Pope Benedict XVI leaves at the end of a general audience he held in St. Peter's square at the Vatic
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The pope as he left after today's general audience. (Andrew Medichini/AP)

Pope Benedict XVI leaves at the end of a general audience he held in St. Peter's square at the Vatic

The pope as he left after today's general audience. (Andrew Medichini/AP)

"Pope Benedict XVI promised Wednesday that the Catholic Church would take action to confront the clerical sex abuse scandal," the Associated Press writes from Vatican City.

According to the wire service, the pope made that pledge during his weekly public audience in St. Peter's Square.

Bloomberg News quotes the pope as saying that when he met last weekend with victims of sexual abuse by priests in Malta, "I shared their suffering and, greatly moved, I prayed with them, giving them assurances of the Church's action."

The New York Times says "the pope's words on Wednesday offered his most forceful promise that the church would confront accusations that it covered up abuse and failed to take criminal action to punish pedophile priests."