The Catholic Archbishop of Wellington, John Dew, said Tuesday that he had apologized to church members for the "humiliation, embarrassment and disappointment" resulting from continuing reports of child abuse by priests in several countries.
"I think as more revelations come to light and people hear of that, it has put the church in a crisis," he told Radio New Zealand, dpa reported.
Dew said that the situation had been made even worse as church members heard that the cases may have been mishandled.
"That's why I wanted to say something to the people," he said.
"I really wanted to assure our people in the diocese of Wellington that we are all saddened by what has happened, that we weren't sweeping it under the carpet - that we all join in the sadness and the hurt and let's look for ways to move on."
He said that he had assured church members in an Easter message that "very strict protocols" had been put in place in New Zealand "and we do everything we can to collaborate with civil authorities."
A spokesman for the Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Trust, Ken Clearwater, called for a full-scale inquiry into cases in New Zealand, as has taken place in Ireland, Canada and Australia.
He told Radio New Zealand there were "hundreds, if not thousands," of victims in New Zealand.
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