Editing Pope Benedict XVI (section)

=== Sexual abuse in the Catholic Church ===
{{See also|Catholic Church sexual abuse cases}}

Prior to 2001, the primary responsibility for investigating allegations of sexual abuse and disciplining perpetrators rested with the individual dioceses. In 2001, Ratzinger convinced John Paul{{nbsp}}II to put the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in charge of all sexual abuse investigations.<ref name="times-7086738">{{cite news|last1=Pancevski|first1=Bojan|last2=Follain|first2=John|date=4 April 2010|title=John Paul 'ignored abuse of 2,000 boys'|work=The Sunday Times|location=London|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/europe-travel/italy/former-pope-john-paul-ii-ignored-abuse-of-2000-boys-prrb6bgt0zs|url-status=live|access-date=22 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127055607/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/former-pope-john-paul-ii-ignored-abuse-of-2000-boys-prrb6bgt0zs|archive-date=27 November 2020}}</ref><ref name="ncr-maciel">{{cite web|last=Berry|first=Jason|url=http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/money-paved-way-maciels-influence-vatican |title=Money paved way for Maciel's influence in the Vatican|work=National Catholic Reporter|date=6 April 2010|access-date=14 June 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021133610/http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/money-paved-way-maciels-influence-vatican|archive-date=21 October 2011}}</ref> According to [[John L. Allen Jr.]], Ratzinger in the following years "acquired a familiarity with the contours of the problem that virtually no other figure in the Catholic Church can claim. Driven by that encounter with what he would later refer to as 'filth' in the Church, Ratzinger seems to have undergone something of a 'conversion experience' throughout 2003–04. From that point forward, he and his staff seemed driven by a convert's zeal to clean up the mess."<ref name="ncr-1">{{cite web|last=Allen|first=John L|url=http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/will-ratzingers-past-trump-benedicts-present|title=Will Ratzinger's past trump Benedict's present?|work=National Catholic Reporter|date=17 March 2010|access-date=12 September 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007015331/http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/will-ratzingers-past-trump-benedicts-present|archive-date=7 October 2011}}</ref>

Cardinal [[Vincent Nichols]] wrote that in his role as head of the CDF "[Ratzinger] led important changes made in church law: the inclusion in canon law of internet offences against children, the extension of child abuse offences to include the sexual abuse of all under 18, the case by case waiving of the [[statute of limitation]] and the establishment of a fast-track dismissal from the clerical state for offenders."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article7076344.ece|work=[[The Times]]|location=London|title=The Church is not trying to cover anything up|first=Vincent|last=Nichols|date=26 March 2010|access-date=22 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531183647/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article7076344.ece|archive-date=31 May 2010}}</ref> According to [[Charles J. Scicluna]], a former prosecutor handling sexual abuse cases, "Cardinal Ratzinger displayed great wisdom and firmness in handling those cases, also demonstrating great courage in facing some of the most difficult and thorny cases, ''sine acceptione personarum'' [without respect of persons]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catholicnews.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4151%3Apromoter-of-justice-at-doctrine-of-faith-on-paedophilia&catid=196%3Avis-vatican-information-service&Itemid=127 |title=Promoter of Justice at Doctrine of Faith on Paedophilia |publisher=Catholic News |date=13 March 2010 |access-date=14 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719123020/http://www.catholicnews.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4151:promoter-of-justice-at-doctrine-of-faith-on-paedophilia&catid=196:vis-vatican-information-service&Itemid=127 |archive-date=19 July 2011 }}</ref> According to Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Ratzinger "made entirely clear efforts not to cover things up but to tackle and investigate them. This was not always met with approval in the Vatican".<ref name="times-7086738" /><ref>{{cite news|date=4 April 2010|title=Pope John Paul ignored abuse of 2,000 boys: Report|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/Pope-John-Paul-ignored-abuse-of-2000-boys-Report/articleshow/5759289.cms|access-date=12 September 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104174143/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-04-04/uk/28124994_1_sexual-abuse-boys-pontiff|archive-date=4 November 2012}}</ref> Ratzinger had pressed John Paul{{nbsp}}II to investigate [[Hans Hermann Groër]], an Austrian cardinal and friend of John Paul accused of sexual abuse, which resulted in Groër's resignation.<ref name="independent-johnpaul" />

