Germany - A prominent archbishop called Thursday for justice for sexual abuse victims in Germany's Roman Catholic Church, saying they need to feel they can finally speak openly about their suffering. Reinhard Marx, the archbishop of Munich and Freising, said Catholic bishops in the southern German state of Bavaria …quot; the homeland of Pope Benedict XVI …quot; felt "deep consternation and shame" over the reports of abuse of children in church-run schools and institutions revealed in past weeks. "The priority is the search for the truth and achieving an open atmosphere that will give the victims courage to speak about what happened to them," Marx told reporters following a meeting with Bavarian bishops. Marx said the bishops had agreed to investigate each claim and would contact authorities as appropriate. The statements come as the German church continues to grapple with the magnitude of abuse claims; since the first victims came forward in January, at least 300 others have said they suffered sexual or physical abuse at the hands of priests. Victims in neighbouring Austria and the Netherlands have also come forward with claims of abuse, triggering a crisis in the church and charges the pontiff is avoiding comment on the issue.
