Retired pope makes ‘heartfelt request for forgiveness’ over handling of sex abuse cases

Pope Benedict XVI expressed “profound shame,” “deep sorrow” and a “heartfelt request for forgiveness” for his handling of sexual abuse by priests he oversaw in a letter released on Tuesday. 

However, he did not admit any wrongdoing over allegations that he failed to take action against priests who were abusing children while he was archbishop of Munich in Germany from 1977 to 1981.

Benedict, 94, released the letter and an 82-page filing in response to a Jan. 20 report from German law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl, which was commissioned by the church to investigate abuses between 1945 and 2019.

The firm said Benedict, known as Cardinal Josef Ratzinger when he was the archbishop of Munich, knew of abuses by priests he oversaw before the scandal became public, but failed to take any action. Pope Francis promised justice in the wake of the report.

The former pope did not directly address the allegations made in the report but he did extend his sympathies and regrets to the victims of sexual abuse.

“I have had great responsibilities in the Catholic Church. All the greater is my pain for the abuses and the errors that occurred in those different places during the time of my mandate,” he wrote. “Each individual case of sexual abuse is appalling and irreparable. The victims of sexual abuse have my deepest sympathy and I feel great sorrow for each individual case.”

Benedict also addressed an “error” in reference to a chancery meeting in 1980.

At the meeting, church officials discussed a convicted pedophile priest who was eventually transferred to Munich. Benedict had said he was never at the meeting, but later clarified he was but that the priest’s return to ministry was not discussed at the time, The Associated Press reported.

In his letter, the former pope said it “proved deeply hurtful that this oversight was used to cast doubt on my truthfulness, and even to label me a liar.”