Chile Catholic Abuse Scandal Deepens

Chilean Bishop Alejandro Goić Karmelić.

Credit: Diocese of Rancagua.

After scandal, head of Chilean Church’s anti-abuse panel resigns

Following the mass 'resignation' of all Chile's 34 bishops at a meeting in the Vatican, where they were handed a 10 page report by the Pope detailing their neglect and failure to protect children, the victims of clerical abuse that they had been complicit in covering up, there is now another high-level resignation.

Bishop Alejandro Goić Karmelić of Rancagua, head of the Chilean Church’s National Commission for the Prevention of Abuses has resigned his chairmanship because of 'difficulties that have occurred in the diocese he leads'. The 'difficulties' are that fourteen priests in Goic’s diocese have been suspended, accused of being part of an organised paedophile ring called 'La Familia', (the family) which practised sexual behaviour including, but not limited to, the abuse of minors.

It has emerged that Bishop Goić had known about the activities of this group for two years but did nothing until a news program began investigating to activities of the group.

Accepting his resignation, the Chilean Bishops said "He has worked tirelessly, together with a select group of professionals, to adopt all the measures needed to eradicate from the life of the Church the abuse of minors and every kind of abuse of power". It seems his 'tireless work' did not extend to investigating or taking any action against a group of predatory paedophile priests in his own diocese, until the press got to know about it.

Goić, in addition to his token resignation as part of the gang of 34, has also formally offered his resignation because he has reached the obligatory age of retirement anyway, having just turned 75.

The strange silence of Pope Francis over the whole Chilean paedophile priest scandal continues.

'via Blog this'

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