Belgian PM demands 'concrete steps' over Catholic sex abuse

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Friday criticized Pope Francis for the Catholic Church's history of sex abuse and cover-ups as the pontiff began a three-day visit to the country.

De Croo demanded "concrete steps" from the Catholic Church over coming clean with the past and put victims' interests ahead those within the institution.

The speech by De Croo was one of the most pointed ever directed at the Pope during a foreign trip, where the genteel dictates of diplomatic protocol usually keeps expressions of outrage out of public discourse.

King Philippe also had strong words for Francis, demanding the Church work "incessantly" to atone for the crimes.

The scandal is particularly raw in Belgium, where two decades of revelations of abuse and systematic cover-ups have damaged the Church's credibility.

A four-episode Flemish language documentary, "Godvergeten" (Godforsaken) aired last year on public broadcaster VRT, bringing fresh momentum to the longstanding and well documented history of abuse and prompting many new victims to come forward.

Words not enough, says De Croo

"Today, words alone do not suffice. We also need concrete steps," De Croo said. "Victims need to be heard. They need to be at the center. They have a right to truth. Misdeeds need to be recognized," he said in front of an audience of royals, church officials, diplomats and politicians at Laeken Castle, the royal residency.

"When something goes wrong we cannot accept cover-ups," he said. "To be able to look into the future, the Church needs to come clean on its past."

Pope Francis, who applauded at the end of De Croo's speech, said that the Catholic Church must "seek forgiveness" over the "scourge" of child sexual abuse.

In a speech that marked the beginning of his three-day visit to Belgium, Francis denounced the "tragic instances of child abuse."

Pope recognizes 'shame and humiliation'

"It is our shame and our humiliation," the 87-year-old pontiff told the gathering at Belgium's royal residence in Brussels, Laeken Castle. "The Church must be ashamed and must seek forgiveness."

Later on Friday, Francis was scheduled to meet a group of clerical sexual assault victims in Brussels. The meeting was set to take place at the Vatican's diplomatic mission and would be conducted with the "utmost discretion," according to the Belgian church.

jsi/msh (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)