VATICAN (voa) – A top U.S. bishop says Pope John Paul II is “deeply touched” by the pain sexual abuse by American priests has caused victims.
Bishop Wilton Gregory told a news conference in Rome Saturday the Roman Catholic leader also expressed his solid backing for the U.S. church and its bishops.
Bishop Gregory said the Pope discussed the issue with him during talks at the Vatican. But he said the pontiff did not discuss calls for the resignation of Boston Cardinal Bernard Law. Cardinal Law wrote a letter to other priests Friday, refusing to step down. He is accused of transferring priests known to have sexually abused children in various parishes.
U.S. Catholic leader Bishop Gregory says the scandal has rocked the credibility of the entire U.S. church, but he stresses that most of the recently uncovered abuse cases took place decades ago. He believes a bishops’ meeting to be held in June should decide on a policy to hand paedophile priests over to civil authorities.
The scandal began with the trial of former Boston area priest John Geoghan, who is now serving a prison sentence for molesting a child. He has been accused by more than 130 people of molesting them over 30 years.
