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Inside the VaticanJanuary 27, 2022
Pope Benedict XVI blesses the faithful from the balcony of his summer residence on the day of his resignation in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, in this Feb. 28, 2013, file photo. A German law firm's report on how abuse cases were handled in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising incriminated retired Pope Benedict, with lawyers accusing him of misconduct in four cases during his tenure as Munich archbishop. The pope denied wrongdoing in all cases, according to the firm. (CNS photo/Tony Gentile, Reuters)

An investigation into sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising released Jan. 21 found that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the current archbishop, had mishandled cases of clergy sexually abusing minors during each man’s time as archbishop of Munich.

On Jan. 24, Pope Emeritus Benedict issued a statement correcting a key part of his 82-page contribution to the investigators, raising questions about how the aging former pontiff’s contribution was assembled.

This week on “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle and veteran Vatican reporter Gerard O’Connell explain what we know so far about the four cases Pope Emeritus Benedict was implicated in. Gerry and Colleen also discuss some of the issues with Benedict’s contribution to the investigation, including the factual error, and how the contribution might have been handled differently.

Links from the show:

Pope Francis vows justice for sex abuse victims after German audit faults Pope Benedict

Pope Benedict corrects statement to German abuse report, was present at meeting where abusive priest was discussed

Pope Benedict’s correction to the Munich abuse report sparks a debate among German Catholics

Vatican editorial on abuse report: Don’t use Pope Benedict as an ‘easy scapegoat’

‘Deliver Us’ podcast: What Can We Do to Hold Bishops Accountable?

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