(WHAS11) Pope Benedict is finding himself under attack as allegations of sexual abuse continue to rock the Catholic Church.
The pope’s former diocese in Germany said more than 100 former students are claiming physical or sexual abuse by priests.
In 1980, as an archbishop, Pope Benedict referred a pedophile priest to a therapist; not police. Six years later that priest was convicted of child abuse charges.
Rev. Thomas Patrick Doyle said, “His moral authority is already being questioned by a significant number of, certainly the general public, and by a lot of lay people in the church and by a lot of clerics, as well as a lot of priests.”
Although Pope Benedict is taking a stance against abuse, he is not changing his position that Vatican investigations into abuse should remain private.
