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THE Pope`s planned apology to Australian sex abuse victims should be delivered to them face to face, victims have said.

The Pontiff should also forcefully tell his Australian bishops to stop blocking victims` access to civil courts and using the statute of limitations as a get-out clause, victims` group Broken Rites said in The Australian today.

On his way to Sydney yesterday, Benedict XVI outlined in broad terms his plan to apologise for sexual abuse by priests, saying the Catholic Church must "consider what was insufficient in our behaviour and how we can prevent, heal, reconcile".

"Being a priest is inconsistent with sexual abuse. This behaviour contradicts holiness," the pontiff said yesterday.

But Broken Rites spokeswoman Chris MacIsaac said the comments so far represented nothing more than a "continuation of the Catholic Church`s age-old cover-up".

"It`s really just sounding like a general expression of regret, whereas we want to see the Pope apologise directly to some of the victims, who should be given a chance to speak to him," Ms MacIsaac said.

"A lot of victims feel abused twice, first as a result of the sex abuse itself, then because of the cover-up, and we think the Pope should address that as well.

"He must also tell his Australian bishops to stop blocking victims` access to justice in the civil courts."

Melbourne high school teacher Stephen Woods, who was sexually abused between the ages of 11 and 14 while at Catholic school in Ballarat, said a papal apology was important but must be made directly to victims.

"I would love to meet him face to face. I`d ask him to tell the bishops to apologise for covering up and hiding all those crimes they knew about.

"I believe the Pope`s apology should take the same form as Kevin Rudd`s for the Stolen Generations. Mr Rudd used clear, concise and strong words, including the word `sorry` many times.

"He did it in a room full of victims and there was a very palpable sense of emotion and even anguish in words. That`s what I want to hear."

While the Pope was preparing to offer his public apology during World Youth Day ceremonies this week, the event`s co-ordinator, Anthony Fisher, yesterday avoided answering whether the Catholic Church in Australia would or should follow suit.

"We welcome the Holy Father`s word of compassion and of leadership for us with respect to the victims of sexual abuse," Bishop Fisher said.

"We continue, the church here in Australia, to be committed to doing all we can to bring healing to the victims of sexual abuse.

"And given our efforts to do the right thing in this very difficult area, we`re heartened by the Holy Father`s words and we look forward to hearing what he has to say."

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