Pope Praises German Initiative to Uncover Child Sex Abuse

(12 Mar 10 - RV) Pope Benedict XVI met Friday with the President of the German Bishops’ Conference. The Archbishop of Freiburg Robert Zollitsch travelled to the Vatican to inform Pope Benedict XVI of ongoing efforts being made by the Church in Germany to deal with cases of child sex abuse in Church run institutions.


Pope Benedict XVI, listened "with keen interest, great sadness and deep emotion” to the report on the situation of the Catholic Church in Germany where more than 100 alleged cases have emerged of abuse at Catholic institutions.

Meeting with journalists following the 45 minute audience with the Pope. Archbishop Zollitsch said
"I felt it important to make clear that the German bishops are deeply shocked that these attacks were possible within the church. Already a few weeks ago I asked the victims for forgiveness. I repeat that again here in Rome. "

Zollitsch expressly reaffirmed the will of the bishops to cooperate with government investigators.

"I informed the Holy Father of the measures which we are adopting and I am grateful to him for encouraging me to continue with the adoption of these measures in a decisive and courageous manner. We want to uncover the truth .. even in those cases which happened long ago. The victims have a right to it".

The church on its own initiative has informed the law enforcement authorities of the abuse cases, unless the victims expressly declared this not to be done for private reasons. A special church investigation has no influence on the state investigation, rather as a means of support of state prosecution.


Archbishop Zollitsch said the German child abuse scandal was not limited to the Church alone. He thanked the German government for convening a round-table on the issue for April 23 grouping Catholic and Protestant representatives, civil groups, teachers and victims, an initiative welcomed by Pope Benedict.