VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict apologized on Saturday to victims of child sex abuse by clergy in Ireland and ordered an official inquiry there to try to stem a scandal gripping the Catholic Church which has swept across Europe. The pope's pronouncement on abuse at Irish dioceses and seminaries was the most concrete step taken since a wave of ...

Pope Benedict XVI apologised on Saturday for child sex abuse by Irish priests in a letter with far-reaching implications, but victims criticised it for falling short. The pastoral letter, which came with the sex abuse scandal having spread to several European countries, including the pope's native Germany, also said Irish bishops had "failed" in addressing the problem. "You have ...

Here are some excerpts of the letter Pope Benedict XVI issued Saturday to the Irish faithful concerning the clerical abuse scandal rocking the Catholic Church in Ireland. ___ To the victims: "You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry. I know that nothing can undo the ...

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish victims of clerical child sexual abuse are deeply disappointed by Pope Benedict's letter of apology as it fails to address the role of senior church leaders, a group representing victims said on Saturday. "My first response was deep disappointment in the letter," said Maeve Lewis, executive director of victims group One in Four. "We feel the ...