London, England, Sep 18, 2010 / 10:22 am
On Saturday at the Apostolic Nunciature in London, Pope Benedict XVI met with a group of victims of clerical sexual abuse, the Vatican’s press office has announced. There he expressed “deep sorrow and shame” over what victims and their families had suffered.
A press release from the Holy See’s Press Office said that the Pope was moved by what the victims said to him.
He prayed with the victims, that they might experience healing and reconciliation and that they be able to overcome their past and present sufferings with “serenity and hope for the future,” in the words of the press release.
Pope Benedict reportedly assured the victims that the Catholic Church is continuing to take action to protect young people and is doing everything to investigate allegations, to work with civil authorities and to bring to justice clergy and religious accused of “these egregious crimes.”