Francis drew attacks over clergy sexual abuse, the role of women in the church and his stance on abortion, reflecting difficulties the church faces in the West.

Pope Francis has wrapped up a weekend trip to Belgium by praising victims and demanding that sexually abusive clergy be judged, after facing strong criticism that the Catholic Church was failing to face up to the problem.

A woman is more important than a man, but it is terrible when a woman wants to be a man: No, she is a woman,” the pope had said in Belgium.