As the sexual abuse scandal closes in on the Vatican like a gathering storm, Pope Benedict seems isolated and out-of-touch. His recent dismissal of what he calls "petty gossip" in reference to the scandal suggests a man in denial.

The eminent Swiss theologian and author, Hans Küng, has offered some of the most compelling criticisms of the Vatican's handling of the sex abuse scandal. Küng is professor emeritus at the University of Tubingen in Germany and president of the Global Ethic Foundation. In recent years he has stated that Pope Benedict is isolated and unable to adequately address internal challenges facing the church. He warned that under Benedict: "The church risks becoming a sect. Many Catholics no longer expect anything from this Pope. It's very sad..."

With respect to the sex abuse scandal Küng has had the courage to say what many think: “No one in the whole of the Catholic Church knows as much about abuse cases as the Pope. Honesty demands that Joseph Ratzinger himself, the man who for decades has been principally responsible for the worldwide cover-up, at last pronounce his own mea culpa.”

Küng is speaking to the truth at the heart of this matter. Joseph Ratzinger is not the man to lead the church out of the moral quagmire it finds itself in as a result of decades of lies, cover-up and denial, but the Pope does need to take full responsibility for his role in the scandal - in particular the cover-up policies that in some cases enabled serial abusers to get away with their crimes for years.

Hans Küng, who taught theology alongside Ratzinger at Tubingen, Germany, is very clear about what needs to happen. He said the bishops involved, including the Pope, should not just ask for forgiveness but "should finally acknowledge their own co-responsibility" in covering up "systematic abuses". He added: "Is it not time for Pope Benedict XVI himself to acknowledge his share of responsibility, instead of whining about a campaign against his person?"

A Richard Owen article in Timesonline cites comments made by Hans Küng in the Italian paper La Repubblica:

Father Kung... noted that the Pope — the former Joseph Ratzinger — had taught theology for eight years at Regensburg, where he had been in close contact with his older brother Georg, who was choirmaster of the "Domspatzen" or "Cathedral Sparrows" in Regensburg.

Former Regensburg choirboys have come forward with allegations of sexual and physical abuse dating back decades after the growing crisis over paedophile priests spread to Germany in January this year.

"Joseph Ratzinger was perfectly well aware of the situation of the Domspatzen," Father Kung said. "And it is not a case of slaps, which unfortunately were the order of the day at the time, but of sex crimes." Monsignor Ratzinger has admitted striking choirboys but has denied all knowledge of sex abuse allegations."

In his role as Cardinal Ratzinger, the Pope was head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith. Küng notes that in this role he imposed strict "papal confidentiality" on cases of sexual abuse by priests around the world and says that in five years as Pope this hush-hush policy 'had not altered one jot'. Küng added: "In the name of truth, Joseph Ratzinger, the man who for decades was mainly responsible for the concealment of these abuses at a world level, should have pronounced a mea culpa."