On Wednesday, Pope Francis expressed "shame" for himself and the Roman Catholic Church for the widespread child sexual abuse within the church in France. He admitted to failing to prioritize the needs of victims.

The pope mentioned a Tuesday report that claimed 330,000 French children were exploited by clergy and other church authority figures dating back to 1950 during his regular audience at the Vatican.

"Unfortunately, there are a significant number. I'd want to offer my sorrow and pain for the trauma that the victims have endured," Francis remarked. "It is also my shame, our shame, my shame, for the church's inability to put them at the center of its concerns for far too long."

He urged all bishops and religious superiors to take all necessary steps to ensure that "similar tragedies do not occur again."

In the face of a "difficult test," the pope offered his "closeness and paternal support" for French priests and urged French Catholics to "ensure that the church remains a safe house for all."