HEAD IN THE SAND

Ex-Pope Benedict Knew About Four Child Sex Abuse Cases but Did Nothing, Lawyers Find

The allegations stem from the late 1970s, when Benedict was archbishop of Munich.

A bombshell report commissioned by the Catholic Church in Germany has found that former Pope Benedict XVI knew about four child sex abuse cases in the 1970s and ’80s, but did nothing about them. The allegations stem from when Benedict was archbishop of Munich from 1977 to 1982, and the report states that child abuse took place under his watch and he allowed the accused priests to carry on in their roles. The report was carried out by a law firm after Germany’s Catholic Church asked it to look into historic abuse. “Two of these cases concern abuses committed during his tenure and sanctioned by the state,” lawyer Martin Pusch said. “In both cases, the perpetrators remained active in pastoral care.” The report contained the minutes of a meeting where the abuse was discussed, and they appear to show Benedict was present. According to BBC News, the ex-pontiff complied with the inquiry but denied its allegations against him.