Benedict XVI emerges to defend record on sex abuse

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, responding to a noted atheist mathematician and philosopher who had criticized his handling of sexual abuse scandals, on Sept. 24 released a long letter that defended his record and criticized the logician's reasoning.

Excerpts from the Aug. 30 letter, one of Benedict's few public statements since resigning on Feb. 28, were published in Tuesday's editions of La Repubblica, a Rome-based daily newspaper alongside a piece from his critic, Piergiorgio Odifreddi.

In his response, Benedict wrote, "I never tried to cover these things up." He added, "That the power of evil has penetrated so far into the world of faith is a suffering we must bear," while also calling for strong efforts to prevent it from happening again.

"I never tried to cover these things up"