LOS ANGELES: The head of the United States' largest Catholic diocese Sunday apologized to victims of priestly sex abuse and asked forgiveness for "not understanding earlier" the extent of the problem.
In a pastoral letter read during mass in a Hollywood church, Cardinal Roger Mahony said he regretted not taking tougher action to tackle the scourge that has rocked the US branch of the Church to its foundations.
"I ask for your forgiveness for not understanding earlier the extent of the problem, and for not taking swifter action to remove from the ministry anyone who had abused a minor in the past," the archbishop of Los Angeles said.
"I also deeply apologize to you, the members of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and especially to the victims of clergy sexual abuse.
"This crisis has caused me many sleepless nights filled with concern for the victims, as well as sadness and anger toward those priests who have preyed upon the most vulnerable among us -- our children."
The letter was to be read in English and Spanish at all masses in all 287 parishes of the Los Angeles archdiocese.
Mahony was a key player at this month's conference of US Catholic bishops in the southwestern city of Dallas. The conference was called to discuss the crisis and implement a "zero-tolerance" policy for clerical abusers.
He said in the letter he was deeply moved by the personal witness and testimony we heard from victims of clergy abuse at the conference.
"Their insight helped me and the other bishops develop and approve a stronger national Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People."
Mahony said the zero-tolerance policy in effect in his archdiocese was among the strongest and most comprehensive in the nation and that several measures implemented here had been included in the bishops' final document.
Mahony has come under fire from victims of sex abuse by priests for allegedly covering up cases or not acting on complaints swiftly enough.
In March, he apologised for the "sinful and deplorable" actions of priests who molested children, saying the Church and the priesthood were being "purified."
The US branch of the Catholic Church has been besieged by an avalanche of allegations of predatory sexual behaviour by priests, prompting Pope John Paul II to convene an emergency meetings of his US cardinals in May.