Pope Benedict has written a pastoral letter to the Catholics of Ireland with guidelines on preventing and punishing sexual abuse of children by priests. Scandals involving Roman Catholic priest paedophiles have been reported recently from a number of countries, including the Pope's native Germany. So, by implication, the measures decided by the Pope will have a much wider application than Ireland alone. It is unknown if the letter, to be read at Sunday Mass, includes an apology. Credibility at stake The Pope has announced he will sign the letter on Friday and it will be sent immediately to the bishops of Ireland in preparation for it to be read out in churches there on Sunday. The text will be published at the Vatican on Saturday. The Pope's message will certainly express contrition for what he himself has already described as shameful and hateful behaviour by priests not only in Ireland but also in America, his native Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and even Australia. What was first perceived in Rome as a series of local scandals has now escalated into a worldwide problem for the Catholic Church with new allegations emerging each week from Catholics claiming they have been victims of sexual abuse by priests. The implications for the Vatican are serious. The credibility of the Church as a guardian of morals is at stake - and the prospect of an avalanche of claims for compensation by victims threatens the financial ruin of some dioceses, as has already happened in the US, where the greatest number of cases has been reported. Source: BBC