Pope 'dismayed' by abuse scandal

Published on Friday 12 March 2010 21:57

GERMANY'S leading bishop briefed Pope Benedict XVI yesterday on the spiralling number of cases of clerical sex abuse in the pontiff's native Germany.

Archbishop Robert Zollitsch said the Pope had been "greatly dismayed" and "deeply moved" as he was given a run-down on the scandal during the 45-minute private audience in the Vatican.

At least 170 former students from Catholic schools in Germany have come forward recently with claims of physical and sexual abuse, including at an all-boys choir once led by the Pope's brother, Georg Ratzinger.

Archbishop Zollitsch said he had briefed the Pope in particular on measures taken to confront the scandal. "The Holy Father was very satisfied with our decisions," he said, adding that the Pope had urged him to pursue the truth and assist the victims.

"I'm grateful for the encouragement he (Benedict] gave me to continue carrying out our measures in a decisive and courageous way," he said.

Archbishop Zollitsch also said the Vatican was considering a set of universal norms to deal with cases of clerical sex abuse.

The Pope hasn't commented on the German scandal himself. But he decried the sexual abuse of children as a "heinous crime" after he summoned Irish bishops to Rome last month to discuss the even more widespread scandal in the Irish church.

In addition to the cases in Germany and Ireland, three retired priests at a Catholic school in Austria were relieved of their clerical duties this week after allegations of physical and sexual abuse emerged. Two other priests in Austria have resigned amid similar allegations.

In the Netherlands, Catholic bishops announced an independent inquiry into more than 200 allegations of sexual abuse of children by priests at Church schools and apologised to victims.

The German abuse allegations are particularly sensitive because Germany is the Pope's homeland – he was archbishop of Munich from 1977 to 1982 – and because the scandals involve the prestigious choir that was led by his brother from 1964 until 1994.

Archbishop Zollitsch said he and Benedict did not discuss any allegations surrounding the pontiff's brother.