Pope Francis made his strongest condemnation yet of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy on Friday , asking for forgiveness and pledging to impose penalties on `` men of the church '' who harm children . `` I feel compelled to personally take on all the evil which some priests -- quite a few in number , obviously not compared to the number of all the priests -- to personally ask for forgiveness for the damage they have done for having sexually abused children , '' the Pope said in remarks quoted by Vatican Radio . `` The church is aware of this damage , it is personal , moral damage carried out by men of the church , and we will not take one step backward with regards to how we will deal with this problem , and the sanctions that must be imposed , '' Francis continued . `` On the contrary , we have to be even stronger . Because you can not interfere with children . '' The U.S.-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said it may be the first time a pope has spoken of sanctioning `` complicit bishops . '' `` But that is all it is : talk , '' said Barbara Dorris , SNAP 's outreach director . `` We beg the world 's Catholics : Be impressed by deeds , not words . Until the Pope takes decisive action that protects kids , be skeptical and vigilant . '' The Pope 's new comments , made Friday to members of a Catholic nongovernmental organization , the International Catholic Child Bureau , represent a shift from his previous statements on sexual abuse . In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra in March , Francis struck a defensive tone , saying , `` The Catholic Church is perhaps the only public institution that has moved with transparency and responsibility . No one has done more . And yet the church is the only one that has been attacked . '' Advocates for victims of sexual abuse had slammed those remarks , calling them another example of the church prioritizing its reputation over the protection of children . 'Highest priority ' Early this year , a United Nations panel slammed the Vatican 's handling of child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church and accused the church of protecting itself rather than the victims . The Vatican said in February that it would study the report , which claimed clerics were involved in the sexual abuse of `` tens of thousands '' of children . And in late March , Francis appointed an eight-member committee -- a mix of clergy and laypeople , including a sexual abuse survivor -- to advise the church on how to protect children , punish abusers and train church staff . `` Pope Francis has made it clear that the church must uphold the protection of minors amongst her highest priorities , '' Vatican spokesman the Rev . Federico Lombardi said in a statement announcing the committee members . However , the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests dismissed the new panel , saying it was `` based on a deceptive premise '' and perpetuated the `` self-serving myth that Catholic officials need more information about abuse and coverups . '' Rocked by scandal . Pope Francis took over the helm of the Catholic Church just over a year ago from Benedict XVI , whose papacy was marked by the emergence of repeated allegations of sexual abuse by priests . Benedict said many times that abusers should be prosecuted , but victims ' groups again said he did too little . Benedict spoke with some victims of sexual abuse by priests on papal visits to countries including the United States and the United Kingdom , where he expressed his `` deep sorrow '' about the scandal . The Vatican selected those he met . In April 2013 , a month after taking office , Francis recommended that the church 's doctrinal office `` act decisively with regard to cases of sexual abuse , '' the Vatican said at the time . This would be `` by promoting measures for the protection of minors , as well as in offering assistance to those who have suffered abuse , carrying out due proceedings against the guilty , '' it said . Kick out those who sexually abuse children , U.N. panel tells Vatican .
Pope Francis says he feels compelled to `` personally ask for forgiveness '' for priest abuse . `` We will not take one step backward with regards to how we will deal with this problem '' Pope says the Catholic Church must act strongly because `` you can not interfere with children '' Advocates for victims of sexual abuse say the church has not done enough to protect children .