Pope challenged on sex abuse during visit to Panama

PANAMA CITY

Young people challenged Pope Francis on the Catholic Church’s sex-abuse scandal and the plight of Christians in the Middle East as the youth took center stage Saturday in the final events of World Youth Day in Panama.

Organizers said some 600,000 people turned out for Saturday’s main event, an evening vigil service in the Metropark area of east Panama City. Many of them were spending the night in tents or just on sleeping mats to be in place for an early morning final Mass formally ending the religious festival.

Associated Press