Reports: Pope mentions abuse scandal, urges repentance for sins and recognition of mistakes

Reports: Pope urges repentance, recognize mistakes

VATICAN CITY — News reports say Pope Benedict XVI has referred to the clerical abuse scandal and has said “we Christians” must repent for sins and recognize mistakes.

The ANSA news agency says Benedict spoke during Mass on Thursday with members of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. The Vatican didn’t immediately provide a text, the Mass wasn’t televised and a Vatican spokesman said he couldn’t immediately confirm the remarks.

ANSA quoted Benedict as saying: “I must say, we Christians, even in recent times, have often avoided the word ‘repent’, which seemed too tough. But now under attack from the world, which has been telling us about our sins … we realize that it’s necessary to repent, in other words, recognize what is wrong in our lives.”