Pope Francis has asked Archbishop Charles Scicluna, a highly experienced Vatican investigator of sexual abuse cases, to investigate new information in the case of Bishop Juan Barros, a Chilean prelate accused of a cover-up.
During his recent trip to Chile, the Pope upset sexual abuse survivors by saying that, given Francis had not been presented with any proof that Barros covered up, the claims against the bishop were “calumny”.
On the plane back to Rome, the Argentinian Pontiff apologised for the hurt caused by his remarks but re-iterated that no evidence had been presented to him. Following Francis' remarks in Chile about Barros, Cardinal Sean O'Malley issued an statement saying what Francis said had been a "source of great pain" for victims, adding that words that convey the message "if you cannot prove your claims then you will not be believed" abandon those who have suffered reprehensible criminal violations of their human dignity and "relegate survivors to discredited exile".
But in a dramatic new development on Tuesday, the Vatican announced in a statement that following some “information recently received” in the case of Barros, the Pope had asked Scicluna, the Archbishop of Malta, to investigate.
The statement released today said Bishop Scicluna, who presides over the appeals section of abuse cases tried by the Vatican, has been asked to “listen” to those who have shown a willingness to submit their evidence.
Scicluna is one of the toughest investigators the church has. A former Promoter of Justice at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) – a chief prosecutor role – he was dispatched by then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to collect the testimony of the victims of Marcial Maciel.
Maciel, the founder of the immensely wealthy Legionaries of Christ and backed by powerful figures inside the Church, was later ordered to live a life of prayer and penance when the scale of his abuse of children was discovered.
Archbishop Scicluna's role at the CDF, the Vatican's doctrinal congregation, was to prosecute alleged abusers using the Church’s internal legal procedures. During his time in Rome he drafted laws to allow historic sexual abuse to be reported, expanded ecclesiastical crimes to include possession of child pornography and sexual misconduct with a disabled adult and helped co-ordinate child protection guidelines for bishops’ conferences across the world.
The case of Bishop Barros raises the question of how bishops should be held accountable for mishandling abuse cases. While the Pope announced the setting up of a tribunal to judge bishops who cover up in 2016, this was scrapped and legal procedures were clarified about how to remove diocesan leaders who failed to protect children. But these initiatives have produced no clear results.
Bishop Barros is accused of knowing about – and even witnessing – abuse committed by influential priest Fr Fernando Karadima, who was found guilty of abuse by a Vatican trial in 2011. Bishop Barros strongly denies claims that he covered up.
Chilean Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati welcomed Francis’s decision to send Archbishop Scicluna to Chile, calling the move “opportune”. Abuse survivor Marie Collins, who sat on the Pope’s Commission for the Protection of Minors, but resigned in early 2017 in frustration with the Roman curia, said on Twitter: “It’s a pity the Pope did not do this before making his recent comments. However it is good he has now looked anew and taken this step …. Archbishop Scicluna has a positive record on abuse and hopefully will be enabled to do a thorough investigation.”
Pic: In 2016 the Pontifical University of Mexico inaugurated a centre on child and youth protection to train diocesan officials. Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta is pictured at the opening, on the left. Seated next to him were Father Mario Flores, rector of the Pontifical University of Mexico; Boston Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley; and Jesuit Father Hans Zollner of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Credit: CNS photo/courtesy Father Juan J. Molina
Loading ...
