The Pope should apologise to victims of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in Australia, according to a Sydney Bishop.Pope Benedict XVI is due to arrive into Australia during July for the Catholic Church's World Youth Day event.
While the event is the main focus, there are now growing calls for the Pope to apologise to those sexually abused within the Church in Australia.
Bishop Geoffrey Robinson - a victim of sexual abuse - said he expected the issue of an apology to be considered.
I hope the Australian bishops will quietly ask the Pope to to say something on the issue of abuse when he comes to Sydney," Bishop Robinson said.
The Bishop said that it was also important the Pope acted on his promise to investigate claims of sexual abuse.
"It would be wrong to ask that this issue were to push World Youth Day to the sidelines; nevertheless there would be many opportunities and I certainly hope he raises the issue," he said.
"It was young people who were abused so it's not irrelevant to World Youth Day. From what I hear the things the Pope said in the United States and especially his meeting with victims did help."
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