GERMAN BISHOPS TO PROBE SEXUAL ABUSES

Ratzinger, right, admitted slapping students in the face as punishment for many years

The German Bishops Conference is to lead an investigation into allegations of the sexual and physical abuse of more than 170 students in Germany.

• The probe will include examining claims of sexual abuse at a choir once led by Georg Ratzinger, the brother of Pope Benedict XVI.
• Prelate Karl Juesten, the liaison between Roman Catholic bishops and the German government, said the investigation would include looking into what, if anything, the pope knew about the matters in his previous position as the Archbishop of Munich.
• Students at Catholic schools across Germany have said they were sexually abused in the past, while others have made allegations of severe beatings.
• The cases are expected to be brought up on Friday at the Vatican when Bishop Robert Zollitsch, the head of the German Bishops Conference, holds a regular meeting with the pope.
• The allegations are particularly sensitive because Germany is the pope's homeland and because the scandals involve the prestigious Domspatzen boys choir that was led by his brother from 1964 till 1994.
• Juesten said it was not known if the pope, who served as Archbishop of Munich and Freising from 1977 to 1981, was aware of any of the child abuse cases that took place then at Catholic schools and other institutions.

Source: Al Jazeera