Pope Francis on Tuesday opened his visit to Chile by asking forgiveness for child sexual abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church in the South American country.

Pope Francis has apologised for cases of sexual abuse by clergy in the Catholic Church, saying he felt “pain and shame at the irreparable damage caused to children by some ministers of the church’’.

Pope Francis arrived in Santiago Monday night and will hold a closely-watched meeting with members of Chile’s under-fire clergy and a Church beset by sex abuse scandals.

Pope Francis called Sunday for hospitality towards migrants, calling it a “sin” to give in to fear of the other as he marked the World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

Pope Francis on Wednesday ordered the Vatican takeover of an elite Catholic society in Peru whose founder is accused of sexually and physically abusing children and former members of the group.