Cardinals attend the religious mass 'Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice' at Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, Vatican City, 12 March 2013. The Catholic Church's 115 cardinal electors are taking part in a mass in St. Peter's Basilica on 12 March ahead of entering the conclave for a papal election that observers say has no clear favourite. The Pro Eligendo Romano Pontefice ('For the Election of the Roman Pontiff') mass is presided by Angelo Sodano, the elderly dean of the College of Cardinals, and is also open to non-voting cardinals - those aged more than 80. The next pope will take over a Church beset by infighting, scandal and dwindling support, particularly in the West.
New report details horrific abuse by priests
02:55 - Source: CNN
CNN  — 

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro sent the Pope a letter last month asking him to call on church leaders to “abandon their destructive efforts to silence the survivors” and stick to his plan of holding “clergy and bishops accountable when they abuse or fail to protect the children.”

A spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office said it has not yet received a response from the Pope.

The letter comes in the wake of a startling grand jury report released on Tuesday that says internal documents from six Pennsylvania Catholic dioceses show that more than 300 “predator priests” have been credibly accused of sexually abusing more than 1,000 child victims.

You can read the full letter here.