The Regensburg diocese in the pope's native Bavaria says six people there face sexual abuse allegations, many of them dating back decades.
Diocese spokesman Clemens Neck said today that church officials "regret deeply" what employees did to children and "we ask for forgiveness."
Mr Neck says seven people have come forward so far with accusations of sexual abuse against six people who are still alive. He didn't identify them.
He says one of the alleged cases took place in 1984 and the others date back to before the mid-1970s.
Regensburg is home to the Domspatzen boys' choir, which was led by the Rev. Georg Ratzinger, the pope's brother, from 1964-1994. There have been allegations of abuse at the school linked to the choir.
AP
