VATICAN CITY
Irish Independent
25 SEPTEMBER 2013
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has broken his self-imposed silence with a lengthy letter to a prominent atheist in which he defended himself from accusations that he did not do enough to bring to justice sexually abusive priests.
The former pontiff spoke of his “profound consternation” that “evil” had entered so deeply into the Roman Catholic faith.
But he denied that he had, either as Pope or previously as head of the Vatican office dealing with abuse cases, tried to cover up the scandals that tarnished the church’s reputation around the world.
“That the power of evil penetrated so far into the interior world of the faith is a suffering that we must bear, but at the same time must do everything to prevent it from repeating,” he said. …
EXPOSED
“Over a clerical career that lasted more than six decades, we can’t think of a single child-molesting bishop, priest, nun, brother or seminarian that Benedict ever exposed,” said Barbara Dorris of the US-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
“In the church’s entire history, no one knew more but did less to protect kids than Benedict.
“As head of CDF, thousands of cases of predator priests crossed his desk.
“Did he choose to warn families or call police about even one of those dangerous clerics? No. That, by definition, is a cover-up.” (© Daily Telegraph, London)
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