VATICAN CITY (VATICAN CITY)
La Croix International [France]
February 9, 2022
By Loup Besmond de Senneville
The retired pope expresses “profound shame” and his “deep sorrow” over clergy sex abuse, but says he never lied to investigators commissioned by his former diocese in Bavaria
Benedict XVI has issued a new request for forgiveness from victims of clergy sex abuse, in very strong and personal terms.
In a letter dated February 6, and made public by the Vatican two days later, the former pope responds to report made public on January 20 on the management of cases of sexual abuse in Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, which he led from 1977-1982.
“Once again I can only express to all the victims of sexual abuse my profound shame, my deep sorrow and my heartfelt request for forgiveness,” writes Benedict XVI, after recalling that during his apostolic travels met several times with “victims of sexual abuse by priests”.
“I have seen at first hand the effects of a most grievous fault. And I have come to understand that we ourselves are drawn into this grievous fault whenever we neglect it or fail to confront it with the necessary decisiveness and responsibility, as too often happened and continues to happen,” says the former pope.
His letter, written in German, was translated into eight languages and released by the Holy See Press Office.
Benedict expresses his “sorrow” for all the mistakes made when he himself held “great responsibilities in the Catholic Church”.
While Joseph Ratzinger was still cardinal-archbishop of Munich in late 1981, John Paul II appointed him prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
He resigned from his post in the Bavarian archdiocese in February 1982 and moved to Rome where he led the doctrinal congregation until 2005, when he was elected to succeed John Paul as pope.
“Each individual case of sexual abuse is appalling and irreparable”
“All the greater is my pain for the abuses and the errors that occurred in those different places during the time of my mandate,” the former pope writes. “Each individual case of sexual abuse is appalling and irreparable.”
Beyond this very broad request for forgiveness, Benedict XVI says that during this crisis opened by the publication of the report on the Munich archdiocese, he has also had the support of his papal successor.
“I am particularly grateful for the confidence, support and prayer that Pope Francis personally expressed to me,” he writes.
“This error… was not intentionally willed”
Benedict, who will be 95 in April, also returns to the “error” made in the 82 pages of responses he sent to the lawyers that his former archdiocese in Germany commissioned to write the report.
The retired pope had assured them erroneously that he never participated in a January 1980 meeting that dealt with a priest convicted of pedophilia who was allowed to live in a Munich parish while receiving “therapeutic treatment”.
Benedict XVI recognized this error on January 24.
“This error, which regrettably was verified, was not intentionally willed and I hope may be excused,” he writes in the new letter.
But he also stresses that “it proved deeply hurtful that this oversight was used to cast doubt on my truthfulness, and even to label me a liar”.
On the same day that Benedict released his letter, the former pope’s legal advisers issued a three-page document responding to the Munich report’s assertion that Cardinal Ratzinger mismanaged four cases of abusive priests when he was the archbishop.
“In none of the cases analyzed by the report was Joseph Ratzinger aware of sexual abuse by priests,” his aides write.
“The report provides no evidence to the contrary,” they insist.
Very personal reflection on guilt and forgiveness
In his letter, Benedict XVI also offers a very personal reflection on guilt and forgiveness.
“I am increasingly struck by the fact that day after day the Church begins the celebration of Holy Mass – in which the Lord gives us his word and his very self – with the confession of our sins and a petition for forgiveness,” he writes.
“However great my fault may be today, the Lord forgives me, if I sincerely allow myself to be examined by him,” he continues.
“Quite soon, I shall find myself before the final judge of my life,” says the elderly and frail former pope.
“Even though, as I look back on my long life, I can have great reason for fear and trembling, I am nonetheless of good cheer, for I trust firmly that the Lord is not only the just judge, but also the friend and brother who himself has already suffered for my shortcomings, and is thus also my advocate, my ‘Paraclete’,” he says in conclusion.