Retired Pope Benedict on Tuesday asked for forgiveness in what he called “errors” on how allegations of sexual abuse were handled while he was archbishop of Munich, VOA reports.
While he admitted to errors, his lawyers have argued he bears no direct responsibility. He did not apologize.
Then known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Benedict, now 94, was archbishop from 1977 to 1982.
He made the admission in a letter attached to a report released last month that looked into abuse in Munich from 1945 to 2019.
The report, which was commissioned by the archdiocese, identified around 500 victims of abuse. It alleged Benedict, who retired unexpectedly in 2013, failed to take action in four cases.
The letter is his first response to the report.
“I have had great responsibilities in the Catholic Church. All the greater is my pain for the abuses and the errors that occurred in those different places during the time of my mandate,” he wrote.
He also expressed sympathy for the victims.