In March 2010, Benedict sent a pastoral letter to the Catholic Church in Ireland addressing cases of sexual abuse by priests of minors, expressing sorrow and promising changes in the way in which accusations of abuse were addressed.<ref name="vatican.va">{{cite web|date=19 March 2010|title=Pastoral Letter of the Holy Father Benedict XVI to the Catholics of Ireland|url=https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/letters/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20100319_church-ireland_en.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007055248/https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/letters/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20100319_church-ireland_en.html|archive-date=7 October 2011|access-date=14 June 2010|publisher=Vatican.va}}</ref> Victims' groups claimed the letter failed to clarify if secular law enforcement had priority over canon law confidentiality regarding internal investigation of abuse allegations.<ref>{{cite journal|date=20 March 2010|title=Pope's letter fails to calm anger over abuse|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/20/pope-blasts-irish-bishops-over-abuse/|url-status=live|journal=The Washington Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019122835/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/20/pope-blasts-irish-bishops-over-abuse/|archive-date=19 October 2012|access-date=17 April 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=19 March 2010|title=Pope finalizes letter on abuse|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-19/world/pope.letter.abuse.ireland_1_abuse-scandal-child-abuse-cardinal-sean-brady?_s=PM:WORLD|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906131551/http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-19/world/pope.letter.abuse.ireland_1_abuse-scandal-child-abuse-cardinal-sean-brady?_s=PM%3AWORLD|archive-date=6 September 2010|access-date=26 January 2011|publisher=CNN World}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Moskowitz|first=Eric|date=21 March 2010|title=Pope's letter strikes a mixed chord|work=The Boston Globe|url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/03/21/popes_letter_strikes_a_mixed_chord/?page=2|access-date=14 June 2010}}</ref> The Pope then promised to introduce measures that would "safeguard young people in the future" and "bring to justice" priests who were responsible for abuse and the next month the Vatican issued guidelines on how existing church law should be implemented. The guidelines asserted that "Civil law concerning reporting of crimes&nbsp;... should always be followed."<ref>{{cite web|title=Guide to Understanding Basic CDF Procedures concerning Sexual Abuse Allegations|url=https://www.vatican.va/resources/resources_guide-CDF-procedures_en.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903143810/https://www.vatican.va/resources/resources_guide-CDF-procedures_en.html|archive-date=3 September 2011|access-date=23 April 2010|publisher=Vatican.va}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Winfield|first=Nicole|date=12 April 2010|title=Vatican to bishops: Follow law, report sex abuse|newspaper=Newsday|agency=Associated Press|url=http://www.newsday.com/news/world/vatican-to-bishops-follow-law-report-sex-abuse-1.1858057|access-date=18 September 2010|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110930014128/http://www.newsday.com/news/world/vatican-to-bishops-follow-law-report-sex-abuse-1.1858057|archive-date=30 September 2011}}</ref>

==== As Archbishop of Munich and Freising ====
Despite being more proactive than his predecessor in addressing sexual abuse, Benedict was nonetheless cited as failing to do so on more than one occasion. In January 2022, a report written by German law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl and commissioned by the Catholic Church concluded that Cardinal Ratzinger failed to adequately take action against clerics in four cases of alleged abuse while he was Archbishop of Munich and Freising from 1977 to 1982. The pope emeritus denied the accusations.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|date=20 January 2022|title=Former Pope Benedict failed to act over abuse, new report finds|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60070132|access-date=20 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Horowitz|first1=Jason|last2=Povoledo|first2=Elisabetta|last3=Pianigiani|first3=Gaia|date=20 January 2022|title=Benedict Faulted for Handling of Abuse Cases When He Was an Archbishop|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/20/world/europe/benedict-germany-sexual-abuse.html|access-date=22 January 2022|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Moody|first=Oliver|date=20 January 2022|title=Pope Benedict failed to act on child abuse, report finds|language=en|work=[[The Times]]|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/pope-benedict-failed-to-act-on-child-abuse-report-finds-s72l6ngsp|access-date=22 January 2022|issn=0140-0460}}</ref> Benedict corrected his former statement that he had not been at a meeting of the ordinariate of the [[Archdiocese of Munich and Freising]] in January 1980, saying he mistakenly told German investigators he was not there. However, the error was "not done out of bad faith", but "the result of an error in the editorial processing" of his statement. According to [[Reuters]], lawyer Martin Pusch said that "in a total of four cases, we have come to the conclusion that the then Archbishop Cardinal Ratzinger can be accused of misconduct in cases of sexual abuse."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ex-pope-benedict-acknowledges-faulty-testimony-german-abuse-case-2022-01-24/|title=Ex-Pope Benedict acknowledges faulty testimony in German abuse case|first=Philip|last=Pullella|date=24 January 2022|work=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://m.tagesspiegel.de/gesellschaft/panorama/gutachten-zu-missbrauch-in-der-kirche-benedikt-gibt-falschaussage-zu/28001622.html|title = Benedikt gibt Falschaussage zu| newspaper=Der Tagesspiegel Online }}</ref>

