In one of his most direct references to the widening sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI has said Christians need to repent for their sins.
During a private mass inside the Vatican on Thursday, he said Catholics were "under attack from the world which talks to us of our sins" and should see the necessity "to recognise what is wrong in our lives".
The Pope said this involved "opening oneself up to forgiveness, preparing oneself for forgiveness, allowing oneself to be transformed".
He add: "Being able to do penance is a grace and we see how necessary it is to do penance and thus recognise what is wrong in our lives."
The BBC reports the words were generic, but his meaning was clear - the gravity of the scandal harms all Christians.
