Pope acknowledges Vatican mistakes in bishop case

[March 12, 2009]  VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI has acknowledged Vatican mistakes in the handling of the controversy over a Holocaust-denying bishop and says he's saddened by attacks against him by even members of his own flock.

The pope made a highly unusual personal analysis of the case in a letter to Roman Catholic bishops around the globe made public Thursday by the Vatican, defending his efforts to reach out to ultraconservatives.

He said failure to detect the bishop's background by simply consulting the Internet was an "unforeseen mishap" that caused tensions between Christians and Jews, and raised questions about his own interest in friendship between the two religions.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.