeling from confessions of abuse that were found in the personal diary of a Spanish priest who died in Bolivia in 2009 after decades of service there.

Bolivian prosecutors are investigating 35 members of the Catholic Church after more than a dozen victims accused them of sexual abuse, authorities said Tuesday. The statement comes as the country is reeling from confessions of abuse that were found in the personal diary of a Spanish priest who died in Bolivia in 2009 after decades of service there. "At present, 35 people are accused and under investigation," Daniela Caceres, a department head at the Bolivian attorney general's office, told a press conference. "We have 17 people, identified victims, but out of respect and as a precaution for the protection of the victims, we are not going to give specific details," she added. Prosecutors opened an investigation following a report by the Spanish daily El Pais in April about the late Spanish priest Alfonso Pedrajas, whose diary indicated that he had abused more than 80 minors in Bolivia, where he had lived since the early 1970s. Pedrajas also noted in his journal that senior clergy had known about his crimes and kept quiet. Prosecutors on Tuesday confirmed that a copy of Pedrajas' diary had been delivered to them by the Society of Jesus in Bolivia. But Caceres said the diary was not complete, with some pages skipped and some passages crossed out and erased. She said Bolivian authorities will try to obtain the complete document or request the cooperation of Spanish prosecutors. In a letter released in mid-June by Bolivian President Luis Arce, Pope Francis expressed his "shame and dismay" at the sexual abuse committed by the clerics and vowed to shed light on what happened. Arce's government has discussed with the Vatican the need to improve controls to prevent priests with a history of sex offences from entering the country. The Catholic Church has also set up four commissions to receive and process complaints. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Bolivia investigates 35 Catholic Church members over sex abuse

The issue of sexual abuse scandals in Catholic Churches continues to make headlines. The&nbsp;latest probe by the Spanish Catholic Church into such cases has unearthed even more grim details, reported Reuters. The investigation report identified as many as 728 alleged abusers, clergy and non-clerical staff, and 927 victims, over eight decades since the 1940s.&nbsp;

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The spokesman for the Spanish Bishops' Conference, Jose Gabriel Vera, said, "We acknowledge the harm caused" and added, "we want to help all victims...to accompany them in their healing."

<h2>El Pais newspaper reports into child abuse by priests</h2>

Spain's Catholic Church came under fire after El Pais newspaper unravelled disturbing details of the institution's abuse of hundreds of children by members of the clergy.&nbsp;

As per the report, there were at least 1,237 victims who suffered sexual abuse by the Church priests. However, it suggested that the number could run into thousands. According to the paper, the earliest case of ongoing paedophilia in the Catholic church is from 1942 and the most recent one is from 2018.

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The allegations concern 31 religious orders and 31 of the country's some 70 dioceses.&nbsp;

<h2>Spain's ombudsman launched inquiry&nbsp;</h2>

In order to tackle the ongoing malice that plagued the Church, Spain’s ombudsman last year set up an independent commission to look into the sexual abuses by the Catholic church. It included the collected testimonies from 445 victims.&nbsp;

After the probe by the newspaper that exposed the ugly face of Spain's catholic church, the country's parliament on 10 March 2022 opened the first official investigation headed by Ombudsman Angel Gabilondo.&nbsp;

Watch | Hollywood star Bruce Willis' daughter Tallulah talks about her father's daily battle with dementia

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"We want to know what went wrong in the selection of candidates for the priesthood, what went wrong during their training...what has led a person who decided to give himself to God, to give himself to sexual abuse," Vera said, reported Reuters.&nbsp;

Many European countries are suffering from the menace of child sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic clergy for decades now. Many lawsuits have been filed pertaining to these cases, and many investigations also involve the horrifying testimonies of the survivors which then become the ground for further investigations.&nbsp;

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The issue of sexual abuse scandals in Catholic Churches continues to make headlines. The latest probe by the Spanish Catholic Church into such cases has unearthed even more grim details, reported Reuters.

The issue of sexual abuse scandals in Catholic Churches continues to make headlines. The latest probe by the Spanish Catholic Church into such cases has unearthed even more grim details, reported Reuters. The investigation report identified as many as 728 alleged abusers, clergy and non-clerical staff, and 927 victims, over eight decades since the 1940s. Also Read | Indian scientists discover 62 plants that can live without water in Western Ghats The spokesman for the Spanish Bishops' Conference, Jose Gabriel Vera, said, "We acknowledge the harm caused" and added, "we want to help all victims...to accompany them in their healing." El Pais newspaper reports into child abuse by priests Spain's Catholic Church came under fire after El Pais newspaper unravelled disturbing details of the institution's abuse of hundreds of children by members of the clergy. As per the report, there were at least 1,237 victims who suffered sexual abuse by the Church priests. However, it suggested that the number could run into thousands. According to the paper, the earliest case of ongoing paedophilia in the Catholic church is from 1942 and the most recent one is from 2018. Also Read | US: Mumbai 26/11 attack accused Tahawwur Rana challenges order of his extradition to India The allegations concern 31 religious orders and 31 of the country's some 70 dioceses. Spain's ombudsman launched inquiry In order to tackle the ongoing malice that plagued the Church, Spain’s ombudsman last year set up an independent commission to look into the sexual abuses by the Catholic church. It included the collected testimonies from 445 victims. After the probe by the newspaper that exposed the ugly face of Spain's catholic church, the country's parliament on 10 March 2022 opened the first official investigation headed by Ombudsman Angel Gabilondo. Watch | Hollywood star Bruce Willis' daughter Tallulah talks about her father's daily battle with dementia × "We want to know what went wrong in the selection of candidates for the priesthood, what went wrong during their training...what has led a person who decided to give himself to God, to give himself to sexual abuse," Vera said, reported Reuters. Many European countries are suffering from the menace of child sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic clergy for decades now. Many lawsuits have been filed pertaining to these cases, and many investigations also involve the horrifying testimonies of the survivors which then become the ground for further investigations. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Spain's Catholic church probe reveals 728 priests abused children over eight decades

At least 4,815 children have faced sexual abuse at the hands of Portugal's Catholic clergy in the last 70 years, as per findings of a commission. The youngest victim was a two-year-old. Priyanka Sharma explains.

Gravitas: Massive Church abuse scandal rocks Portugal

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Pope Francis says the Catholic Church must 'seek forgiveness' for child sexual abuse

Bolivia investigates 35 Catholic Church members over sex abuse

Spain's Catholic church probe reveals 728 priests abused children over eight decades

Gravitas: Massive Church abuse scandal rocks Portugal