Pope Gets Earful on Church Sex Abuse Cases

(CBS/ AP)  Germany's top bishop briefed Pope Benedict XVI on the spiraling cases of clerical sex abuse in the pontiff's native Germany on Friday and said the pope encouraged him to pursue the truth and assist the victims.

Archbishop Robert Zollitsch said the pope was "greatly dismayed" and "deeply moved" as he was being briefed on the scandal during his 45-minute private audience in the Vatican. Zollitsch said he briefed the pope in particular on the measures being taken so far to confront the scandal.

"The Holy Father was very satisfied with our decisions," Zollitsch told a press conference after the meeting.

The latest sex abuse scandals have renewed debate on priestly celibacy but Pope Benedict said today it is a "holy value," reports CBS News correspondent Sabina Castelfranco.

At least 170 former students from Catholic schools in Germany have come forward recently with claims of physical and sexual abuse, including at an all-boys choir once led by the pope's brother.

Zollitsch also said he briefed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on measures implemented in Germany, and that the Vatican is considering a set of universal norms to deal with cases of clerical sex abuse.

"I'm grateful for the encouragement he (Benedict) gave me to continue carrying out our measures in a decisive and courageous way," he said.

More stories on Sex Abuse in Catholic Church:

Germans to Examine What Pope Knew of Abuse
Pope's Brother Admits Hitting Students
Dublin Bishops Quit in Sex Abuse Scandal

Benedict hasn't commented on the German scandal himself. But he decried the sexual abuse of children as a "heinous crime" after he summoned Irish bishops to Rome last month to discuss the even more widespread scandal in the Irish church.

In addition to the cases in Germany and Ireland, three retired priests at a Catholic school in Austria were relieved of their clerical duties this week after allegations of physical and sexual abuse emerged. Two other priests in Austria have resigned amid similar allegations. And in the Netherlands, Catholic bishops announced an independent inquiry into more than 200 allegations of sexual abuse of children by priests at church schools and apologized to victims.

But of all the European scandals, the German abuse allegations are particularly sensitive because Germany is Benedict's homeland, where he served as archbishop of Munich from 1977 to 1982, and because the scandals involve the prestigious choir that was led by his brother, Georg Ratzinger, from 1964 until 1994.

Zollitsch said he and Benedict did not discuss the allegations surrounding the pontiff's brother.

Ratzinger has repeatedly said the sexual abuse allegations date from before his tenure as choir director and that he never heard of them, although he acknowledged slapping pupils as punishment.

According to a poll conducted by the Emnid institute for N24 television, a full 86 percent of Germans contend the Roman Catholic Church has failed to do enough to explain the allegations of abuse in church-run schools and institutions. Only 10 percent of the 1,000 people polled on March 10 felt the church was doing enough.

Also, 68 percent of those polled say the abuse scandal has raised their criticism of the church's educational abilities, while 28 percent still trust the church to teach their children.

Bishop Stephan Ackermann, who has been appointed by the church to handle abuse allegations in Germany, said that he would also follow up on any charges against bishops.

"Bishops or parishes that are not cooperative will be asked for information," Ackermann said Thursday on ZDF television.

[HGOODGUY]

Maybe if the Pope got an arse full instead of an earfull maybe he would get it!!!!

[stychokiller]

Call me sick and twisted but when I read [quote]Pope Gets Earful on Church Sex Abuse Cases[/quote], I immediately thought He gave his consent to some sort of sex ritual that I'd never heard of. Just sad, that the Catholic Church refuses to come up with some progressive reforms to nip such problems in the bud. There's a lot to be said for traditions and ritual, but sooner or later, an organization must evolve (oops, I meant Intelligently Design) or die!

[kamsack50]

Hosheen

And what church do you hope replaces it, if the Catholic Church disappears?

[cleric60]

What about a Evanglical and Reformed Roman Catholic Church? Let's attempt to have another Reformation within the Roman Catholic Church.
Many, many faithful Catholics desire married clergy, accepted practice of birth control; except willful abortions, more active laity within the church structure--less male leadership.
It's time for the winds of spiritual renewal and reform to blow open the doors of the Roman Catholic Church around the world.

[Hosheen]

The shoes just keep dropping faster than the priest's pants. Before this is over, perhaps the Catholic church will disappear. What a good thing that will be for the human race.

[cambry1]

"Bishop Stephan Ackermann, who has been appointed by the church to handle abuse allegations in Germany, said that he would also follow up on any charges against bishops. "Bishops or parishes that are not cooperative will be asked for information," Ackermann said.

This is typical of investigative procedures in these matters by Catholic leaders around the world. What should be strictly a police matter somehow is relegated to the clergy; the presumption being that the fox can best guard the henhouse as the fox knows his way around the flock and knows which ones will squawk while being *********.

Such is the price society pays for allowing superstitions to rule over rational behavior.

[rwsmith29456]

I think there should be a special order of clerics who decide that they want to live celibate lives. There's no reason that a married person can't do an awful lot of the work of the church. I'll bet that would go a long way toward alleviating the shortage of people willing to commit to priesthood. That won't put a stop to sex scandals but will decrease part of the reason that the priesthood is a haven for perverts.

[liberalme]

Getting rid of celibacy won't work, most of these priests went after little boys!

These guys need to be prosecuted and persecuted!

[cleric60]

Again back in the 15th. century, Martin Luther reported that the clergy were both hetersexual and homosexual immoral because they were not allowed to marry. Within Protestant churches--it appears that even married clergy are tempted to have affairs with female office helpers or the female/male organists. Hey, clergy are flesh and blood like the rest of us, they are tempted to commit sexual sins.

[formrusmcsgt]

Pope Silent on Scandals in Native Germany
---
Nothing new.

[thesevenveils]

The Catholic church makes all priests vow to put the church before everything else. Before justice, human rights, basically everything Jesus preached about.

[cleric60]

And where did you learn this from "the sevenveils" ???? The faithful priests are called to promote human justice, human rights, compassion, and care for the poor. Stop breaking the 8th commandment--slandering your neighbors--faithful Christ-like priests.

[pauljspeed]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gyJnfsQBXA