Pope concludes Australia visit

Pope Benedict XVI ended his pilgrimage here today after meeting with two men and two women who were sexually abused as children by priests.

The pontiff prayed and spoke with the four in the last hours of his nine-day visit to Australia for the Roman Catholic Church’s global youth festival.

The abuse scandal was a sour undertone to the trip for World Youth Day, which is supposed to be a celebration of faith that inspires a new generation.

On Saturday, Benedict delivered a forthright apology for the scandal, saying he was “deeply sorry” for the victims’ suffering. But victims demanded that Benedict do more to provide financial compensation and psychological help.

The Vatican said the pope met four of the victims “as an expression of his ongoing pastoral concern for those who have been abused by members of the church.”

“He listened to their stories and offered them consolation,” a Vatican statement said. “Assuring them of his spiritual closeness he promised to continue to pray for them, their families and all victims.”

The pope, who has made efforts to repair damage caused by the scandal one of the themes of his papacy, held a similar meeting with clergy abuse victims in the United States during a visit there in April.

Benedict’s pilgrimage to Australia was the farthest journey yet of his three-year papacy, and one intended to inspire a new generation of faithful while trying to overcome the dark chapter for his church from the sex abuse scandal.