In February 2022, Benedict admitted that errors were made in the treating of sexual abuse cases when he was Archbishop of Munich. According to the letter released by the Vatican, he asked forgiveness for any "grievous fault" but denied personal wrongdoing. Benedict stated: "I have had great responsibilities in the Catholic Church. All the greater is my pain for the abuses and the errors that occurred in those different places during the time of my mandate."<ref>{{Cite news|date=8 February 2022|title=Ex-Pope admits errors in handling of abuse cases|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60305844|access-date=9 February 2022}}</ref> Public prosecutor's office in Munich had begun investigations as a result of the 2022 report against both Benedict and [[Friedrich Wetter|Cardinal Friedrich Wetter]]. The investigation was "discontinued" in March 2023 after it "did not reveal sufficient suspicion of criminal activity". The case of the investigation "was not acts of abuse committed by the Church personnel managers themselves, but possible acts of aiding and abetting by active action or omission".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prosecutors drop case of alleged 'cover up' against Benedict XVI |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253917/prosecutors-drop-case-of-alleged-cover-up-against-benedict-xvi |access-date=24 March 2023 |agency=Catholic News Agency |language=en}}</ref>

==== Legion of Christ founder Marcial Maciel ====
One of the cases Ratzinger pursued involved [[Marcial Maciel]], a Mexican priest and founder of the [[Legionaries of Christ]] who had been accused repeatedly of sexual abuse. Biographer Andrea Tornielli suggested that Cardinal Ratzinger had wanted to take action against Maciel but that John Paul{{nbsp}}II and other high-ranking officials, including several cardinals and the Pope's influential secretary [[Stanisław Dziwisz]], prevented him from doing so.<ref name="ncr-maciel" /><ref name="independent-johnpaul">{{cite news |work=Irish Independent | first=Richard | last=Owen |url=http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/vatican-tries-to-shift-blame-for-abuse-on-to-john-paul-26646654.html |title=Vatican tries to shift blame for abuse on to John Paul&nbsp;– Europe, World News |date=3 April 2010 |access-date=15 December 2015}}</ref>

According to [[Jason Berry]], Cardinal [[Angelo Sodano]] "pressured" Ratzinger, who was "operating on the assumption that the charges were not justified", to halt the proceedings against Maciel in 1999.<ref name="nationalcatholicreporter.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/update/bn051806.htm |title=Vatican restricts ministry of Legionaries priest founder |work=National Catholic Reporter |first=John L. Jr. |last=Allen |date=18 May 2006 |access-date=14 June 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927170000/http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/update/bn051806.htm |archive-date=27 September 2011 }}</ref> When Maciel was honoured by the Pope in 2004, new accusers came forward<ref name="nationalcatholicreporter.org" /> and Cardinal Ratzinger "took it on himself to authorize an investigation of Maciel".<ref name="ncr-maciel" /> After Ratzinger became pope, he began proceedings against Maciel and the Legion of Christ that forced Maciel out of active service in the Church.<ref name="times-7086738" /> On 1 May 2010, the Vatican issued a statement denouncing "the most serious and objectively immoral behaviour of Father Maciel, confirmed by incontrovertible witnesses, which amount to true crimes and show a life deprived of scruples and authentic religious feeling."<ref name="nyt1">Donadio, Rachel [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/world/europe/02legion.html "Pope Reins In Catholic Order Tied to Abuse"], ''The New York Times'', 2 May 2010 [https://web.archive.org/web/20110926210130/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/world/europe/02legion.html WebCitation archive]</ref>

