Officials Seek Truth in Sexual Abuse Scandal

The battle for truth regarding sexual abuse claims involving high-ranking clergy in the Catholic church continues with a letter to be published by the Pope on Friday, The Guardian reported.

"In recent months the church in Ireland has been severely shaken as a result of the child abuse crisis," the Pope said. "As a sign of my deep concern I have written a pastoral letter dealing with this painful situation. I ask all of you to read it for yourselves, with an open heart and in a spirit of faith."

The Catholic church in Ireland has been presented with two reports charging the organization with collusion, cruelty and endemic abuse throughout its institutions.

The most senior Catholic in the country, Cardinal Sean Brady, resisted pressure to resign over helping cover up the scandal.

The Archbishop of Dublin said a national inquiry into claims of sexual abuse may be the only way to restore confidence in the church.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is the most prominent political figure supporting the effort to investigate the church's practices. Merkel called the sexual abuse of children a despicable crime.
"The only way for our society to come to terms with it is to look for the truth and find out everything that has happened," Merkel said, noting the damage suffered by the victims can never be fully repaired.

Additional allegations of clerical scandals have emerged from Switzerland, Austria and Brazil.