Germany's Roman Catholic bishops say they are "deeply ashamed" by the
abuse of youth by clergy men and the church's failure to hold the
perpetrators to account.
The country's bishops kneeled down in a
symbolic gesture Monday and asked for God's forgiveness at the beginning
of their annual spring meeting in the western city of Paderborn.
The
head of the German Bishops Conference Robert Zollitsch said in his
prayer that men of the church have abused youth and damaged their lives.
Germany,
the homeland of Pope Benedict XVI, was one of several countries hit
last year by a wave of allegations of abuse by clerics.
The
Bishops Conference said last month it planned to offer up to €5,000
($6,900) to those abused by clergy or church officials while they were
minors.