French Catholics agree to sell property to compensate abuse victims

FILE PHOTO: A Christian Catholic cross is silhouetted in Saint-Fiacre-sur-Maine near Nantes, France, October 5, 2021. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) - France's Catholic Church said on Monday it would sell real estate and, if needed, take out loans to set up a fund to compensate thousands of people sexually abused by clergy.

A major investigation found in October that French clerics sexually abused more than 200,000 children over the past 70 years.