Shorter Pope on Sex Abuse 'We aren't as bad as the Jews'

"The statement, read out by Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican's permanent observer to the UN, defended its record by claiming that "available research" showed that only 1.5%-5% of Catholic clergy were involved in child sex abuse.

He also quoted statistics from the Christian Scientist Monitor newspaper to show that most US churches being hit by child sex abuse allegations were Protestant and that sexual abuse within Jewish communities was common."

Riazat Butt, Guardian religious affairs correspondent, and Anushka Asthana

In other words, 'we have a problem, but other religions are worse! Look, a pony!'