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DARWIN, AUSTRALIA - POPE Benedict arrived in Australia on Sunday where he says he will apologise for a sexual abuse scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic Church in the country.
Pope Benedict, due to attend the Church's World Day of Youth, told reporters on his plane everything possible would be done to prevent a recurrence and to promote healing among the victims.
Broken Rites, a group which represents abuse victims in Australia, has a list of 107 convictions but says the real figure is higher because only a small number go to court.
'It is essential for the Church to reconcile, to prevent, to help and also to see (its) guilt,' said Pope Benedict.
'It must be clear being a priest is incompatible with this behaviour because priests are in the service of our Lord,' he said.
'We have to reflect on what was insufficient and our education and our teaching (of priests). This is the essential content of what we will say (as we) apologise.' -- REUTERS
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