Benedict, now 94, changed into the primary Pope in centuries to surrender when he stepped down in 2013. His eight-year tenure was once overshadowed by way of a world sexual abuse scandal within the Catholic Church.
The record discovered that he were knowledgeable of 4 circumstances of sexual abuse involving minors — together with two all over his time in Munich — however did not act. The record additionally printed Benedict had attended a gathering about an abuser known as Priest X, despite the fact that the retired pontiff’s testimony to investigators denied he were provide.
On Tuesday, 4 professionals running for the retired pope mentioned that even though Benedict — then referred to as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger — was once on the assembly, he was once now not mindful that the priest was once an abuser.
“It was once completely a query of the lodging of the younger Priest X in Munich as a result of he needed to go through treatment there. This request was once complied with. All through the assembly the cause of the treatment was once now not discussed,” the professionals mentioned.
The investigators’ findings — that have now without delay implicated him in a failure to stop and punish abuse — are threatening to break the popularity of the previous pontiff.
In spite of this, Benedict additionally mentioned Tuesday he’s “of fine cheer” as he faces “the overall pass judgement on of my lifestyles,” in a private reaction to the accusations leveled towards him within the probe.
“Moderately quickly, I shall in finding myself prior to the overall pass judgement on of my lifestyles. Even supposing, as I glance again on my lengthy lifestyles, I will be able to have nice reason why for worry and trembling, I’m however of fine cheer, for I agree with firmly that the Lord isn’t just the simply pass judgement on, but in addition the pal and brother who himself has already suffered for my shortcomings,” the retired pope wrote in a letter launched by way of the Vatican.
Benedict once more conceded that he had attended the 1980 assembly about an abusive priest, this time calling his denial to the attorneys who compiled the record an “oversight.”
“This mistake, which regrettably was once verified, was once now not deliberately willed and I am hoping could also be excused,” Benedict wrote.
He additionally issued a common apology to survivors of abuse, writing: “As soon as once more I will be able to simplest specific to all of the sufferers of sexual abuse my profound disgrace, my deep sorrow and my heartfelt act of contrition.”
