Pope Francis sends envoy to Chile to investigate sexual abuse claims
Source: Associated Press
Pope Francis sends envoy to Chile to investigate sexual abuse claims
Associated Press in Vatican City
Tue 30 Jan 2018 16.16 GMT
Pope Francis is sending the Vaticans most respected sex crimes expert to Chile to investigate a bishop accused by victims of covering up for the countrys most notorious pedophile priest.
The Vatican said on Tuesday that Maltese Bishop Charles Scicluna would travel to Chile to listen to those who have expressed the desire to provide elements about the case of Bishop Juan Barros.
The Barros controversy dominated Francis just-ended trip to Chile and exposed Francis blind spot as far as clerical sex abuse is concerned. Even one of his closest advisers, Cardinal Sean OMalley, publicly rebuked him for his treatment of victims and tried to set him straight.
Barros was a protege of the Rev Fernando Karadima, a charismatic and politically powerful priest who was sanctioned by the Vatican for sexually abusing minors in 2011. His victims testified to Chilean prosecutors that Barros and other priests in the El Bosque community saw Karadima kissing youngsters and were aware of his perversions, but did nothing.
-snip-
Read more:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/30/pope-francis-bishop-juan-barros-chile