Pope ‘shamed’ by church’s failures over child abuse in France

Pontiff issues condemnation as adviser calls for inquiry into sexual abuse of children by clergy in Italy

Pope Francis has said he is shamed" by the Catholic church's failure to deal with paedophile priests in France, as one of his closest advisers pushed for an inquiry into the sexual abuse of children by clergy in Italy.

A landmark report on Tuesday found that at least 330,000 children were sexually abused by clergy and lay members of church institutions in France over the past 70 years.