Polish Catholic Church facing wave of sex abuse allegations

WARSAW (Reuters) - The Catholic Church in Poland is facing a wave of allegations of sexual abuse, church authorities said on Monday, as they laid out statistics on the extent of abuse amid an investigation into alleged cover-ups by a senior clergyman.

Seen by many as a core element of Poland's national identity, the Catholic Church is a powerful force in public life. However, it has been rocked by a series of paedophilia scandals that have contributed to the erosion of its authority, especially among younger Poles.