Pope Francis has apologised for remarks he created last week in Chile defensive a bishop suspect of covering up sex crime.
He same he accomplished his words hurt several, however perennial his belief that Chilean Bishop Juan Barros was innocent.
Francis was chatting with journalists on board a plane flying back to Rome.
On weekday, he had same that victims WHO had suspect Bishop Barros were committing slander.
The Pope was overtly criticised by Cardinal Sean O'Malley of state capital, WHO same he left victims of sex crime committed by clergymen feeling abandoned.
"I apologise to them if I hurt them while not realising it, however it absolutely was a wound that I inflicted while not assuming to," same the Pope on weekday, quoted by Reuters press association. "It pains ME substantially."
Profile: Pope Francis
Pope meets sex abuse victims in Chile
The Pope marries couple Chile flight
Bishop Barros has not been suspect of abuse, however of being gift once another priest, Fernando Karadima, ill-treated young boys.
Presentational gray line
A rare apology
Analysis by James Reynolds, BBC Rome correspondent
It is uncommon for a Pope to apologise for his own words. however he clearly felt that he had to create up for his abrupt dismissal of allegations created by victims of clerical sex crime in Chile.
The victims had suspect a Chilean Bishop, Juan Barros, of covering up abuse committed by a fellow priest.
During his trip to Chile, the Pope represented these accusations as a slander, that there wasn't a shred of proof.
The Pope has currently apologised for his selection of words. He same that he understood that by primarily daring victims to bring him proof, it came off as a slap within the face.
However, the Pope continuing to insist that Associate in Nursing investigation had shown that there was no proof to support the fees levelled against Bishop Barros.
Presentational gray line
What is the difference of opinion about?
In 2010, Father Karadima was publically suspect of molesting many teen boys within the capital, Santiago, beginning within the Nineteen Eighties.
After the Vatican found him guilty, he was sentenced to a lifespan of "penance and prayer".
He ne'er Janus-faced action at law in Chile as an excessive amount of time had passed, however the choose WHO detected victims' testimony during a year-long investigation represented them as "truthful and reliable".
The Pope has been criticised for appointing Bishop Barros as bishop of Osorno, in south-central Chile, in 2015. The ordination ceremony had to be restrain over protests within the cathedral.
How did this have an effect on his latest trip?
The Pope was greeted with protests in Santiago, with demonstrators insistence the bishop shouldn't hold his role.
Francis conjointly met victims of sex crime by clergymen within the country. He cried with them and same he felt "pain and shame" over the scandal.
Some of the victims same speech communication sorry was now not enough, and that they need him to require action.