José Andrés Murillo

José Andrés Murillo, director of the “Para la confianza” foundation, speaks to the press in Santiago, Chile February 21, 2018 / Luis Hidalgo / AP

Reported from La Croix Press 3-23-2018: In taking the defense, during his trip to Chile in January, of Bishop Juan Barros, Bishop of Osorno, who was accused of having covered the actions of Father Fernando Karadima, a sexual predator of whom he was very close, Pope Francis deeply shocked public opinion. A few days later, he explained himself before apologizing. In the process, he had appointed Bishop Charles Scicluna, the Vatican advocate and known for his courageous work in the fight against pedophilia in the Church, to be his special envoy to Chile, where he would be responsible for collecting testimonies and any useful information on the case of Bishop Barros.

This announcement had left the victims in the wait. Not knowing the figure of Bishop Scicluna, they said they did not really know what to expect. It is in this climate of expectation that the Maltese bishop arrived in New York at the end of February, to hear his first testimony, then to Santiago, Chile, to continue his investigation, taking with him a small team of work.

Bishop Scicluna operated urgently
But once in the Andean country, an emergency gallbladder operation – minor – had forced Bishop Scicluna to remain bedridden for the rest of his stay. It was a Spanish priest, Msgr. Jordi Bertomeu, who took over, so as not to interrupt the mission led by the Maltese.

For a week, Bishop Bertomeu, official of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, had listened to all those who wished, as part of the investigation of Bishop Barros, but also more widely.

Full Article at: https://www.la-croix.com/Religion/