In Australia, pope meets with victims of abuse

SYDNEY, Australia — Pope Benedict XVI met privately today with Australians who were sexually abused as children by priests, ending a pilgrimage to the country with a gesture of contrition and concern over a scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic church.

The pontiff held prayers and spoke with four representatives of abuse victims — two men and two women — in the last hours of his nine-day visit to Australia for the church's global youth festival.

The Vatican did not give details of the conversations, and the victims did not speak publicly after the meeting. Support groups for other victims dismissed the gesture as a public-relations stunt.

The abuse scandal was a sour undertone to the trip for World Youth Day, a celebration of faith meant to inspire a new generation.

On Saturday, Benedict delivered a forthright apology for the scandal, saying he was "deeply sorry" for the victims' suffering. Victims said this was not enough, and demanded that he do more to provide financial compensation and psychological help.