Pope Benedict XVI has apologized to victims of child sex abuse by Catholic priests in Ireland. This follows revelations of paedophilia within the Irish Catholic Church, which have rocked the institution. <br/><br/>In a pastoral letter to Irish Catholics, he acknowledged the sense of betrayal in the Church felt by victims and their families. He said those guilty of abuse must answer before God and properly constituted tribunals for the sinful and criminal actions they have committed. <br/><br/>Pope Benedict called for healing, reparation and renewal in the Irish church. The pastoral letter is the first public statement by the Vatican on the sexual abuse of children, dating back decades. <br/>