Pope Benedict XVI was elected as the head of the Catholic Church in 2005, according to Biography. He stepped down after only eight years due to his health, a shocking move that hadn’t been done by a pope in hundreds of years before him. Pope Benedict XVI’s legacy as pope was marred with controversy, as he took strong stances against the LGBTQ+ community and was at the center of serious allegations against the Catholic Church.
In 2008, he finally addressed the alleged child abuse scandal within the church, but was accused of protecting 19 bishops that were accused of molesting children, ABC News reported. In January 2022, it was revealed that Pope Benedict XVI was allegedly privy to instances of sexual child abuse during his time as the archbishop of Munich, per BBC. Although the former pope denied the accusations, it was found that the four accused priests still remained active during his tenure. A report commissioned by the German Catholic Church stated that Pope Benedict XVI knew about the abuse and alleged that he was present when the matter was discussed during a meeting.
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Following the allegations, Pope Benedict XVI apologized for his handling of the charges, although his lawyers denied he was “involved in any cover-up of acts of abuse,” (via NBC News). In a lengthy letter, the former pope wrote that he had met with abuse victims during his papacy and shared, “I can only express to all the victims of sexual abuse my profound shame, my deep sorrow and my heartfelt request for forgiveness.”
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
