Pope Francis blasts clergy sex abuse ‘scandal’ in Portugal and meets survivors

Pope Francis had stern words for the clergy in Portugal (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis has met with survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Portugal and blasted members of the country’s Catholic hierarchy for their response to the scandal.

Francis dove head-on into the crisis that has rocked the Portuguese church on the first day of a five-day visit to Lisbon for the Catholic Church’s World Youth Day festival.