Pope Francis said Thursday that the Catholic Church must never again fail to listen to the victims of child sexual abuse during an audience of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.
"Closeness to victims is not an abstract concept but a very concrete reality, comprised of listening, intervening, preventing, and assisting," the pope said.
"These brothers and sisters of ours must be welcomed and listened to, since neglecting to do so can greatly aggravate their suffering." Francis has taken several steps during his 11-year pontificate crack down on sex abuse within the Church and related cover-ups, following an array of scandals in many parts of the world, although victims' groups say more needs to be done.
On Thursday he said the Church's commitment to combating abuse "must not wane".
He said the commission's work seeks to make the Church become, "always and everywhere, a place where everyone can feel at home and each person is treated as sacred".
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