Report: Official says pope in pain over scandal

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican No. 2 official says the clerical sex abuse scandal is causing Pope Benedict XVI great pain. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's secretary of state, said Thursday that like all pastors the pope has suffered greatly for the cases of sex abuse of minors by priests. The comments were reported by the ANSA news agency during Bertone's trip to Chile. Bertone insisted the church has the "inner strength" necessary to keep up its mission, according to the report. Cases of abuse in church-run institutions are rocking the church across Europe, including Benedict's native Germany, and elsewhere. — AP