Pope Benedict XVI made his arrival in Australia on Sunday in order to attend an international Catholic youth festival and to draw the public’s attention upon the issues of global warming and the calamity of clergy sexual abuse.

The Pope explained the reporters on the flight from the Vatican that he would expose his regret concerning the abuses undertaken by members of the Church, in spite of the fact that victims’ assemblies are requiring him to go even further and make a straightforward official apology.

The scandal regarding clergy abuse is a very significant objective in the Pope’s agenda. His 10-day visit is his first in Australia and, among other intents, the head of Vatican is due to be present at the World Youth Day festival, that is said to have attracted more than 200,000 tourists.

The 81-year-old pontiff landed in Sydney after a flight of more than 20 hours from the Vatican and was met on the pitch by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Archbishop George Pell and other Church and government officials.

During the flight, Pope Benedict informed the press that he would do his best in order to restore the Australian victims’ trust, as he also did in the United States earlier this year. Although the precise number of victims of clergy abuse in Australia was not established yet, militants say it is in the thousands.

Bernard Barrett, a spokesman for the victims' group Broken Rites, said that the measures taken by the Pope did not go far enough. Furthermore, he told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio that the mistreated people wanted actions and not only words, according to the Associated Press.

Pope Benedict is to be welcomed at Sydney Harbor on Thursday by an assembly of Aborigines and other young people, and release what is believed to be a major lecture. Approximately seven years ago, John Paul delivered a formal apology to the indigenous peoples of Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands for prejudices committed by Roman Catholic missionaries.