ROME
National Catholic Reporter
by Joshua J. McElwee
ROME — Pope Francis has admitted making “serious mistakes” in his handling of clergy sexual abuse cases in Chile, telling the country’s bishops in a lengthy letter that he feels “pain and shame” for the “crucified lives” of those who suffered abuse.
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But Francis has not revealed whether he will sack a Chilean prelate accused of covering up abuse, whom he has previously defended to the outrage of abuse survivors. Instead, Francis has asked the country’s bishops to come to Rome en masse for a meeting at some point soon.
In a letter released late April 11, Francis is reporting to the bishops about the mission of Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna, whom the pope sent to Chile in February to interview abuse victims and look into the case of Bishop Juan Barros Madrid.
“I have made serious mistakes in the assessment and my perception of the situation, especially due to a lack of truthful and balanced information,” Francis says in the letter.
Revealing that Scicluna’s team took 64 testimonies from sexual abuse victims during its visit, the pope says the testimonies speak together “of many crucified lives, and I confess that it causes me pain and shame.”
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