Retired Catholic Pontiff, Benedict XIV has made his position known that when he was a Pope, he did not try to cover up sexual abuse of children allegations leveled against some Catholic Priests, CEOAFRICA.com gathered.

The Pontiff made this known in his first published comments since he stepped down. Sources said the comments was presented in an 11-page letter to Italian author and mathematician Piergiorgio Odifreddi, who had written a book about the problem facing the Roman Catholic Church before the pope resigned in February.

 “As far as you mentioning the moral abuse of minors by priests, I can only, as you know, acknowledge it with profound consternation. But I never tried to cover up these things,” Benedict, who now has the title Emeritus Pope, said.

Excerpts of Benedict’s letter were published in the Rome Newspaper La Republica, on Tuesday with the former pope’s permission.

This was the first time anything precise would be published from the Emeritus Pope, since he stepped down in February.

Victims groups have accused Benedict of not doing enough to stop the abuse of children by priests while he was pope and before when he was head of the Vatican’s doctrinal office.

They say there is much still to be discovered about how the Church behaved in the past and want more bishops who were aware of abuse to be held responsible.