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	Popeless By Darren Boyle One in Four [Ireland] October 27, 2006 http://www.oneinfour.org/news/news2006/popeless/ Fury as pontiff refuses to say sorry over the Ferns child abuse scandal Top child protection activist Colm O'Gorman has slammed Pope Benedict XVI for filing to apologise for the Ferns sex abuse scandal The Pontiff expressed his regret and horror at the systematic abuse of children in the Ferns Diocese of Co Wexford. But he refused to say sorry to the children who were tortured and also failed to implement measures to prevent similar things from happening again. Pope Benedict spoke for the first time last night about the scandal and expressed his "deep sorrow and distress". The Pope received the Bishop of Ferns Denis Brennan and asked him to convey his "deep regret at the harm and suffering they [the abused children] have suffered". He expressed his own "personal anguish and horror and the incomprehensible behaviour" of the paedophile priests. This was the first time Benedict has commented on the scandal since his election as Pope last year. Mr O'Gorman said the Pope needs to act positively and implement measures to stop the same outrage from happening again. Mr O'Gorman, director of sex abuse charity One in Four, added: "One can of course appreciate on a human level Pope Benedict's own "personal anguish" and any expression of concern for those who have been abused is welcomed. "However, the Pope as Supreme Pastor of the Universal Church has filed to respond to the findings in the report that the Vatican had failed in tits responsibilities in relation to child sexual abuse perpetrated by its priests. As the supreme head of the Catholic Church only Pope Benedict can act to put in place a mandatory child protection policy underpinned by Church Law right across the Catholic world. "That he has failed to do so highlights the continuing failure of the Vatican to address this issue in any meaningful sense. "The Pope's words of care are welcome, but action is always more meaningful than words." Mr O'Gorman said that children in countries such as Brazil were still being abused by predatory priests. He said that he was disappointed that the Pope failed to address any of the issues raised by the Ferns study. The report of the Ferns Inquiry into abuse in the diocese said it identified more than 100 allegations of child sexual abuse – made between 1962 and 2002 – against 21 priests. Six of the priests had died before any allegations of abuse were made against them.
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