Pontiff may apologize to abuse victims
Pope Benedict XVI has raised expectations that he will apologize to victims of clergy sexual abuse while he is in Australia this week.
The 81-year-old pontiff told reporters during a flight to Australia for a nine-day visit starting Sunday that he would do everything possible to achieve “healing and reconciliation with the victims.”
Senior clerics organizing the World Youth Day festival in Sydney have avoided using the word “apology” to describe remarks Benedict is expected to make about the problem of clergy abuse, but they have made it clear that there will be some expression of regret.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
