VATICAN CITY
Washington Post

Pope to Irish: Child abuse by clergy shook Catholic faith; calls motive a mystery

By Associated Press, Updated: Sunday, June 17

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI told Irish Catholics on Sunday it is a mystery why priests and other clergy abused children entrusted in their care, undermining faith in the church in an “appalling” way.

By calling the cause of the abuse — often over a period of decades — in Catholic parishes, schools and church-run institutions and parishes in predominantly Catholic Ireland a “mystery,” the pontiff could further anger rank-and-file faithful in Ireland.

Benedict commented on the scandals of sexual abuse and cover-ups by church hierarchy in a pre-recorded video message for the closing session of a week-long gathering in Dublin aimed at shoring up flagging faith, including obligatory Mass attendance.