Pope Benedict XVI has for the first time publicly promised action over child abuse by priests.
At a public audience in Saint Peter's Square in Rome, the Pope referred to a meeting with victims of abuse during a visit to Malta at the weekend, when he "shared their suffering".
The comments were the most explicit he has made in public about a series of recent allegations against the Church.
But he did not go into details about what he or the Vatican are planning to do about the abuse scandal.
Previously the pope has called on Roman Catholics to "do penance" for their sins, and made other allusions to the crisis, but he has been criticised for making no direct verbal reference to the controversy.
Last week, the Vatican made it clear that there will be a worldwide zero-tolerance policy on sexual abuse of children.
