The Vatican has announced on Monday that Pope Francis has accepted the resignations of three Chilean bishops following sex-abuse scandals- including Bishop Juan Barros who was accused of witnessing but failing to report abuse.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Breaking: Pope Francis accepts resignation of bishop at center of Chilean sexual abuse scandal <a href="https://t.co/KjKCJUPJ51">https://t.co/KjKCJUPJ51</a></p>— Joshua McElwee (@joshjmac) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshjmac/status/1006122419243888640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Pope also accepted the resignations of Bishop Gonzalo Duarte of Valparaiso and Bishop Cristian Caro of Puerto Montt.
Francis has named the temporary leaders in each of the affected dioceses.
Of the three bishops, only 61-year-old Barros is below the retirement age of 75.
The Vatican’s announcement comes after a surprising unprecedented move by all of Chile’s 34 bishops who offered to resign en masse after attending a crisis meeting with Francis over cover-up accusations involving the handling of the sexual abuse allegations in Chile.
Related Coverage: https://thegoldwater.com/news/26565-Catholic-Church-in-Crisis-34-Chilean-Bishops-Resign-Over-Endless-Pedophilia-Scandal
Abuse survivors and Catholics in Osorno cheered Barros’ removal. They also warned that more resignations and actions are needed to heal the damage caused by the scandal.
Barros has been scandal-laden since the Pope appointed him bishop of Osorno in 2015 despite meeting some fervent objections from the local faithful, his own sex abuse prevention advisers and some of Chile’s other bishops.
Related Coverage: https://thegoldwater.com/news/22959-Humbled-Pope-Francis-Sorry-for-Misjudging-Chile-Sex-Abuse-Scandal
Barros’ critics questioned his suitability to lead because he had served as a top lieutenant of Chile’s most notorious predator priest. Abuse victims have always accused the bishop of witnessing and ignoring the abuses they suffered.
Barros has consistently denied such allegations.
Juan Carlos Cruz, the abuse survivor who denounced Barros for years and has persistently pressed the Vatican to act against the bishop took to Twitter to share his views on Barros’ removal.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today begins a new day for the Catholic Church in Chile and hopefully the world. <a href="https://twitter.com/Pontifex?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pontifex</a> has started the firing of bishops who are abusers or have covered up. We hope this is the beginning of the end of this culture of abuse and cover up in the Church. Emotional but great day!</p>— Juan Carlos Cruz Ch. (@jccruzchellew) <a href="https://twitter.com/jccruzchellew/status/1006143179152818183?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is just the beginning. Finally <a href="https://twitter.com/Pontifex?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pontifex</a> is holding bishops accountable and firing them! Good news not only for Chile but for the world! <a href="https://twitter.com/AP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ap</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nwinfield?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nwinfield</a> <a href="https://t.co/wkM4mMvsYx">https://t.co/wkM4mMvsYx</a></p>— Juan Carlos Cruz Ch. (@jccruzchellew) <a href="https://twitter.com/jccruzchellew/status/1006170400651464704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Francis made a promise to Chilean Catholics scarred by a culture of clergy sexual abuse that “never again” would the Church dismiss or ignore them or the cover-up of abuse in Chile.
The whole scandal revolves around Father Fernando Karadima, who was found guilty in a 2011 Vatican investigation of abusing boys in Santiago in the 1970s and 1980s.
Related Coverage: https://thegoldwater.com/news/16650-Pope-Francis-Apologizes-For-Sexual-Abuse-Comments
Karadima is now 87 years old living in a nursing home in Chile and continues – as he always had- to deny any wrongdoing.
Other Related Coverage:
https://thegoldwater.com/news/22605-Catholic-Priest-in-the-Vatican-Arrested-for-Child-Pornography
https://thegoldwater.com/news/21117-Vatican-Press-Chief-Resigns-Over-Fake-News-Letter
Twitter: #MAGA #KeepAmericaGreat! #Vatican #PopeFrancis #ChileCatholicChurchSexAbuseCharges #ClergySexAbuse #ChurchSexScandal
‘HE WHO MOLESTS AND UNITES (COHABITS) WITH A CHILD IS UNWORTHY OF LIFE ITSELF AND ITS LAWS, AND SHOULD BE PUNISHED SO THAT HE WILL LOSE OF HIS LIFE. LIKEWISE, HE WHO INDULGES IN INCEST IS THUSLY AND SHOULD BE TREATED LIKEWISE. HE WHO COHABITS WITH AN ANIMAL IS LIKEWISE UNWORTHY . Phoenix Journals
This shit has been going on forever with the Catholic church and only now does the pope do something about it??
At least its happening and its better than moving them to new fresh locations to molest a new group of kiddies like in the past.
There's a special place in hell for people that abuse children!!!