Pope Francis visits Ireland amid sex abuse scandal

Pope Francis arrived in Ireland Saturday, making the first papal visit to the traditionally Catholic country in four decades. He gave a speech at Dublin Castle, directly addressing the sexual abuse scandal currently engulfing the Catholic clerical hierarchy.

"I cannot fail to acknowledge the grave scandal caused in Ireland by the abuse of young people by members of the Church charged with responsibility for their protection and education," Francis said. "The failure of ecclesiastical authorities — bishops, religious superiors, priests, and others — to adequately address these repellent crimes has rightly given rise to outrage, and remains a source of pain and shame for the Catholic community. I myself share those sentiments."

The pope will meet with victims of clerical sexual abuse later Saturday and will give a Mass for 500,000 at Dublin's Phoenix Park on Sunday before departure.

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Read The Week's Matthew Walther and Rachel Lu on what should be done about the Catholic Church's turmoil.