"Pope Francis Faces Distraction of Church Sex Abuse Scandal During Visit to Portugal"

As Pope Francis visits Portugal for World Youth Day, the country's Catholic Church is grappling with revelations of widespread clergy sex abuse. A panel of experts reported that at least 4,815 boys and girls had been abused since 1950, contradicting the church's previous claims of only a few cases. The church's response has been criticized as clumsy and hesitant, leading to the formation of Portugal's first survivor advocacy group. While the scandal is not officially on the pope's agenda, he is expected to meet with victims during his visit. The church in Portugal has apologized for the abuse and is working to establish procedures and tailor responses to sex abuse.