Pope Benedict has denounced as ‘surprising and deplorable’ raids by Belgian police on church offices and the home of a cardinal during an investigation into alleged sexual abuse by Catholic priests.
‘I hope that justice will follow its course while guaranteeing the rights of individuals and institutions, respecting the rights of victims, (and) acknowledging those who undertake to collaborate with it,’ Pope Benedict said in a letter to the head of the Belgian bishops' conference.
On Thursday, police raided the headquarters of the Belgian Catholic church following accusations of child sexual abuse involving church figures.
Several buildings of the Mechelen-Brussels archdiocese, including the episcopal palace at Mechelen, were searched.
A spokesman for Brussels prosecutors said the raid, involving dozens of officers and investigators, followed a string of accusations 'denouncing abuse of minors committed by a certain number of church figures'.
The search focused on letters exchanged between alleged victims of paedophile priests and church authorities.
In April, the bishop of Bruges, Roger Vangheluwe, resigned and admitted to sexual abuse before and after becoming a bishop.
He was the first European bishop to step down for committing sexual abuse of minors himself.
The Belgian church has apologised for its silence on abuse cases in the past and its new leader, Brussels Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard, has promised a policy of zero tolerance towards predator priests.
