Pope urges penitence; critics call for reform

Pope Benedict XVl has called on Catholics to ‘do penance’ as part of the Church’s response to ‘world attacks’ over revelations of clerical sex abuse in at least six European nations. ‘Under the attacks… which talk to us about our sins’ Christians should rediscover ‘the grace of penance’, the Pope said at a Vatican Mass for members of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. The call appeared to distance the Pope from some senior cardinals who have sought to deflect criticism from the Vatican by blaming a hostile media campaign. However, Swiss theologian Hans Küng sent an open letter to bishops, saying the abuse scandal had caused ‘countless people’ to lose their faith and brought about the worst crisis since the Protestant Reformation. Father Küng appealed for a new church council to discuss reforms.

Source: Daily Telegraph (16/04/2010); The Times (16/04/2010)