Pope Benedict the sixteenth today vowed to ensure that pedophiles cannot practice as priests in the Catholic church. +++LM REIN+++ He made the comments to reporters aboard a specially chartered Alitalia plane that is taking him and his entourage to Washington on an official visit. Benedict said he was "deeply ashamed" that sexual abuse of children could be carried out by priests. The US trip is the first by a pontiff since a wave of abuse scandals involving priests became public. US Catholic dioceses have been forced to pay more than two Bbillion dollars in settlements.