Pope Francis dove head-first into Chile's sex abuse scandal on his first full day in Santiago.

Francis focused for the second time today during his visit to Chile on the abuse scandal that has rocked the Chilean church. “I know the pain resulting from cases of abuse of minors, and I am attentive to what you are doing to respond to this great and painful evil,” he said.

“It is right to ask for forgiveness,” the pope said, “and make every effort to support the victims.”

“We are at the limit,” the pope said on the flight from Rome to Chile. “An accident is sufficient.”

The issues that most concern the Chileans coincide with many of the messages of the pope, for example, the problem of the indigenous community, the problems of migrant people, care for the environment.

Pope Francis will set out on his 22nd foreign trip on Jan. 15.