The Catholic church said its in child abuse scandals were only part of a wider problem.Sexual abuse scandals in Germany, the pope's homeland, and other countries were cause for anguish but the church's response has been prompt and transparent, the Vatican said.
A spokesman said any abuse in the church is "especially deplorable" given its educational and moral responsibilities.
But he added the problem of child abuse was wider than cases that have surfaced within the church and that focusing on the church alone would not truly depict the problem.
Scandals over sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy and cover-ups by church hierarchy have exploded in recent months in countries including Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands.
The US church is still dealing with the financial and emotional fallout from years of scandals.
The German abuse allegations are particularly sensitive because Germany is the the pope's homeland and because the scandals involve a prestigious choir that was led by his brother, the Rev. Georg Ratzinger, from 1964 to 1994.
Ratzinger has repeatedly said the sexual abuse allegations date from before his tenure as choir director.
Asked today whether he knew of the allegations when he took over as head of the choir in 1964, he insisted he was not aware of the problem.
"These things were never discussed," he told the Passauer Neue Presse German daily. "The problem of sexual abuse that has now come to light was never spoken of."
Amid reports of beatings at primary schools that are considered "feeder schools" for the choir, Ratzinger said boys had complained to him but he had no idea how serious the allegations were.
The Vatican statement did not cite the choir, but did mention alleged abuses in Germany, Austria, Ireland and the Netherlands.
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SIC: AP