Internal bickering had to end over abuse for American Church credibility: Pope

Pope Francis called on U.S. bishops on Thursday to show unity as they try to tackle a sexual abuse crisis, saying internal bickering had to end over the scandal which has decimated the credibility of the American Church.

In a long and highly unusual letter sent as U.S. bishops started a week-long retreat to reflect on the spreading crisis, Francis said the handling of the scandal showed the urgent need for a new approach to management and mindset within the Church.

"God's faithful people and the Church's mission continue to suffer greatly as a result of abuses of power and conscience and sexual abuse, and the poor way that they were handled," the pope wrote, adding that bishops had "concentrated more on pointing fingers than on seeking paths of reconciliation".