French Catholic church expresses ‘shame’ after report finds 330,000 children were abused

Church asks for forgiveness as it accepts findings of appalling' abuse by clergy and lay members over 70 years

The French Catholic church has expressed shame" and pleaded for forgiveness, after a devastating report found that at least 330,000 children were victims of sexual abuse by clergy and lay members of church institutions over the past 70 years.

The publication of the landmark report on Thursday, France's first major reckoning with what the Catholic church accepted was appalling" abuse, has shaken the country with its horrific findings of a massive phenomenon" of sexual abusers of children operating for decades within the church and its associated institutions.