Pope promises letter on Irish sex scandal

VATICAN CITY, Wednesday

Pope Benedict, facing a spreading scandal of child sexual abuse by priests in the Roman Catholic Church, said today he hopes his imminent letter on the problem will “help repentance, healing and renewal”.

Speaking in English to pilgrims and tourists in St Peter’s Square for his general audience, Benedict announced that on Friday he will sign his long-awaited pastoral letter dealing with paedophilia in Ireland.

It is expected to be released on Friday or Saturday, Vatican sources said.

“As you know, in recent months the Church in Ireland has been severely shaken as a result of the child abuse crisis. As a sign of my deep concern I have written a pastoral letter dealing with this painful situation,” he said. “I ask all of you to read it for yourselves, with an open heart and in a spirit of faith. My hope is that it will help in the process of repentance, healing and renewal,” he said.

The letter to the Irish people, the first ever papal document devoted exclusively to paedophilia, follows a damning government report on widespread child abuse by priests in the Dublin archdiocese. The Murphy Report, published in November, said the Church in Ireland had “obsessively” concealed child abuse in the Dublin archdiocese from 1975 to 2004, and operated a policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell”.

Although the pope’s letter will be addressed to the Irish people, it is expected to touch on the effects of paedophilia sandals in a number of European countries, including his native Germany.

Meanwhile, the Vatican said three priests were under investigation in Brazil following allegations of child abuse.

About 74 per cent of Brazil’s 190 million citizens, or roughly 140 million people, identify as Catholics.

SBT television last week aired video from a hidden camera showing father Marques Barbosa, 82, having sex with a 19-year-old boy in the northeastern state of Alagoas.

After the act, the priest’s face is identified as he looks toward the camera and says “Who’s there?” “Who is it?”

The report on the programme “Conexao Reporter” also included charges by three former altar boys that they too had been sexually abused by local priests.

After the show was aired, Alagoas bishop Valerio Breda ordered the removal from church work of priests Luiz Marques Barbosa, Edilson Duarte and Raimundo Gomes.

“One was removed from his parish and faces charges in the civil justice system,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told AFP, adding that the other two had been suspended from their duties pending an investigation. (Reuters, AFP)