Protests in Chile after Francis backs bishop

Buenos Aires Herald
October 5, 2015

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/200252/protests-in-chile-after-francis-backs-bishop

In this file photo from earlier this year, Reverend Juan Barros, centre, attends his ordination ceremony as bishop in Osorno, southern Chile.

SANTIAGO — Hundreds of protesters opposing the controversial appointment of a Santiago bishop, accused of being involved in a cover-up of sexual abuse, protested yesterday outside St Matthew’s Cathedral in Osorno, a day after supportive comments by Pope Francis were aired on Chilean television.

A local television station on Friday aired a video in which Pope Francis defends the bishop of Osorno, Monsignor Juan Barros, whose opponents allege was involved in a cover-up pertaining to a notorious paedophile priest. In the video, shot in May and broadcast only this week by Chilean TV channel Mega, Francis attacks “leftists,” blaming them for a campaign against Barros’ appointment.

“Don’t let yourselves be led by the noses, by the leftists who have plotted this,” the pope says in the video, speaking to Chilean visitors at the Vatican.

“Osorno is suffering from stupidity, and for not opening its heart to what God says. And for letting itself get carried away by the garbage everybody says,” he added, according to one translation of the video.

The pontiff also noted that the allegations against Barros had been dismissed by a Chilean court. The video was reportedly filmed by an Argentine on an iPad, who remains unidentified thus far.

Jaime Coiro, a former spokesman for the Chilean Bishops Conference and its current assistant secretary, in St Peter’s Square, said on his Twitter account that he was there when the video was made and that Francis was speaking to him. Coiro greets the pontiff and tells him the Chilean church is “praying and suffering for you.”

Some Catholic websites speculated over the weekend that the “leftists” cited by Francis are members of the Chilean Congress. Previously, many lawmakers from the government had signed a petition opposing Barros’ nomination to the post.

A spokeswoman for Mega told The Associated Press that it obtained the video from a confidential source on Friday. The office of the Vatican’s spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But Francis’ comments were in line with his past support of Barros.

In late March, the Vatican released a statement defending Barros, saying the Congregation for Bishops examined his candidacy for bishop “and did not find objective reasons to preclude the appointment.”

Protests, marches and boycotts

Yesterday, protests against Barros stepped up in intensity, calling on the pontiff to disqualify the priest and remove him from his post.

Barros has been accused of aiding Fernando Karadima, who was sanctioned in 2011 for sexually abusing teenagers. Karadima was sentenced to a lifetime of “prayer and penance,” after being found guilty of paedophilia and abuse of his ecclesiastical position — a move that angered critics who accused the Church of not taking sexual abuse seriously enough.

At least three of Karadima’s alleged victims have said Barros knew about the abuse and was sometimes present when it took place, in the 1980s. Barros has said he knew nothing about Karadima’s wrongdoing. Some of the victims are attempting to sue the diocese of Santiago de Chile, asking for a public apology, a public acknowledgment of Karadima’s crimes and financial compensation.

Just three weeks earlier, the issue had arisen once again, when the Archbishop of Santiago Ricardo Ezzati asked for forgiveness during a homily after leaked emails showed the Church had tried to cover up the Karadima case.

Divided community

The dispute has divided the Catholic community in Osorno, a city located 900 kilometres south of Santiago. Some churchgoers and priests in the city have protested Barros’ appointment as bishop in March with marches and boycotts of his Masses. Those demonstrators took to the streets once again yesterday.

Juan Carlos Cruz, one of Karadima’s victims, told Chile’s The Clinic Online yesterday that he felt Francis’ statement was “brutal.”

“the pope has been unmasked,” Cruz added. “Insulting like that is very painful for the people of Osorno also, (especially) when he wants to show the image of a loving father.”

James Hamilton, another victim, wrote on Twitter that after Francis’ statements, “we know who we face, especially in the open.”

Osorno Lay Movement member Juan Carlos Claret, who opposed Barros’ appointment as bishop, said the comments showed the pope’s “true face” on sexual abuse just as the Vatican promises to prosecute clergy and bishops who fail to protect their flocks.

The “Organization of Osorno Lay” also issued a statement, saying yesterday that they “deeply regret the words of His Holiness.”

Fellow protesters in Osorno yesterday were upset by Francis’ backing of the priest and chanted and demonstrated as Barros led Mass inside the cathedral.

Barros meanwhile issued a short statement thanking the pontiff for his “support.”

“I pray that we can all work together in peace for the good of Osorno,” he added.

During his recent visit to Philadelphia, Francis met with only five victims of child sexual abuse, telling them he was “deeply sorry” for the times they came forward to tell their stories and weren’t believed. He added that “clergy and bishops will be held accountable when they abuse or fail to protect children.”

US-based victim groups said they were unhappy that the pontiff had failed to address the problem sufficiently.