Pope calls for acknowledgement of church's weaknesses
Pope Benedict XVI has deplored acts of infidelity by priests and has called for a “frank and complete acknowledgement” of the Catholic Church’s weakness.
Benedict didn’t specify the clerical sex abuse scandal that has convulsed the church in the United States, Ireland and elsewhere.
But in a letter today to priests marking the start of the Vatican’s Year of the Priest, Pope Benedict said the church had suffered greatly from the actions of some priests and that many around the world had found reason to reject the church as a result.
He said that while such scandals were to be deplored, there was also reason to rejoice that there were so many generous and good clergy at work every day.
