"Another anti-LGBT, anti-abortion dinosaur. Despicable. Disappointed, but hardly surprised," the post said.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, in a blog post on the Media Statements section of its website, said Pope Francis had a duty to help prevent sexual assaults against children.

"We are grateful he doesn't work in the Vatican and isn't a member of the Curia. We hope that will give him the courage to shake things up and put the prevention of abuse and cover up first on his priority list," it said.