US President Mr George W. Bush will tell Pope John Paul II of his concern over a child sex scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic Church in the United States.
Mr Bush, in Italy for a meeting of NATO leaders, will meet the Pontiff this afternoon.
"I will tell him that I am concerned about the Catholic Church in America. I am concerned about its standing. I say that because the Catholic Church is an incredibly important institution in our country," Mr Bush said.
The scandal erupted in Boston in January after court documents released in the sex abuse case of defrocked priest John Geoghan showed Cardinal Bernard Law knew of allegations against Geoghan but failed to keep him away from children.
The scandal has spread across the country, involving many dioceses. Many priests have been suspended or forced to step down over allegations and some have been charged criminally.
American cardinals travelled to Rome in April for an unprecedented two-day meeting with the Pope over the scandal.
US bishops will gather next month in Dallas to formulate a policy on how to deal with priests accused of sexual abuse.