By BBC
Added: Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:00:00 UTC

Thanks to passutoba for the link.
Original link

The Pope has spoken of the need not to be intimidated by critics, in a veiled reference to anger at the Catholic Church over past sex abuse scandals.

At a Mass in Rome's St Peter's Square, he said his faith would help give him the courage to deflect "petty gossip".

The Pope has been accused of failing to act over the case of a US priest alleged to have abused 200 deaf boys.

But the Archbishop of Westminster defended the Pope, saying he had introduced rules to protect children.

'Swamp of sin'

At the Palm Sunday service, Pope Benedict, 82, did not directly mention the wider scandal - involving the abuse of children by priests in several countries.

But he told the tens of thousands of people gathered to hear him that God helped lead "towards the courage of not allowing oneself to be intimidated by the petty gossip of dominant opinion".
...
Continue reading

TAGGED: ABUSE, CHILDREN, RELIGION