**Pope Benedict XVI has apologised to victims of child sex abuse by Catholic priests in Ireland.**In a pastoral letter to Irish Catholics, he acknowledged the sense of betrayal in the Church felt by victims and their families.
The Pope said there had been “serious mistakes” among bishops in responding to allegations of paedophilia.
The pastoral letter is the first public statement by the Vatican on the sexual abuse of children, dating back decades.
It follows revelations of paedophilia within the Irish Catholic Church, which have rocked the institution.
Scandals involving Catholic priests have been reported in other countries, including the Pope’s native Germany.
The Pope said those guilty of abuse must “answer before God and properly constituted tribunals for the sinful and criminal actions they have committed”.