Pope Francis said Saturday the Catholic Church must learn from victims of child sexual abuse, as he was pressed on the issue on the second day of his Belgium visit partially overshadowed by past scandals.

Pope Francis was pressed firmly by Belgium's king and premier on Friday for more concrete action to address sexual abuse by Catholic clergy, an issue once more in the spotlight as he visits.Both King Philippe and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo raised the issue in public in unusually forceful language for a papal foreign trip,

In Belgium’s Laeken Castle, Pope Francis confronted the Catholic Church’s long-standing clerical-abuse crisis in the country, declaring unequivocally that “the Church should be ashamed” and must seek forgiveness for its failures.