Pope Leo tells Catholic bishops not to hide abuse allegations

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -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 on Friday. 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. "They must be faced, with a sense of mercy and true justice, toward the victims and toward the accused," Leo said in the text.