Morrison gave his address in the parliament as hundreds of survivors gathered outside the building in Canberra on Monday.

Earlier this year, concluding a five-year investigation, a committee reported that over tens of thousands of children were molested in Australian institutions for decades.

"Today, we finally acknowledge and confront the lost screams of our children," Morrison said. "We must be so humble to fall before those who were forsaken and beg to them our apology."

The investigators quizzed thousands of victims and at least 8000 accounts were taken into considerations.

The abuse were meted out to the victims in places such as schools, churches and sports clubs.

The Australian lawmakers also observed a minute of silence in the parliament to mark the occasion.

Victims are now eligible to apply for payments of up to USD 106,000 each.

Meanwhile, Australia's Catholic Church had rejected a recommendation that priests should report confessed sexual abuse.

"We are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable people while maintaining the seal," the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said in a statement in August.

"We do not see the seal as mutually exclusive." 

They said that they would, however, ask the Vatican to relax its rules on celibacy.

Sexual abuse scandal has already rocked the Vatican, prompting the Pope to condemn it unequivocally during his Papal visit to Ireland in August.

During a mass in Dublin's Phoenix Park, which was attended by thousands, the Pope repeatedly asked for forgiveness.

Concealment of sexual abuse also cost Philip Wilson, the former Archbishop of Adelaide, his position.

Wilson resigned as Archbishop after allegations surfaced against him. 

Even though he did not indulge in abusing anyone, he was found guilty to failing to report a pedophile priest. 

Images: Scott Morrison/Facebook