Child abuse in the Catholic Church - Pope Benedict should have shown restraint towards sexual abuse cases in the 1980s

The Vatican has defended the Pope against fresh allegations that he delayed action against a paedophile priest in the 1980s, saying Pope Benedict was exercising caution before sacking the man. The case concerns a California priest who had been convicted of molesting children in the 1970s. Allegations of child abuse by Catholic priests have damaged the church in recent months.