Friday, April 09, 2010

Joseph Ratzinger, future Pope, stalled paedophile case...

The future Pope Benedict XVI resisted pleas to defrock a California priest with a record of sexually molesting children, citing concerns including "the good of the universal church," according to a 1985 letter bearing his signature.

The correspondence, obtained by The Associated Press, is the strongest challenge yet to the Vatican's insistence that Benedict played no role in blocking the removal of pedophile priests during his years as head of the Catholic Church's doctrinal watchdog office.

The letter, signed by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was typed in Latin and is part of years of correspondence between the Diocese of Oakland and the Vatican about the proposed defrocking of the Rev. Stephen Kiesle.

The Vatican refused to comment on the contents of the letter Friday, but a spokesman confirmed it bore Ratzinger's signature. More...

Don't miss:

  1. "Pope must grovel and beg for our forgiveness."
  2. Pope: I will not be "intimidated" by "petty gossip"
  3. Pope covered up priest who abused 200 deaf boys...
  4. Pope knew priest was paedophile but allowed him to continue with ministry...

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