Pope Benedict addresses clergy sex abuse crisis

Tag: vatican

(NECN: RD Sahl) - In St. Peter's Square, Pope Benedict marked the end of the Vatican's Year of the Priest - a year in which the clergy sexual abuse crisis exploded again.

Hundreds of new allegations in several countries, and evidence that some Bishops protected abusive priests.

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Today, 15,000 priests con-celebrated a Mass at which Benedict asked for forgiveness.

It's the third time in recent weeks that the Pope has addressed clergy sexual abuse. He's met with victims, and acknowledged that sins from within the church are responsible for the crisis, not a media feeding frenzy.

Benedict's record has been under the microscope, too. His handling of the Vatican office that dealt with abuse allegations, and his decision to return a pedophile priest to pastoral duties - a priest later convicted of abuse. The Pope's plea came from St. Peter's - the Holy See- but it did not include any concrete plan to address the scandal.

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