Vatican City, May 7, 2010 / 08:18 am
Meeting with the Holy Father, president of Switzerland, Doris Leuthard was seen to be “visibly moved.” Discussion between the two heads of state covered clerical sex abuse of minors, the need to be “sensitive” to victims and Swiss laws on religious freedom. Pope Benedict also told her that he would like to address everything related to sexual abuse by priests this year.
The two leaders met in the Papal library of the Apostolic Palace on Thursday morning for 25 minutes. The encounter was “a very important moment” and “an honor,” the Catholic president told the Swiss news service Swissinfo.ch.
The president went on to tell the publication that the subject sexual abuse of minors came up in the private discussion with Pope Benedict XVI.
“The Pontiff recognizes the existence of this problem, also he rightly recalled that it is a question that involves all of society. He wants to confront it and is sensitive to the drama of the victims of the abuses,” President Leuthard said.