The Pope has told US cardinals there is no place in religious life for child abusers.
They are Pope John Paul II's strongest words to date on the subject since allegations of sex abuse by priests began pouring out in January, shaking the church in the US.
The meeting with the US cardinals opened a day after a report that a move was afoot by fellow cardinals to force the resignation of Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law, accused of mishandling sex abuse cases.
The Pope did not address that issue directly, but he did say "bishops and superiors are concerned above all else with the spiritual good of souls".
"To the victims and their families where ever they may be I express my profound sense of solidarity and concern," he told the closed-door Vatican meeting in a speech in English.
"People need to know that there is no place in the priesthood and religious life for those who would harm the young," the Pope said.
"I ask Catholics to stay close to their priests and bishops and support them with their prayers at this difficult time.
Cardinal Law said last week he would not resign following a secret meeting with the pope and other Vatican officials in Rome. The Pope summoned the cardinals for two days of talks after US prelates made clear the scandal was shaking the confidence of American faithful.
Despite reports that an unnamed cardinal was joining those who think Cardinal Law should step down, the embattled cardinal's ultimate fate seemed highly unlikely to figure in the meetings.
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington said Cardinal Law should stay and insists the agenda here boils down to one thing - "We've got to make sure that people can trust their priests," he said.
Church leaders are accused of trying to cover up hundreds of cases of priests abusing children that have emerged recently.