"If you see something like [abuse], [go] immediately to the bishop. To help that abusive brother. Immediately to the bishop."
The pope met the group in the Vatican's St. Clementine hall Oct. 13. The text of the lengthy question and answer session was released by the Vatican Oct. 16. During the meeting, he answered a question about scandals in the Church and how to help Catholics to not lose hope despite the "poverty of its ministers."
"Scandal wounds. We must be clear: on this point do not yield. To scandals, no. Especially when the scandals hurt little ones," he said, emphasizing that though statistics show abuse by priests or other clerics to be a small percentage of total cases in society, it is not a reason to ignore the issue.