Chile: 3 Abuse Victims Sue Church

By Pascale Bonnefoy
The New York Times
November 28, 2012

www.nytimes.com/2012/11/28/world/americas/chile-3-abuse-victims-sue-church.html

Three victims of sexual abuse by a prominent priest filed a lawsuit for damages against the Catholic Church on Tuesday for what they claim was its negligent handling of their accusations. In 2004, the men accused the Rev.

Fernando Karadima of having abused them as teenagers in the 1980s and 1990s. The archbishop of Santiago opened an investigation but “did not adopt any measures to prevent the abuses from continuing or take disciplinary measures against the priest, who remained in the priesthood for another five years,” the lawsuit says. The Vatican found Father Karadima guilty of abuse last year, and ordered him to a life of seclusion, prayer and penitence. A Chilean judge dismissed criminal charges because a statute of limitations had expired.