Pope: Church, shamed by sex abuse, must better protect kids

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is calling on all those who work with children, starting from the Catholic church, to join together in a “preventative alliance” to better prevent sexual and other abuse of youngsters. In a message to a conference in Rome Thursday about keeping children safe, Francis said the church’s own efforts are sparked by “the sorrow and the shame for not having always been good custodians” in protecting minors. Abuse by pedophile priests and widespread cover-ups of that by bishops and other higher-ups have stained the church’s reputation. Francis said “the protection of minors must always be ever more concretely a priority” for the church’s educational activities.