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	Chilean Federal Police Investigating Catholic Priest in Sex Abuse Case CNN November 8, 2010 http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/11/08/chile.priest.investigation/ Chilean federal police are investigating a Roman Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing four minors, a spokeswoman said Monday. The Rev. Fernando Karadima is already under investigation by the Vatican on the sex charges, the archbishop of Santiago said in June. Karadima has denied the abuse accusations and said he welcomes the investigation, published reports said. Spokeswoman Magarena Olivares of Chile's Investigative Police acknowledged Monday that the department also is investigating the priest, but she declined to say what the investigation entails because it is ongoing. She also declined to talk about recent news reports that say Karadima lent church money to four employees in his former parish. Archbishop Francisco Javier Errazuriz commented on the loan allegations Sunday, saying such a move would be unusual. "It's not normal," Errazuriz said in a televised interview. "That is, if a person wants to lend his own money, let him lend what he wants. That is clear. But when it deals with money from the parish, that is not usual. It is something totally exceptional." Patricio Vasconcellos, secretary of the parish where Karadima served before the priest was removed, was quoted as saying over the weekend that he was "very grateful" for the loan. He received the $20,650 (10 million-peso) loan on January 19, 2009, Vasconcellos said, according the La Tercera TV's online publication. Errazuriz said in June that he decided to ask the Vatican to intercede after learning of the grave sexual misconduct accusations against the 80-year-old priest. "The strong accusations, their painful airing on television, the scandal they have provoked and the investigative process have produced in our community sentiments of suffering, disorder and lack of faith," Errazuriz said. The archbishop said he also asked the Vatican to lift the statute of limitations on any possible infractions because some of the accusations date back many years. He has requested that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith investigate the matter, in which case a three-judge panel would take over. Errazuriz said he expects a ruling this year. The priest has been removed from all public ministry, Errazuriz said.
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