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	Pope Benedict Apologizes to Australian Abuse Victims (Update 2) By Jacob Greber and Ed Johnson Bloomberg July 19, 2008 http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aTzx5liADp2s&refer=home Bloomberg — Pope Benedict XVI apologized to victims of childhood sexual abuse by members of the Catholic Church's Australian clergy, saying those responsible should be brought to justice. "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," the pontiff said today at a mass in Sydney. "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" in Australia. Australian support group Broken Rites, which says more than 3,500 people have sought its help during the past 15 years, demanded "action, not just words," and said the Catholic Church must make it easier for victims of sexual abuse to take action in the courts. The German-born pope addressed the issue during a visit to the U.S. in April, where some had criticized the Vatican's reluctance to confront child abuse. His apology today came as tens of thousands of Catholic pilgrims celebrating World Youth Day walked through Sydney and gathered for an overnight vigil. "These misdeeds, which constitute so grave a betrayal of trust, deserve unequivocal condemnation," Benedict told clergy as he dedicated a new altar at St. Mary's Cathedral. "Victims should receive compassion and care, and those responsible for these evils must be brought to justice." Fight Against 'Evil' Broken Rites says 107 Catholic priests and brothers have been sentenced in Australian courts for abuse since the group was set up in 1993. It says the church's approach to tackling the problem lacks transparency and that many victims are reluctant to trust the institution to investigate abuse allegations independently. The pope must tell his Australian bishops to "stop blocking victims' access to justice in the civil courts" by fighting litigation "fiercely," the group said in a statement. The abuse issue captured headlines last week as the leader of the Catholic Church in Australia acknowledged mishandling allegations of sexual assault by a priest more than 20 years ago. Cardinal George Pell announced a panel would review the case involving a former church education coordinator who says he was abused by a priest in 1982 when he was 29 years old. "I ask all of you to support and assist your bishops, and to work together with them in combating this evil," said the pope. Pilgrimage Walk Sydney Harbour Bridge was closed to traffic as the first pilgrims began crossing at 5:30 a.m. local time. They will sleep at the city's main horseracing track while awaiting a papal mass tomorrow before as many as 500,000 people that will close the weeklong World Youth Day celebrations. "It is the climax of the week," said Dave Gale, 20, from Wagga Wagga, 450 kilometers (280 miles) southwest of Sydney. "So many Christian people in one place for this event is incredible." Activists protesting Benedict's policies against contraception and abortion also marched through the city. The NotoPope Coalition, which includes gay rights activists and atheists, says it will hand out condoms and carry coat hangers to symbolize the death of women from "backyard" abortions. Freedom of Speech The Federal Court of Australia this week overturned police powers to fine protesters more than A$5,000 ($4,865) if they "annoy" people attending the event, saying the regulations introduced by the New South Wales state government infringe upon freedom of speech. Protesters wore T-shirts with slogans such as "Pope Go Homo" and "The Pope Is Wrong, Put a Condom On." World Youth Day is billed as the biggest youth festival in the world. Organizers say it is the largest event Australia has hosted, drawing people from 167 other countries. The state government, which has spent A$86 million hosting the event, forecasts it will generate A$150 million in revenue for the local economy. It is Benedict's first visit to Australia, where about 26 percent of the country's 21.3 million people described themselves as Catholic in the most recent census, in 2001. About 17 percent of the world's population is Catholic, according to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook. To contact the reporters for this story: Jacob Greber in Sydney at jgreber@bloomberg.netEd Johnson in Sydney at ejohnson28@bloomberg.net.
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