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	Chilean Priests Voice Support for Victims in Karadima Case By Phil Locker Santiago Times April 6, 2011 http://www.santiagotimes.cl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21145:chilean-priests-voice-support-for-victims-in-karadima-case&catid=1:other&Itemid=38 As 15 members of the El Bosque Union Sacerdotal changed their stance on Karadima case, businessman Matte apologizes for privately meeting with DA Over a dozen members of a Chilean priests’ association known as Union Sacerdotal, and who supported the powerful father Fernando Karadima have now expressed their support for his victims, distancing themselves from their former figurehead. In February, Karadima was found guilty by the Vatican of abusing minors. The 15 priests of Union Sacerdotal, founded by Karadima himself to provide spiritual guidance to parishioners of churches in Santiago’s upscale El Bosque neighborhood, and for the purpose of administering property and funds donated by their parishioners, sent a letter to Santiago’s Archbishop Ricardo Ezzati proclaiming a change in their stance, and their newfound support of Karadima’s victims. The priests requested the letter be read by Ezzati at the Episcopal Conference, which commenced on Monday. “Each one of us, in our own time, has gone though a very painful process in our realization of the true scale and meaning of the claims made against father Fernando Karadima,” read the letter. In sending the letter, the priests who had previously supported Karadima chose to distance themselves from him and his alleged crimes. “At first it was incredibly difficult to believe. Now we want to listen to those who have suffered, to accept and help them,” said the letter, dated from last Friday, and distributed on Monday. “We needed a long time to travel this long and difficult path to the truth. Today we want to clearly signal our sadness.” The priests expressed their regret that the case cast a negative light on the church, but added that “as priests of (Santiago’s) clergy, we want to reiterate our desire to work with the communion in our beloved Church of Santiago.” “With sincerity and humility, we would like to start on the path to the renewal and the deepening of our priests’ ministry,” it said. The letter also called on Archbishop Ezzati to ask anything of the priests in order to do so. A spokesperson for the priests’ association said that the letter was widely discussed and was not sent to Karadima, as he was not the intended recipient. Moreover, the spokesperson added that the Vatican’s ruling does not allow Karadima to be in contact with members of the group. The letter was due to have 16 signatures, but after having signed the letter, the priest Javier Manterola asked for his name to be removed. In August 2010 there was a split in the association, with 12 members distancing themselves from the group after submitting a document in which they considered the claims against Karadima to be “plausible.” Furthermore, Chilean business tycoon Eliodoro Matte apologized on Tuesday in an interview with El Mercurio for his statements made to Sabas Chahuan, the district attorney at Chile’s Public Ministry. The head of paper company CMPC had called for the DA to make the investigation “as quick as possible” because he and his wife had a friendship with Karadima. “It was a mistake and I want to use this opportunity to apologize to the DA,” he said. Matte and his wife were friends of Karadima and primary benefactors of the priest’s parish. The businessman was one of the seven businessmen who initially defended the priest. According to local press, Matte even bought Karadima a “religious” vehicle on one occasion. Phil Locker ( editor@santiagotimes.cl This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
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