Pope Benedict XVI Calls Belgian Raids Deplorable

(27 Jun 10 - RV) Pope Benedict on Sunday called the raids by Belgian police on Church offices as being conducted in a surprising and deplorable manner.

The Police were investigating cases of clerical sexual abuse.

In a letter to the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, André-Joseph Léonard, the Holy Father expresses his solidarity after Thursday's search of two Church offices and the home of the former archbishop, Cardinal Godfried Danneels, during which computers and files were removed and two tombs were opened.

Belgium's bishops, who were holding a meeting at the time to speak about the sexual abuse crisis, were not allowed to leave nor contact anyone for nine hours while the searches were conducted.

The Pope repeated his call that the issue of clerical sexual abuse be treated seriously by both civil and canon law, and each should respect its own competence.

The Pope says he hopes that justice will follow its course while guaranteeing the rights of individuals and institutions and respecting the victims.