WILLIAMSON APOLOGIZES

Bishop Richard Williamson, one of the four prelates from the Society of St. Pius X of whom the Pope revoked the excommunication, has apologized to the victims of the Holocaust and to the Church for his declarations that denied the scale of the crimes against humanity.Having returned to London after being deported by the Argentinean government, the Bishop explained in a public statement that “the Holy Father and my Superior, Bishop Bernard Fellay, have requested that I reconsider the remarks I made on Swedish television four months ago, because their consequences have been so heavy."He further explained, “Having seen these consequences, I can truly say that I regret having made these declarations, and if I had known beforehand all the harm and wounds that they have caused, especially to the Church, but also to the survivors and loved ones of the victims of injustice under the Third Reich, I would not have made them.”The prelate states that he only gave “an opinion” to Swedish television as someone who is not an historian--an opinion "formed 20 years ago on the basis of evidence then available, and rarely expressed in public since."“To all souls that took honest scandal from what I said, before God I apologize."