WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pope Benedict on Wednesday acknowledged the Church had handled the pedophile priests scandal “very badly” and told U.S. bishops to bind up wounds and seek reconciliation with those who were “so seriously wronged.”
For the second consecutive day, the pope said the scandal had caused “deep shame” and enormous pain as the result of priests betraying their vocation by sexually abusing minors with such “gravely immoral behavior.”
After visiting the White House on Wednesday morning and praying with President George W. Bush, he dedicated a section of a speech to the bishops to the scandal that rocked the Church starting in 2002 and has forced U.S. dioceses to pay over $2 billion in damages.
“It is your God-given responsibility as pastors to bind up the wounds caused by every breach of trust, to foster healing, to promote reconciliation and to reach out with loving concern to those so seriously wronged,” he said.
He said he agreed with an assessment by the head of the U.S. bishops conference that the crisis had been “sometimes very badly handled” and that only recently was “the scale and the gravity of the problem” more clearly understood.
The Church was criticized for transferring known abusers rather than defrocking them or turning them over to police.
“While it must be remembered that the overwhelming majority of clergy and religious in America do outstanding work ... it is vitally important that the vulnerable always be shielded by those who would cause harm,” Benedict told the bishops at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington.
But he said the problem ran deeper, saying children should be “spared the degrading manifestations and the crude manipulation of sexuality so prevalent” in society today.
PRAYING IN THE WHITE HOUSE
On Wednesday morning, the pope made just the second visit by a pontiff to the White House and urged Americans and their leaders to base social and political decisions on moral principles to create a more just society.
During the visit, the pope and Bush and his wife, Laura, who are Methodists, prayed together for the institution of the family, a Vatican spokesman said.
Both Bush and the pope have said the traditional family, based on the marriage of a man and a woman, is under threat.
“I come as a friend, a preacher of the Gospel and one with great respect for this vast pluralistic society,” Benedict said after Bush welcomed him at a garden ceremony that included a fife and drum band in colonial garb and a 21-gun salute.
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As some 10,000 people applauded, Bush cited the role of faith in U.S. life, saying, “Here in America, you’ll find a nation of prayer.”
Bush referred to the September 11 attacks, which the pope will commemorate when he prays at Ground Zero, the New York site where the World Trade Center towers once stood. “In a world where some invoke the name of God to justify acts of terror and murder and hate, we need your message that God is love,” he said.
The pope smiled as the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” and was treated to a large white cake inside the White House.
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He sprinkled his speech with references to the U.S. founding fathers -- citing the Declaration of Independence and the first president, George Washington.
But he made no specific references to issues such as abortion and the Iraq war, avoiding anything that could be seen as commentary on the presidential campaign apart from saying that freedom demanded “reasoned public debate.”
Benedict and Bush oppose abortion and embryonic stem cell research but differ on the Iraq war and capital punishment. As the pope spoke, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling clearing the way for executions to resume.
As U.S. and Vatican flags fluttered, it was Bush who referred to abortion, a hot-button issue particularly with the presidential election in November. “In a world where some treat life as something to be debased and discarded, we need your message that all human life is sacred,” he said.
Outside the White House, some 200 people protested, with one banner reading: “Catholic priests are pedophiles.” But the overwhelming number of those who lined his motorcade route welcomed the pope with joy, dancing and shaking tambourines as they waited for hours to glimpse him.
(Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Matt Spetalnick, Andy Sullivan, David Alexander and Jeremy Pelofsky)
(Writing by Philip Pullella; Editing by Patricia Zengerle)
Pope Benedict XVI acknowledges the crowd upon his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, April 15, 2008.
Pope Benedict XVI began his visit to the United States on Tuesday. In an unprecedented gesture, he was greeted by President George W. Bush, Laura Bush and their daughter Jenna, upon his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

Today, which is also the Pope's 81st birthday, Benedict XVI visited the White House and more than 9,000 people with tickets were there to see him speak. This makes it "one of the largest arrival ceremonies ever held at the White House," according to White House Press Secretary Dana Perino. An estimated additional 4,000 people without tickets lined the streets.
Benedict XVI addresses the gathered crowd today at the South Lawn.
The Pope was given a 21-gun salute and greeted by President Bush on the South Lawn of the White House. Benedict XVI addressed the crowd in a short speech. He appealed for support "for the patient efforts of international diplomacy to resolve conflicts and promote progress."

He further said, "As the nation faces the increasingly complex political and ethical issues of our time, I am confident that the American people will find in their religious beliefs a precious source of insight and an inspiration to pursue reasoned, responsible and respectful dialogue in the effort to build a more humane and free society." Benedict said he has "great respect for this vast pluralistic society" and ended his speech with "God bless America."

Kevin Waymel, 26, travelled from San Francisco with 80 others to see the Pope. He told ''The Guardian'' that he had "come to show support for the Holy Father," and credited his faith for getting him off drugs.
Laura Bush present a birthday cake to Benedict XVI.
Afterwards, inside the White House, the first couple presented the Pope with a birthday cake. In a private meeting with Bush, Benedict XVI brought up his concerns about the Iraq war and the treatment of illegal immigrants in the United States, who may number as many as 20 million. Most of these are from Latin America and therefore overwhelmingly Catholic.

After the meeting, Benedict XVI rode along Pennsylvania Avenue in the popemobile with throngs of people lining the street.

Wednesday evening, the Pope met with US bishops at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. He addressed the bishops about sexual abuse by the clergy, which the Pope has said made him "deeply ashamed." The US Catholic Church has paid out an estimated US$2 billion to settle abuse cases in recent years.

Bendict XVI told the gathered bishops that the sex abuse scandal had at times been mishandled and urged them to reach out to the victims.
Children along Pennsylvania Avenue wait for the popemobile to pass before them.
"It is your God-given responsibility as pastors to bind up the wounds caused by every breach of trust to foster healing, to promote reconciliation and to reach out with loving concern to those so seriously wronged," the Pope said.

Some victims had hoped the Pope would have critcised bishops for transferring pedophile priests from parish to parish. He did not go that far and instead praised training programs for priests and lay people who deal with children. "In this regard your efforts to heal and protect are bearing great fruit not only for those directly under your pastoral care, but for all of society," said Benedict XVI.
Benedict XVI passes the White House in the popemobile
"It's the closest the Pope has come to saying that the bishops didn't do their job right. I think that's quite significant," said the Reverend Thomas J. Reese, a Jesuit priest and author.

Prior to his arrival, hundreds of people were already gathered outside the Basilica as Benedict XVI arrived. "I'm really excited," said an unnamed onlooker to NY1. "It's like a dream, almost. There are, like, other foreign dignitaries, and then there's the pope. It's a unique experience and I can't wait to see him."

During his flight to the United States, Benedict XVI told reporters that he intended to discuss poverty and development aid to poor countries with President Bush. "The United States has to help these countries develop. It is in the interest of everyone, not only these countries but of the world and particularly of the United States," he said.

This is the first Papal visit to the United States by Benedict XVI, and the first visit of a Pope to the U.S. since John Paul II's visit in 1999. The pope scheduled to stay in Washington through Thursday. After that, he will travel to New York City where he plans to address the United Nations, visit the World Trade Center site, and celebrate Mass at Yankee Stadium.