>>
"today."
>>>
we turn to the latest growing crisis for the
catholic church
and the intensifying heat on the pope and senior ranks. another crisis over allegations of
child abuse
, this comes during holy week, of course, observed by a billion catholics around the planet. there is growing pressure on the pope to address this once and for all. our own
ann
thompson
is in
rome
tonight.
ann
, good evening.
>>
reporter: good evening, brian. once again tonight
pope benedict
chose not to address the widening crisis, instead focusing on his predecessor,
john paul ii
. at an elaborate mass inside st. peter's basilica, the church marked the fifth anniversary of
pope john paul ii
's death. scenes of mourners jamming
vatican city
to pay respects to the
charismatic leader
now a memory.
john paul
's
legacy
and
pope benedict
's papacy clouded by
sexual abuse
under their watch.
>>
there is always the feeling it is going to blow over. oh, it is not as big as people think it is. it is big. and it's not going blow over.
>>
reporter: across europe a drum beet of accusations, ireland, switzerland, the netherlands. in germany 300 claims of abuse. from 62% in january before the scandal broke to 39% today the poll shows trust in the pope. around the world church leaders cape to the defense of the pope. in new
york
the archbishop compared him to jesus.
>>
no one has been more vigorous of cleansing the church of the sickening sin and crime than the man we call
pope benedict xvi
.
>>
reporter: the pope's palm sunday sermon, a boston survivor gary bergeron.
>>
intimidation is what we felt decades ago when we started coming
forward
. petty gossip is what our claims were called.
>>
reporter: some want european bishops to institute a
zero tolerance policy
and learn from the american crisis.
>>
some of them are going to have to take a bullet for the church. some are going to have to stand up and say i did this. i made a mistake. i take responsibility and i resign. that is what people look for in a leader.
>>
reporter: in ireland already two bishops have stepped down and three more have offered to resign. offers that have yet to be accepted by
pope benedict
. brian?
>>
ann
thompson
in
rome
for us tonight,
ann
, thanks for that.
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