Pope "ashamed" of sexual-abuse scandal

WASHINGTON — Pope Benedict XVI, embarking on his first visit to the United States as pontiff, said Tuesday he was "deeply ashamed" of the sexual-abuse scandal that has shaken the Roman Catholic Church in the United States and pledged greater efforts by the church to bar pedophiles from the priesthood.

Speaking aboard his plane from Rome, the pope made his most extensive comments about the abuse crisis to date, saying the scandal that erupted in the United States in 2002 had caused "great suffering" for the church, and for "me personally."

His comments were in answer to a written question submitted by a reporter and selected by the Vatican.

Hours later, the pope, who will turn 81 today, was welcomed upon his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington by President Bush, in what the White House officials said was an unprecedented show of deference by the president for a foreign leader.

Benedict was met at the foot of the Alitalia airliner's stairs by the president, first lady Laura Bush and their daughter Jenna, along with about 200 officials and invited guests.

There were no public statements; the pope and the president are to hold private discussions at the White House today.

Benedict's visit to Washington and New York is the first by a pope to the United States since revelations of clergy sexual abuse were made in Boston and later spread to dioceses across the country. The scandal, in which thousands of victims alleged they had been molested or raped by priests, has cost the church more than $2 billion in legal settlements to date, bankrupted five dioceses, including Spokane's, and shattered families and parishes across the country. Many victims were children at the time of the abuse.

"We are deeply ashamed," the pope said on the plane. "We will do what is possible so this cannot happen again in the future."

Benedict said it was difficult for him to understand priests who had betrayed their sacred trust by molesting children and said the church was working to identify and exclude any seminary candidates who might harbor such tendencies.

"It is more important to have good priests than many priests," he said. "We will do everything possible to heal this wound."

The comments appeared to soothe many Catholics but left others demanding more action.

"He talks about feeling shame for the scandal, but it's a far cry from the shame that victims have had to live with our entire lives," said Becky Ianni, 50, who said she was abused by her parish priest in Alexandria, Va., from age 9 to 11.

A spokesman for one victims group, the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, said he appreciated the pope's words but hoped for more.

"Talk is cheap; action is better," said David Clohessy, national director of the group. "He's been pope for three years and a top Vatican official for three decades. Expressions of remorse and promises of reform ... ring pretty hollow at this point."

No meeting with victims is scheduled, but Vatican officials have hinted one may occur. Such a session with the church's highest leader could be healing, for at least some victims and perhaps the U.S. church, one analyst said.

"If that were to happen and was perceived as a heartfelt, sorrowful expression of solidarity and remorse in the collective sense, that could be very significant," said R. Scott Appleby, professor of American religious history at the University of Notre Dame.

Benedict, who will mark the third anniversary of his pontificate this week, also signaled Tuesday that he plans to raise the issue of immigration during his visit. He said he was especially concerned about what he called the grave problem of families separated by immigration policies and about border violence.

Benedict is the third pope to travel to the United States. Pope Paul VI visited once, in 1965; John Paul II made seven trips to the United States.

Material from The New York Times and The Seattle Times archives is included in this report.