The retired archbishop of Santiago is denying he covered-up for an abusive priest in Chile, but is acknowledging the priest's popularity and ability to produce seminarians weighed on his decision-making. Errazuriz wrote that it had been "difficult" to reach the Vatican-required standard of being convinced that the accusations were "at least likely," given Karadima's popularity. "They were accusing a priest with a great pastoral calling, whose preaching enriched more than 30 young people who were ordained priests and four priests who were consecrated bishops," Errazuriz wrote. The Karadima victims sued the Santiago archdiocese in Chilean courts for an alleged cover-up in 2013 but lost. Errazuriz is in Rome for the meetings with Francis, as are three Karadima-trained bishops who are expected to be asked to resign.

Source: ABC News May 15, 2018 13:13 UTC