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	UK Catholic Church Sorry Straits Times April 22, 2010 http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_517836.html Roman Catholic leaders in Britain have apologised for child abuse by clergy, saying the scandal has brought shame on the church. Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, the head of the church in England and Wales, said the crimes of some priests were a 'profound scandal' that 'bring deep shame to the whole church.' He expressed the church's 'heartfelt apology and deep sorrow to those who have suffered abuse, those who have felt ignored, disbelieved or betrayed.' Nichols made the apology in a statement issued Thursday on behalf of bishops, to be sent to parishes across the country. The apology came as Pope Benedict accepted the resignation of Bishop James Moriarty, the Vatican announced on Thursday, bringing to three the number of Irish bishops who have stepped down due to the sexual abuse crisis. Moriarty handed in his resignation in December after an official report named him among Church leaders in the Dublin archdiocese who had covered up cases of child sex abuse by priests for 30 years. He was auxiliary bishop of Dublin for 11 years until he was named bishop of Kildare and Leighlin in 2002. Pope Benedict pledged on Wednesday that the Roman Catholic Church would take action to counter the sex abuse scandal.
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