Pope Benedict said on Tuesday he was "deeply ashamed" over sexual abuse by clergy in the United States and vowed to keep pedophiles out of the priesthood, as he began his first U.S. trip as pontiff.
His comments directly addressed one of the toughest issues facing him on the first visit to the United States by a pope since a wave of sex abuse scandals began in 2002 and forced the country's Roman Catholic dioceses to pay more than $2 billion in settlements.
Polls say three-quarters of U.S. Catholics have a favorable impression of the German-born pontiff, but just as many say they disapprove of the defensive way the Church initially responded.
"We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry," he told reporters on his flight to Washington. More...
See also: St.Peter not first pope? Never went to Rome?
And this: Priest Off clergy repellent!! Hilarious!
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