Pope Leo has instructed the Catholic Church's newest bishops to confront sexual abuse by priests and not to hide allegations of misconduct, in a text released by the Vatican.

Sexual abuse scandals have afflicted the Church in various places around the world in recent decades, damaging its standing as a moral voice, sparking costly lawsuits and resulting in the resignations of several prominent bishops.

"(Allegations) cannot be put in a drawer," the Pope said in a closed-door meeting the day before with about 200 bishops appointed to lead Catholic dioceses across the world in the past year, according to a Vatican summary of the event.

"They must be faced, with a sense of mercy and true justice, toward the victims and toward the accused," Leo said in the text.

Leo, elected in May after t

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