Sydney, July 19 (ANI): Pope Benedict XVI has apologised to victims of what he termed as "evil" sexual abuse by members of the clergy in Australia.
Stating that he was "deeply sorry" and that he shared the victims' pain, the Pope.
"I would like to pause to acknowledge the shame which we have all felt as a result of the sexual abuse of minors by some clergy and religious in this country," Pope Benedict said during a mass at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney.
"Indeed I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured and I assure them that, as their pastor, I too share in their suffering. These misdeeds, which constitute so grave a betrayal of trust, deserve unequivocal condemnation. They have caused great pain, they have damaged the church's witness," news.com.au quoted the Pope, as saying.
On his way to Australia, the Pope seemed to commit to making an apology to victims. However his spokesmen since then had appeared to play down expectations.
"Our first reaction is disappointment. They are only words - the same thing we've been hearing for 13 years. It is simply an apology, there is nothing practical there which is what we were looking for," World Youth Day co-ordinator Bishop Anthony Fisher was quoted, as saying.
Family of Oz clergy''s sex abuse victims says Pope''s apology not enough
A man whose daughters were raped by a Melbourne priest says Pope Benedict XVI's apology to abuse victims is disappointing in that it offers no practical help to those who have suffered.
Pope Benedict XVI, in Sydney for World Youth Day (WYD) celebrations, today apologised to people sexually abused by members of the clergy in Australia in his homily at St Mary's Cathedral.
Anthony Foster and his wife Christine this week cut short a UK holiday and flew to Sydney in the hope of securing an audience with the Pope or Sydney Archbishop Cardinal George Pell.
Melbourne priest Kevin O'Donnell raped the couple's two daughters, Emma and Katherine, when they were in primary school.
O'Donnell died in prison about 10 years ago, and the Fosters have accused the Catholic church of stalling their compensation claim, which was eventually settled out of court after an eight-year legal battle.
Emma Foster committed suicide this year at the age of 26, while her sister Katherine drank heavily and was left disabled when she was hit by a drunk driver in 1999.
Foster today said the papal apology was disappointing.
"They are only words - the same thing we've been hearing for 13 years. It is simply an apology, there is nothing practical there which is what we were looking for," news.com.au quoted Foster, as saying. (ANI)
