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WORLD NEWS Thursday 12 april 2018

Pope admits he made 'grave errors' in Chile sex abuse case

By NICOLE WINFIELD and demanded they present matic preacher who was
EVA VERGARA "proof" of their claims and removed from ministry by
Associated Press revealed he had twice re- the Vatican for sexually
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope jected Barros' resignation. abusing minors and sen-
Francis admitted Wednes- "I am convinced he is inno- tenced in 2011 to a lifetime
day he made "grave errors" cent," the pope insisted. of penance and prayer.
in judgment in Chile's sex After causing an outcry, Karadima had long been a
abuse scandal and invited Francis sent the Vatican's darling of the Chilean hier-
the victims he had discred- most respected sex abuse archy, and his victims have
ited to Rome to beg their investigator, Archbishop accused church leaders of
forgiveness. Charles Scicluna, to look covering up his crimes to
In an extraordinary pub- into the scandal. protect the church's repu-
lic letter, Francis also sum- While his letter didn't reveal tation.
moned all of Chile's bish- his ultimate conclusions Scicluna and his colleague,
ops to the Vatican for an about Barros, Francis made the Rev. Jordi Bertomeu,
emergency meeting in the clear that he and the bish- spent nearly two weeks in
coming weeks to discuss ops have a lot of work to do Chile and New York ear-
repairing the damage from to turn the Chilean church lier this year interviewing
the scandal, which has around. Karadima's victims, who
badly tarnished his reputa- In words that laid bare his for years have denounced
tion and that of the Chilean simmering anger, Francis Barros' silence and were
church. said they must "re-establish stunned by Francis' strong
The Vatican orders up such confidence in the church, defense of him. In this photo dated Wednesday, April 11, 2018, Pope Francis ar-
rives in St.Peter's Square at the Vatican for his weekly general
emergency visits only on confidence that was bro- In his letter, Francis thanked audience.
rare occasions, such as ken by our errors and sins, the 64 people who testified Associated Press
when American bishops and heal the wounds that and had the courage to
were summoned in 2002 continue to bleed in Chil- bare the "wounds of their request for forgiveness and ed him, and they greeted
after the clerical sex abuse ean society." souls" for the sake of truth. were weighing his invita- Francis' letter Wednesday
scandal exploded in the But the Chilean bishops After reading the 2,300- tion to meet. They said they with graciousness, accept-
U.S. and in 2010 when Irish insisted they had been page dossier his envoys would continue fighting for ing his request for forgive-
bishops received a com- truthful to Francis about prepared, Francis affirmed reparation and forgiveness ness but renewing their de-
prehensive Vatican dress- the need to get rid of Bar- the victims "spoke in a stark "until zero tolerance about mand for Barros' removal.
ing down for their botched ros — they had proposed way, without additives or abuse and cover-up in the The head of the Chilean
handling of abuse cases. he resign and take a year sweeteners, of many cruci- church becomes a reality." bishops' conference, Mon-
Francis blamed a lack of sabbatical — and victims' fied lives." Many of Chile's bishops, signor Santiago Silva, in-
"truthful and balanced in- advocates said Francis had "I confess this caused me and members of Francis' sisted the Chilean church
formation" for his missteps only himself to blame, since pain and shame," he wrote. own sex abuse advisory had provided only truth-
in judging the case of Bish- the accusations against "For my part, I recognize board, had questioned ful information to Francis
op Juan Barros, a protege Barros were well known - and so I want it to be Barros' suitability to lead a about Barros. But, he add-
of Chile's most notorious and well-founded. faithfully transmitted - that diocese given claims by ed, "obviously we didn't do
predator priest, the Rev. Anne Barrett Doyle, of Bish- I have fallen in grave er- Karadima's victims that Bar- everything we should have
Fernando Karadima. Fran- opAccountability.org, an rors of judgment and per- ros stood by and did noth- done."
cis strongly defended the online abuse resource, ception of the situation, ing while Karadima groped Other clerics more favor-
bishop during his January noted an Associated Press especially due to the lack them. able to Barros had Francis'
visit to Chile despite accu- report that Francis received of truthful and balanced Francis overrode their con- ear: the Vatican ambas-
sations by victims that Bar- a personal letter about Bar- information," Francis wrote. cerns and appointed Bar- sador, who has long been
ros had witnessed and ig- ros' misdeeds from a vic- "From now on I ask forgive- ros bishop of the southern hostile to Barros' accusers;
nored their abuse. tim in 2015, but seemingly ness of all those I offended Chilean diocese of Os- the retired archbishop of
In Chile and during an air- chose to ignore it. and I hope to be able to orno in 2015, saying the Santiago, who has ac-
borne press conference "If Francis was misinformed do it personally in the com- church had investigated cused Cruz of being a liar
returning to Rome, Fran- or inadequately informed, ing weeks." the claims against him and and "serpent"; and an old
cis accused the victims it was because he chose to In a statement, Barros' found them to be baseless. Spanish Jesuit friend who
of "calumny" for pressing be so," she said. three main accusers said Osorno's lay Catholics and evaluated Barros years
their case against Barros, Karadima was a charis- they appreciated Francis many Osorno priests reject- ago.q