Pope letter on Catholic sex abuse scandal meets Irish skepticism

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Pope letter on Catholic sex abuse scandal meets Irish skepticism

In Ireland, news that Pope Benedict is sending a letter on the Catholic sex abuse scandal was met by disagreement over whether the church can regain its moral authority. The letter will be made public Saturday.


By Jason Walsh, Correspondent / March 19, 2010
Dublin, Ireland


Pope Benedict XVI has written a pastoral letter to Irish Roman Catholics on the issue of preventing and punishing sexual abuse of children by priests – but opinion here is divided on whether the church can ever regain its moral authority.

The papal letter, expected later today, follows a series of accusatory Irish government reports last year into pedophilia within the Irish Roman Catholic Church. Pope Benedict says he hopes the communication, to be made public Saturday, "will help in the process of repentance, healing, and renewal."

Garry O'Sullivan, editor of the Irish Catholic, a weekly newspaper independent of the church, says if it is to have any impact at all, the letter needs to address the church's culpability.

"The hope is it will have a fulsome apology. The victims want the pope to make a proper admission of a systemic cover-up, not just minimize it as a few problems," he says.

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http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/0319/Pope-letter-on-Catholic-sex-abuse-scandal-meets-Irish-skepticism