Pope trusting God, angels and U.S. for security next week

VATICAN CITY (AP) The Vatican's secretary of state says he's aware of threats from Islamic extremists, but trusts U.S. officials to provide security for Pope Benedict next week.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone says the pope "entrusts himself to God and also to his guardian angels who won't be lacking on this trip to the United States." During the trip, Bertone says Benedict will seek to heal wounds left by the clergy sex abuse crisis.

Catholics in Boston had hoped Benedict would visit their city, where the scandal erupted in 2002. Bertone said Benedict, who will turn 81 during the April 15th-20th trip, is fit but could not meet all the invitations from U.S. cities and had to limit himself to Washington and New York.

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