Pope Benedict XVI did nothing to punish pedophile priests or Church seniors who looked the other way, according to US and Irish victims hoping his successor will focus on fighting sex abuse. Barbara Blaine, founder and president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, called the outgoing pope's record "dismal." "He has made lofty statements. He has not matched those statements with deed or action. Under his reign, the children remained at risk," Blaine said.

An Australian group representing the victims of sexual abuse has welcomed Pope Benedict XVI's resignation, saying he had done little to stop "the reign of terror of child rapist priests", a report said. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) issued a statement calling for the next pontiff to be more cooperative with inquiries into abuse claims, according to a report by the Australian Associated Press (AAP).

A US Catholic cardinal stripped of his duties said Friday he didn't know how to handle sex abuse claims, as he had not learned about it at college -- drawing withering criticism from victims. Retired Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony wrote on his blog that he was not taught about child sexual abuse, a day after was relieved of all administrative and public duties" by the current archbishop of LA. On Thursday the LA archdiocese also released files on more than 100 clerics, as required under a 2007 lawsuit deal over alleged sex abuse.

* Martin will become "Primate of All Ireland" * Brady was hit by sexual abuse scandal By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Pope Benedict on Friday appointed the new head of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland to succeed Cardinal Sean Brady, whose tenure has been plagued by scandal over the sexual abuse of children on the predominantly Roman Catholic island.