Swiss bishops apologize, underestimated abuse problem

VATICAN CITY -- The bishops of Switzerland said they were "mortified and dismayed" over the revelation of new cases of sexual abuse committed by priests against children.

"We must recognize that we underestimated the breadth of the phenomenon. Leaders of dioceses and religious orders made mistakes. For this, we ask forgiveness," the bishops said in a statement released March 31.

Earlier, the Swiss bishops said they were investigating 10 cases of alleged abuse, and Benedictine Abbot Martin Werlen of Maria Einsiedeln Abbey told a Swiss newspaper that the Vatican should compile an international registry of priests who are sex offenders.

The abbot is a member of the Swiss bishops' conference, which asked victims of abuse to report their abusers to both the church and the police.

In the statement March 31, the bishops also asked any church worker who had committed abuse to "assume their responsibility before God and men, presenting themselves to their superiors."

The bishops said that in 2002 their conference adopted special norms to assist victims, prevent abuse and punish the guilty. "We will apply these directives, which were updated in 2009, with vigor," the bishops said.

Still, they added, collaboration between dioceses and religious orders, including on an international level, must be improved to prevent abusive priests from finding a ministry position in another diocese or country.

The Swiss bishops' conference will discuss ways to promote collaboration and improve their child protection programs during their general assembly in June, they said.

"Lent is a time to recognize our faults, correct erroneous attitudes, find a way to improve and to ask forgiveness from God and from men and women," the statement said.