PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Rhode Island’s Roman Catholic bishop has planned a day of prayer and penance because of the clerical sex abuse scandal.

Diocese of Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin released a letter Thursday to publicize the Sept. 14 event in Providence. He says these are “difficult and dark days.”

Tobin says he will fast that day, in penance for his “faults and failures as a Christian, priest and bishop” and for “the sins and failures” of all priests and bishops related to the sexual abuse of minors.

Tobin said this week that he was aware of incidents of sexual abuse reported to church officials while working in Pennsylvania, but it wasn’t his job to deal with them.

Tobin served as auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh from 1992 until 1996.

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