==== Theodore McCarrick controversy ====
In November 2020, the Vatican published a report blaming Popes John Paul{{nbsp}}II and Benedict{{nbsp}}XVI for allowing defrocked former cardinal [[Theodore McCarrick]] to rise in power despite the fact that they both knew of sex abuse allegations against him.<ref name="benedictblame">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/10/successive-popes-and-vatican-staff-promoted-priest-despite-abuse-claims|title=Popes knew of allegations against ex-Cardinal McCarrick years ago, report finds|first=Harriet|last=Sherwood|work=The Guardian|date=10 November 2020|access-date=10 November 2020}}</ref><ref name="tedpublic">{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/popes-knew-allegations-against-ex-cardinal-mccarrick-years-ago-report-n1247225|title=Popes knew of allegations against ex-Cardinal McCarrick years ago, report finds|publisher=NBC News|date=10 November 2020|access-date=10 November 2020}}</ref> Despite the fact that Benedict pressured McCarrick to resign as Archbishop of Washington D.C. in 2006, McCarrick remained very active in ministry throughout Benedict's papacy and even made a very public appearance when he presided over US senator [[Ted Kennedy]]'s burial service at Arlington National Cemetery in 2009.<ref name="benedictblame" /><ref name="tedpublic" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/vaticans-mccarrick-report-timeline-events|title=The Vatican's McCarrick report: a timeline of events|first=Joshua J.|last=McElwee|publisher=National Catholic Reporter|date=9 November 2020|access-date=10 November 2020}}</ref>

==== Post-papacy ====
In 2019, Benedict released a 6,000-word letter that attributed the Church's sexual abuse crisis to an erosion of morality driven by [[secularization]] and the [[Sexual revolution|sexual revolution of the 1960s]]. The letter was in sharp contrast to the viewpoint of his successor, Francis, who saw the issue as a byproduct of abuses of power within the Church's hierarchical structure.<ref name="2019letter">{{cite news|first=Jason|last=Horowitz|title=With Letter on Sexual Abuse, Pope Benedict Returns to Public Eye|newspaper=The New York Times|date=11 April 2019|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/11/world/europe/pope-benedict-letter-sex-abuse.html|access-date=6 February 2023}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' later reported that "given his frail health at the time, however, many church watchers questioned whether Benedict had indeed written the letter or had been manipulated to issue it as a way to undercut Francis."<ref name="NYTobit">{{cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=Ian |last2=Donadio |first2=Rachel |date=31 December 2022 |title=Benedict XVI, First Modern Pope to Resign, Dies at 95 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/31/world/europe/benedict-xvi-dead.html |access-date=31 December 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Upon Benedict's death, his efforts to combat sexual abuse in the Church were remembered with mixed reactions, in particular by victims' groups. Francesco Zanardi, founder of the Italian victims' group ''Rete l'Abuso'' stated that "Ratzinger was less communicative than Francis but he moved" in the right direction, and that he was the first pontiff to effectively do so.<ref name=":2">{{cite news |last=Povoledo |first=Elisabetta |date=31 December 2022 |title=Pope Benedict XVI Leaves a Spotty Legacy With Sexual Abuse Scandal |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/31/world/europe/pope-emeritus-benedict-xvi-sex-abuse-scandal.html |access-date=31 December 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Anne Barrett Doyle, a co-director of BishopAccountability.org, an advocacy and research group, said that Benedict would be "remembered chiefly for his failure to achieve what should have been his job one: to rectify the incalculable harm done to the hundreds of thousands of children sexually abused by Catholic priests."<ref name=":2" /> She stated that his tenure had "left hundreds of culpable bishops in power and a culture of secrecy intact", while the [[Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests]] said in a statement that "Benedict was more concerned about the church's deteriorating image and financial flow to the hierarchy versus grasping the concept of true apologies followed by true amends to victims of abuse".<ref name=":2" />