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Pope Calls on Church to Examine Failures in Abuse Scandal

   VOA News 20 December 2010
   Pope Benedict XVI

Photo: AP

   Pope Benedict XVI

   Pope Benedict says the Catholic Church must examine failures that have
   allowed for "an unimaginable dimension" of sexual abuse by priests.
   The  pope  said Monday that church authorities also must renew efforts
   to help victims and screen potential pedophiles from the priesthood.
   Speaking  to  cardinals  and  bishops  gathered  in  Rome  to hear the
   pontiff's  traditional  Christmas  message,  the  pope  defended  most
   priests  for  their  good  works but said the church had to ask itself
   what was wrong in its message that allowed such abuse to occur.
   Catholics  in  Ireland,  Germany,  the  Netherlands  and  Belgium have
   demanded  church  accountability for the abuses, which began coming to
   light  eight  years ago in the United States and later became apparent
   in Europe.
   Victims  have  accused  the church hierarchy of failing for decades to
   act swiftly to punish errant priests.

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