Pope Francis is in Belgium on Friday for a three-day visit where he is scheduled to meet privately with a group of 15 victims of clerical sexual abuse.

Jean-Marc Turine, a Belgian writer, director, and member of the group, told dpa the victims want the pope to admit that the Catholic Church was responsible for the abuse.

“The church has to take this on board, really take it on board,” Mr Turine said.

He said that the church must stop protecting rapist priests, alleging this “has very often been the case.”

“The pope has never spoken with victims” in Belgium, Mr Turine added, calling on the church to make proper financial compensation. “The sexual abuse `destroyed the lives’ of many people.”

The timing and location of the meeting between the group of victims and the pope has not been disclosed.

The pope will address several issues on the trip, including migration, climate change, and the Ukraine war.

It is Francis’ 46th international trip as pope. He was in Luxembourg on Thursday.

Pope Francis will meet with Belgian King Philippe on Friday at the Castle of Laeken and with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

The pontiff will mark the 600th anniversary of the Catholic University of Leuven on Friday, founded in 1425.

On Saturday, he visits the partner Catholic University in Louvain-La-Neuve.

The pope will also meet with bishops and members of the Catholic community at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Koekelberg in Brussels. On Sunday, the pontiff will say mass at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels.

Pope Francis is pressing on with the trip despite cancelling all appointments on Monday due to an illness.

The Vatican said the 87-year-old was suffering from a “mild flu.”

(dpa/NAN)