Pope Benedict XVI spent 40 minutes with 5 people who had suffered abuse as children from Catholic priests, and their experiences reportedly filled him with “sorrow and shame”. The pope carefully listened to their stories and then spent time praying for them.
A spokesperson for the pontiff said that:
“He (the pope) was moved by what they had to say and expressed his deep sorrow and shame over what victims and their families had suffered.”
“As he has done on other occasions, he prayed that all the victims of abuse might experience healing and reconciliation, and be able to overcome their past and present distress with serenity and hope for the future.”
The pope also gave strong assurances to the victims that the Catholic Church would continue to implement “effective measures” to ensure the proper safety and care for young people in the future, and that the church would fully co-operate with civil authorities to bring abusers to justice.
Just before this meeting, the pope delivered his strongest-yet apology for the abuse scandals wracking the Catholic Church during a mass he conducted at Westminster Cathedral on Friday.
During his sermon, the pope articulated his sense of sorrow at the “immense suffering” caused by pedophile priests.
"I express my deep sorrow to the innocent victims of these unspeakable crimes, along with my hope that the power of Christ's grace, his sacrifice of reconciliation, will bring deep healing and peace to their lives," Benedict said.
According to reports, there are 28 nations in which Roman Catholic priests have been accused of child abuse.