As Pope Francis' visit to Belgium continues, survivors are pushing for more than words from the Catholic Church's leader.

In Belgium’s Laeken Castle, Pope Francis confronted the Catholic Church’s long-standing clerical-abuse crisis in the country, declaring unequivocally that “the Church should be ashamed” and must seek forgiveness for its failures.

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo's speech was one of the most pointed ever directed at the pope during a foreign trip.

Pope Francis has had a rough day in Belgium, with the king, prime minister and the rector of the Catholic university that invited him all ripping into the Catholic Church

In a speech in Brussels on Friday, Pope Francis denounced the sexual abuse of minors by priests as a "disgrace" that the Catholic Church must seek forgiveness for. "The church must be ashamed," the pope said in a surprise departure from his speech at the Castle of Laeken.

Belgium’s prime minister has blasted Pope Francis for the Catholic Church’s horrific legacy of clerical sex abuse and cover-ups. Alexander De Croo demanded “concrete steps” to come clean with the

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s speech was one of the most pointed ever directed at the pope during a foreign trip.

The Catholic Church's failures in responding to sexual abuse by clergy have been in focus again during Pope Francis' visit this weekend to Belgium, with the pontiff facing calls from high-profile figures and survivors for more concrete action.

Belgium's King Philippe levelled direct criticism at the pontiff, saying it had "taken far too long for the cries to be heard and acknowledged".