Ex-Pope Benedict failed to act on child abuse cases, report says

Berlin, Jan 20 (EFE).- Former Pope Benedict XVI failed to act on four cases of child abuse that occured when he was the archbishop of Munich between 1977-82, a report published in Germany on Thursday claimed.

Josef Ratzinger was made aware of mistreatment but took no action against the priests, who remained active in their roles, the report by a Germany law firm said.

“Two of these cases concern abuses committed during his tenure and sanctioned by the state,” German lawyer, Martin Pusch, who was involved in the report commissioned by the Catholic Church, said.

In both cases, the priests remained active in their church roles despite allegations.

Lawyers on the case, who are investigating into historic sexual abuse at the Munich Archdiocese over several decades, say Ratzinger was also involved in the Peter Hullermann case.

Hullermann sexually abused boys in the 1970s and 80s and was transferred to Munich under Ratzinger’s tenure in 1980, where he allegedly continued his abusive behavior.

Ratzinger, who became pope in 2005 until his resignation in 2013, continues to deny all accusations.

He was the first pope to resign in over 600 years. EFE

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