Pope Benedict XVI is under increasing pressure to directly address the sex scandals rocking his church. Revelations of pedophilia by priests and cover-ups by Roman Catholic authorities began in the US in 1985. Since then, they've spread worldwide, and this week questions have been raised about the actions of the Pope when he was Archbishop of Munich. The latest reports in Europe are from Italy, where three men say they were abused as boys at a Catholic school for the deaf. Is it a smear campaign, as the Vatican claims, or is it time for the Pope himself to explain his own actions, in the interests of restoring his dwindling credibility?
Church Abuse Scandal Reaches Pope Benedict XVI
Credits
Guests:
- Rachel Donadio - Paris-based journalist, contributing writer for The Atlantic - @racheldonadio
- Joe Feuerherd - Publisher, National Catholic Reporter
- Diane Knight - Chair, US Conference of Catholic Bishops' National Review Board
- Jeff Anderson - Jeff Anderson & Associates
- Elaine Pagels - Professor of Religion, Princeton University