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	Germany's Top Cleric Admits to Errors in Sexual Abuse Scandal Earth Times April 2, 2010 http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/316873,germanys-top-cleric-admits-to-errors-in-sexual-abuse-scandal.html Berlin - Germany's top Catholic cleric admitted on Friday that the Catholic church made mistakes in its handling of widespread sexual abuse by priests, dating back to the 1950s. Archbishop Robert Zollitsch said that "not enough" was done to help the victims of abuse, due to "disappointment at the painful failure of the perpetrators and misplaced worry at the standing of the church." The cleric called for a new beginning in his traditional Good Friday address, and said different social norms were in part to blame for the way sexual abuse cases were handled in the past. "This is a painful reality that we need to face," Zollitsch added. "Wounds were generated that can hardly ever be healed. It is all the more important to turn our main attention, our sympathy and all our possible support to the victims," the archbishop said. Last week the Catholic church set up a telephone hotline for sexual abuse victims to seek support and advice, after more than 250 cases of mistreatment by clerics have been reported in recent months. Most of the reported cases happened to children in schools and church institutions several decades ago. Zollitsch said the sexual abuse scandal filled the church with sadness, horror and shame. "We are shocked by the suffering caused to victims, who for decades often could not put their injuries into words." The archbishop said nothing about allegations that the church had tried to cover up abuse cases. Easter symbolized the chance for an "urgently needed" new beginning for the Church, Zollitsch said.
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