DETROIT -- An emotional and soft-spoken Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded for the forgiveness of the city's residents, his supporters, opponents, family members and most of all, his wife during a prime-time televised speech Wednesday night.

Detroit residents had been waiting to hear his delayed response to recently revealed racy text messages that contradict his sworn testimony that he did not have a physical relationship with a key aide, Christine Beatty.

With his wife, Carlita, by his side, Kilpatrick held her hand in their church, Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ, during his entire speech, reported Detroit TV station WDIV.

Kilpatrick turned to her and said, "I truly apologize to you. I want to make a public apology to my entire family, and specifically to the four people who I love the most in this world."

Kilpatrick said he has had the most trying week of his life since the text messages became public.

He said he had to do the hardest thing he has ever done -- talk to his three teenage sons "about very grown-up things."

"I've felt more emotion in the last week than I have in the last 20 years. I have truly been hurting," he said. I've been hurting because I know that many of you are hurting. And most of all, I've been hurting because I know my family is hurting. And I'm responsible for that."

Despite Kilpatrick's pain, he vowed to remain mayor of Detroit.

"I remain in charge of the city," he said.

"Let me be very clear tonight. I would never quit on you. Ever. We've got a lot of work to do. And, with your help, I am going to continue to lead this city in getting it done," said Kilpatrick.

Beatty announced her resignation on Monday.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy is investigating whether Kilpatrick and Beatty lied under oath during a police whistle-blower's lawsuit last summer in which both denied having a physical relationship.

The trial cost the city $9 million.

During the speech, Kilpatrick did not specify exactly what he was sorry for.

"Because there are legal matters pending at this moment, unfortunately I am unable to discuss any of those issues at this time," he said.

Carlita Kilpatrick also spoke, describing the pain her husband had caused, but urging the city to remain committed to him.

Kilpatrick, 37, is in his second term and could run again next year.

He had been in seclusion since a Detroit Free Press report last week of sexually explicit text messages from 2002 and 2003 found on Beatty's city-issued pager. Before Wednesday's speech, his only public response had been a written statement a week ago.

Messages Show Relationship

The sexually charged messages between Kilpatrick and Beatty explicitly indicated that a romantic relationship did exist between them despite their denials under oath.

The newly released messages present evidence of more than one romantic rendezvous between Kilpatrick and Beatty, including trips to Houston, Virginia and Denver.

One exchange went like this:

Kilpatrick: "I just made my reservation."

Beatty: "You made it Denver? Leaving when and returning when?"

Kilpatrick: "Nov. 7th- 8:57 return Nov. 10th-11:25. Arrive at 4:11."

Beatty: "…Should I take the same flight?"

Kilpatrick: "Yes."

A credit card statement shows the mayor used his city credit card to reserve a $474 room at the exclusive Sonnenalp Resort of Vail, Colo.

According to the mayor's official calendar, the paper said, Nov. 7-10, 2002, was listed as "Hold for mayor gone fishing."

A text message from Beatty says the mayor asked her to perform a sexual act on him at the club. She did not, but later wrote to him that she wished she had.