Church aware of gravity of abuse - pope

(ANSA) - Vatican City, November 14 - Pope Francis said Thursday that the Church is aware of the seriousness of the worldwide cases of child sexual abuse by clergymen. "In the last few decades the Catholic Church has reached profound awareness of the gravity of sexual abuse on minors and the consequences, of the suffering it causes, of the urgent need to heal its wounds, to combat these crimes with the utmost decisiveness and develop effective prevention," the pope told participants at a conference entitled 'Promoting Digital Child Dignity'.
    The Church's standing has been hit by a long series of child-abuse scandals in many parts of the world and Francis has not been exempt from criticism over his response.