Pope Benedict XVI requested to investigate cases of sex abuse

Pope Benedict XVI said yesterday that “the Vatican will inspect the diocese in Ireland, the seminaries and religious congregations where there have been cases of pedophilia, in order to help the local Church in its way to the renewal.

The Church is desperate and will try to stem the crisis of credibility caused by the scandals in Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and now Spain.

According to the Pope “he shares the distress and sense of betrayal that many have experienced through these sinful and criminal acts and the way they were treated by the authorities of the Church in Ireland.” And he “has decided to write a letter for the seriousness of these crimes and the inadequate response to the victims by the Irish church authorities.”

The president of the German Bishops Conference, Robert Zollitsch, acknowledged in an interview that “the Catholic Church hid cases of sexual abuse of minors commited by members of the Church”.

And also confirmed that “Yes, it is true that it happened in our midst, but we’ve been for years aagainst it”.

Zollitsch said: “Although the majority of cases occur outside the church, they are serious if they occur in the Church.”

“I’m feel ashamed about the abuses that have occurred in our institution. Each case has clouded the image of the entire Church.”

According to Zollitsch, “the victims of some cases want to talk about their suffering, but do not want to denounce the authorities.”

And that “that causes us problems, because we certainly have interest in punishing the perpetrators.”

“With false accusations, someone’s life can be finished morally. That’s something that we care less in these days of heated debates.”

Zollitsch sees no connection between the cases of pedophilia within the church and the celibacy “at least not directly, in his view “few professions inquire as deep in emotional maturity as the Church in the seminar. ”

Affirming that “If in the preparation for the marriage they teach one tenth of the care given to the formation of personality (in preparation of the priests), the union between men and a women would be much better.”

The note clarifies that “Zollitsch is considered to be in the less conservative wing of the Church and in an earlier interview he had expressed his support for the discussion about celibacy, an institution that he sees as unnecessary.

During the assembly of the bishops conference held in late February, a priest was appointed to investigate all cases of pedophilia. ”

He further clarified that ‘this weekend, the president of the bishops conference had to fend off accusations that implicated him personally of having concealed a case of pedophilia when he was head of human resources in the archbishopric of Freiburg’.

And that ‘In 1991 Zollitsch ordered the retirement of a pastor that between 1968 and 1991 had abused at least 17 children and adolescents, mostly altar boys, but had not reported the case to the prosecution’.

“After retirement, the parish priest commited abuses again, and confronted with the facts and after the diocese reported the case to prosecutors, the priest committed suicide ‘.

In a press conference held on Saturday to explain this case, Zollitsch said he “always acted with the best consciousness,” but acknowledged that “if it happens now, he will look for witnesses and victims of sex abuse cases”