DUBLIN - The week for Pope Francis has been bookended by the church's ongoing reckonings over its abuse scandals.

On Monday, he noted the "heart-wrenching pain" of victims following a Pennsylvania grand jury report on sexual misconduct by priests dating back to the 1940s.

He prepared Saturday to begin a two-day trip to Ireland, where the traumas of sexual abuse have radically diminished the Roman Catholic clergy's once-towering authority.

Marking the first visit by a pontiff to Ireland in 39 years, Francis will be in Dublin for the World Meeting of Families, a once-every-three-years gathering intended by the Vatican to strengthen family bonds.

Francis' schedule includes a Saturday evening speech, a Sunday afternoon Mass, and also a visit to Knock Shrine, a Catholic pilgrimage site on the western side of the island.

But the pontiff's trip is certain to be dominated by the issue of sexual abuse - both the decadeslong legacy of church-linked crimes in Ireland and a series of recent, bruising revelations about priests and prelates across the world.

The Vatican has said that Francis will meet with abuse survivors during his visit. He is also under pressure to account for the Holy See's role in protecting alleged perpetrators

Francis will be greeted by major crowds, but could also see signs of anger and defiance.

A gathering for victims of clergy abuse is planned for the same time as the papal Mass. Former Irish President Mary McAleese was quoted last week calling the World Meeting of Families "a right-wing rally" designed to motivate people "to fight against the tide of same-sex marriage, rights for gays, abortion rights, contraceptive rights."

At the time of John Paul II's 1979 visit, homosexuality, abortion, divorce and the use of contraception were all illegal in Ireland. But the country has since changed drastically, pulling away from the social foundations of the Catholic Church. None of the 1979-era laws still stand.

"Certainly there have been societal changes. But the church going from the position it was in 20 years ago to where it is now - it's fallen off a cliff," said Marie Collins, an abuse victim and a former member of Francis's advisory commission on sexual abuse.

"Ireland was an extremely Catholic country," she added. "Without a shadow of a doubt, the abuse revelations that happened here had an enormous effect."

Ireland remains predominantly Catholic in number, but attendance at mass has declined significantly, and the average Irish priest is 70 years old.

Based on a series of meetings across the country and written responses from Catholics, Ireland's Association of Catholic Priests said this month that there was "huge support" for "radical reform" among Irish Catholics, including for the ordination of female priests.