This page gathers sources for understanding the approach to clergy abuse of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Archbishop of Munich and Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and as Pope Benedict XVI during his pontificate and after his retirement. This initial version of the page was posted on January 1, 2023. Please revisit the page as we add more documents and other sources. See also the Vatican’s collections of official documents regarding the abuse of children by Catholic clergy and the Vatican’s library of documents from Benedict XVI’s pontificate.
Obituaries and Notices
- Statement by the Director, by Matteo Bruni, Holy See Press Office, December 31, 2022
- Benedict XVI, First Pope to Resign in 600 Years, Dies at 95, by Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, December 31, 2022
- Benedict XVI — Priest, Prefect, Pope, Rest in Peace, by Edward Pentin and Joan Frawley Desmond, National Catholic Register, December 31, 2022 (cache)
- Benedict XVI, First Modern Pope to Resign, Dies at 95, by Ian Fisher and Rachel Donadio, New York Times, December 31, 2022 (cache)
- Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Who Resigned the Papacy, Dies at 95, by Anthony Faiola, Michelle Boorstein, and Jacqueline L. Salmon, Washington Post, December 31, 2022 (cache)
Pope Benedict XVI’s Meetings with Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse
United States, April 2008
- Pope meets with victims of sex abuse by clergy, apologizes, by Eric Gorski, Associated Press, April 18, 2008
- ‘Unfiltered access’ to pope: Interview by Campbell Brown of Bernie McDaid, Faith Johnston, and Olan Horne, CNN , April 17, 2008
- Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Visit to the United States and His Discussion of Sexual Abuse, compiled by BishopAccountability.org, April 2008
- Excerpts: Pope Benedict’s comments about sexual abuse by clergy during his visit to the U.S., April 2008
Australia, July 2008
- Pope meets sex abuse victims: Vatican, ABC, July 21, 2008
- Pope meets clergy abuse victims, BBC News, July 21, 2008
Malta, April 2010
- Victim in Malta: Pope had ‘tears in his eyes,’ by John L. Allen Jr., National Catholic Reporter, April 18, 2010
- Vatican text: Pope meets with sex abuse victims in Malta, April 18, 2010
- Pope meets sex abuse victims on Malta visit, Deutsche Welle, April 18, 2010
- Holy Father’s meeting with some victims of sexual abuse, Apostolic Nunciature, April 18, 2010 [in Italian]
United Kingdom, September 2010
- My Shame and Humiliation: Pope’s Emotional Apology over ‘Unspeakable’ Child Abuse As He Meets Five British Victims, Daily Mail, September 19, 2010
- Pope meets victims of sex abuse in London, Rome Reports, September 18, 2010
Germany, September 2011
- Pope meets with German sex abuse victims, by Melissa Eddy & Victor L. Simpson, Associated Press (in Forbes), September 23, 2011
- “Shaken” Pope holds Mass after meeting abuse victims, Radio Netherlands, September 24, 2011
- Pope meets abuse victims during German trip, by Philip Pullella and Sarah Marsh, Reuters,September 24, 2011
Reports, Media Coverage, Speeches, and Commentary
- German Priest in Church Abuse Case Is Suspended, by Nicholas Kulish, New York Times, March 15, 2010 (cache)
- The Pope, the Church and Sexual Abuse: a Perspective, by Thomas P. Doyle, Voice from the Desert, April 1, 2010
- Pope Put Off Punishing Abusive Priest, by Laurie Goodstein and Michael Luo, New York Times, April 9, 2010 (cache)
- Decades of Untapped Authority (timeline), New York Times, July 1, 2010 (cache)
- Statement by the Taoiseach on the Dáil Motion on the Report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne, in Dáil Éireann, by Taoiseach Enda Kenny, July 20, 2011
- Benedict XVI, Munich, and Cover-Up Claims: Why an Old Allegation Is Resurfacing, by Andrea Gagliarducci, Catholic News Agency, January 6, 2022 (cache)
- Sexueller Missbrauch Minderjähriger und erwachsener Schutzbefohlener durch Kleriker sowie hauptamtliche Bedienstete im Bereich der Erzdiözese München und Freising von 1945 bis 2019 [Sexual abuse of minors and adult wards by clerics and full-time employees in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising from 1945 to 2019], by Marion Westpfahl et al., January 20, 2022; including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s response.
- Benedict XVI Denies Alleged Wrongdoing in Munich Report, by Elise Ann Allen, Crux, February 8, 2022 (cache)
Homilies, Essays, Letters, and Interviews
- Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, October 1, 1986
- Letter Regarding the More Serious Offenses Reserved to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, May 18, 2001; stating to ordinaries and hierarchs their responsibilities under Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela [The Safeguarding of the Sanctity of the Sacraments] (April 30, 2001 ) and its Norms.
- The Church and the Scandal of Sexual Abuse, by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, translated by Anian Christoph Wimmer, Catholic News Agency, April 10, 2019 (cache)
Documents from Priest Cases
- Documents Relating to the Case of Fr. Stephen Kiesle of Oakland and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s Role {1, 2} 1981-1988
- Letter Regarding Fr. Lawrence C. Murphy, from Archbishop Rembert Weakland to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, July 17, 1996
- Follow-Up Letter Regarding Fr. Lawrence C. Murphy, by Archbishop Rembert Weakland to Cardinal Gilberto Agustoni, March 10, 1997