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. (!!!)

Being slapped round the face would have been considered mild punishment compared to what was meted out at the Catholic school I attended. Times have changed since then though and a teacher doing what was done then would be jailed today. Even parents were disinclined to sympathize maintaining, more often than not, that if you were beaten then you must have done something to deserve it. Needless to say there wasn't a big problem with discipline at my school.