AUSTRALIA
9 News
Australians are sharply divided over Pope Benedict XVI’s legacy on the vexed issue of church sexual abuse.
Supporters are hailing his efforts, but critics denounce his reign as one of concealment and cover-up.
The 85-year-old pontiff’s surprise decision to retire comes as Australia embarks on a three-year royal commission into child abuse, which victim groups have urged other nations to follow.
Melbourne lawyer Judy Courtin, a PhD student studying sexual assault in the Catholic Church, said the Pope had been “absolutely appalling” in his handling of the global issue.
“There’s no doubt there’s been that culture of (the Catholic Church) protecting their assets and protecting their name by concealment and cover-up,” Ms Courtin told AAP on Tuesday.
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