Apr 16, 2008 9:06 am US/Eastern
Conversation With America: Pope Reaches Out
Hopes To Put Sex Scandals Behind, Reach Out To Catholic Youth
WASHINGTON (CBS) ―
One stop on Pope Benedict XVI's busy schedule Wednesday is a meeting with over 300 American bishops.
The pope is expected to address the members of our nation's clergy, touching on the themes of strengthening Catholic identity and observance as a way to reach out to Catholic youth.
Before his plane touched down, the pope set the tone for his visit by expressing deep concern for the looming sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic church.
"We are deeply ashamed and we will do all that is possible that this cannot happen in the future," the pope said.
The pontiff hopes to strengthen Catholic identity and observance, and knows something must be done to prevent future sex abuse within the church.
"I think the pope has done every thing he could to reassure us he's trying," said CBS News Vatican Analyst Father Thomas Williams. "I think he underscored one particular means which is the screening of candidates for the preisthood. [The pope] said on the plane, 'better to have fewer priests but good priests, then a lot of priests but allowing in anything.'"
The pope's message, especially for young people, is one of hope as he reaches out to young Catholics to keep them in the fold and to bring others back.
"That's something that is empowering for me, the message of hope, and seeing the leader of the catholic faith, coming here and talking about that and saying have hope and take strength," said student Michael Beard.
One of the places the pontiff hopes to with young people is at a youth rally being held in Yonkers at St. Joseph's seminary on Saturday.
Stay with wcbstv.com and CBS 2 for live on-air and online video coverage of the pope's visit in America.
Click here for complete coverage of the papal visit.
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