The brother of Pope Benedict has in fact admitted to "...
slapping pupils round the face..." but added that he didn't realise this was physical abuse. (!!!)

I've just watched a recent recording on Youtube of the Regensburger Domspatzen choir singing 'Engel Auf Den Feldern' and seeing those young earnest faces breaks one's heart. There were many, many victims of abuse spanning decades, and they described their incarceration as like being in a concentration camp. They were deprived of food as punishment, and if they ran away were brought back and beaten in front of all the others. There was sadism and sexual abuse of many, by many.

Sometimes the sheer wickedness in the world defeats me. One loses hope.