The leader of the Archdiocese of Portland on Monday said he was shocked and discouraged over recent revelations of child sex abuse by priests and the subsequent cover-ups by church leaders.

In his first public comments since a Pennsylvania grand jury report detailed decades of abuse at the hands of 300 Roman Catholic priests in that state, Archbishop Alexander K. Sample apologized for harm done to the victims of abuse and called the latest allegations evidence of an "institutional and spiritual" failure.

His written statement also addressed the July resignation of prominent former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who served as archbishop of Washington, D.C. McCarrick faces allegations of sexually abusing a child nearly five decades ago as a New York priest. McCarrick, the first cardinal in history to step down in connection with the unfolding sexual abuse scandal, denies the allegations.

Portland's archdiocese was driven to bankruptcy in 2004 after settling more than 100 claims of abuse at the hands of clergy and facing dozens more. It was the first Catholic diocese to file for bankruptcy over child sex abuse claims.

"These horrific revelations are particularly painful in light of what victims in our own Archdiocese have suffered and the impact that sexual abuse has had on the Church here in western Oregon," Sample said in Monday's statement.

"These most-recent accusations and details expose — yet again — certain systematic and profound failures of episcopal leadership in our Church. These failures are both institutional and spiritual in nature, and date back many decades."

Sample outlined steps he said the church should take to avoid abuse and subsequent cover-ups, including the creation of an outside investigation process and expanding investigations to include those who knew about abuse and failed to report it. He said he would advocate for reform when U.S. bishops gather in November for an annual meeting.

He urged victims of previous abuse to bring their complaint to the church or local law enforcement, and he asked members of the church to pray for and assist the victims of abuse.

The archdiocese said it was holding a Mass of Healing for Victims of Sexual Abuse at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 1716 N.W. Davis St. in Portland.

Near the end of the five-page letter, Sample also urged the Portland faithful not to abandon the church.

"In dealing with all of this some are quite understandably tempted to give up on the Church," Sample wrote. "Yet our faith is finally in God, not in individuals who fail to live up to their calling in Christ."

Pope Francis condemned sexual abuse by priests in a letter earlier Monday, demanding accountability but offering no indication of how he plans to sanction complicit bishops or end the Vatican's long-standing culture of secrecy.

More on the Archdiocese of Portland's handling of sex abuse allegations:

Chronology

Links to previously secret documents

The Oregonian

-- Elliot Njus

enjus@oregonian.com

503-294-5034

@enjus