The Pope is calling for prayer and fasting in response to reports of rampant sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic priests.
In the statement addressed to 'the People of God' Pope Francis writes "I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons. Crimes that inflict deep wounds of pain and powerlessness, primarily among the victims, but also in their family members and in the larger community of believers and nonbelievers alike."
Last week a report detailed the sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children at the hands of more than 300 priests in Pennsylvania over the course of 70 years.
Pope Francis goes on to say "...no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated" and " We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them."