As Pope Francis wraps up his first-ever visit to the U.S. with a stop in Philadelphia, he took time to express his sorrow over the sexual abuse scandal that has rocked the Catholic church in recent years.
"I remain overwhelmed with shame that men entrusted with the tender care of children violated these little ones and caused grievous harm," the pope said, according to USA Today. "I am profoundly sorry. God weeps."
The pope also met with a group of five sexual abuse survivors, some of them victims at the hands of clergy members, Huffington Post reported. Francis met with the survivors as a group, then spoke with them privately individually.
"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," Francis said to the victims in a speech. "Please know that the Holy Father hears you and believes you."
Francis will end his U.S. trip with an outdoor mass in Philadelphia that could draw up to one million people.
