SPEAKING in the Sala Regia of the Vatican’s apostolic palace, in his seasonal speech to bishops and cardinals, the Pope addressed the issue of sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests.

He said the abuse scandal should be seen in the wider social context of “pornography, sex tourism and the moral relativism of the 1970s”.

In fact, he said, it is this modern, general “moral relativism” which is at fault – this is the root cause of priestly abuse of their young flocks.

Surely this indicates how far the Church has declined in our time.

Jesus set standards, he did not follow them. Moral absolutes are what he dealt in, not relativism.

There is nothing comparative about the behest to “love your neighbour”.

And you do not follow that doctrine – even “relatively” – by abusing kiddies.

If the Church does not set the highest standards for the rest of society to follow, then it has no longer any purpose. This must be the most depressing Papal, Christmas message of all time.

Rob Meggs, Hartlepool.