Pope apologizes for church sex abuse

(CNN) - Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday offered his strongest public statement yet on sex abuse against minors by Roman Catholic priests, apologizing to victims and calling the abuse "evil."

The apology came during a mass in Sydney, Australia, and expands on comments the pope made during an April visit to the United States, during which he publicly acknowledged the pain the church's sex abuse scandal has caused and met privately with abuse victims.

"Indeed, I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured and I assure them as their pastor that I too share in their suffering," he said Saturday at Sydney's St. Mary's Cathedral.

The comments came on the pope's third day of public appearances in Australia, where he is attending World Youth Day. Dubbed "the Catholic Woodstock," the event is believed to be the largest Christian gathering in the world and this year is believed to have attracted more than 150,000 people from 70 countries.