It seems to me as if Pope Benedict has squandered an opportunity to inspire Irish Catholics.

The pope today described the decades of child sex abuse in the Irish church as a "heinous crime," but failed to take action on calls for top bishops to resign.

Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the pope "shares the outrage" over the abuse and said Benedict pope had "already expressed profound regret."

However, Lombardi said that the topic of resignations "was not addressed."

Lombardi also defended the pope's envoy in Ireland who refused to testify to Irish authorities about decades of cover-ups within the church hierarchy.

Is it me or does this signify an implicit contempt for Irish Catholics?

Fr Tim: Pope Benedict fails to lead his Church through Irish crisis 


Full statement from Vatican on Irish sex abuse crisis