In a letter to Chileans issued last week, the pope had voiced his “shame” that the Catholic church had failed “to listen and react in time” to allegations of sexual abuse by Chilean clergy. Several members of the Chilean church hierarchy are accused by victims of ignoring and covering up child abuse by Karadima during the 1980s and 1990s. In a statement Saturday, the Vatican said the pope would meet the five Chilean priests shortly as part of efforts to heal them and the Church. “With the help of the five priests, the pope will try to find a solution to the internal fracture of the community of the faithful. Since 2000, about 80 Roman Catholic priests have been reported to authorities in Chile for alleged sexual abuse.

Source: The Guardian June 02, 2018 13:52 UTC