8
February 20 , 2018 | The Valley Catholic
Letter in Case of Chilean Bishop Raises New Questions
Chilean Father Fernando Karadima leaves after attending a 2015 hearing at the Supreme Court building in Santiago . ( CNS photo / Sebastian Silva , EPA )
VATICAN CITY ( CNS ) – Less than a week after the Vatican announced Pope Francis was sending a trusted investigator to Chile to listen to people with information about a bishop accused of covering up clerical sexual abuse , the Associated Press reported the pope was given a detailed letter from a survivor almost three years ago .
The Vatican had said January 30 that Pope Francis ’ decision to send Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta to investigate was prompted by “ recently received information ” in the case of Bishop Juan Barros , who was named bishop of Osorno , Chile , in 2015 .
Juan Carlos Cruz , a victim of Bishop Barros ’ mentor , Father Fernando Karadima , gave the AP a copy of an 8 page letter he wrote in 2015 to Pope Francis , graphically describing the abuse he suffered and saying that then-Father Barros was in the room watching when some of the incidents occurred .
AP released its story February 5 . On February 7 , it reported that Archbishop Scicluna would fly to the United States to interview Cruz .
As of February 7 , the Vatican had not commented .
The letter appeared to contradict what Pope Francis had told reporters who accompanied him to Chile and Peru . During the trip , the pope had said that the people accusing Bishop Barros were guilty of slander and calumny because they had presented no “ evidence ” of the bishop ’ s guilt .
“ No one has come forward , they haven ’ t provided any evidence for a judgment ,” Pope Francis said . “ You , in all good will , tell me that there are victims , but I haven ’ t seen any , because they haven ’ t come forward .”
“ If anyone can give me evidence , I ’ ll be the first to listen ,” the pope told reporters January 21 on the flight back to Rome .
But Cruz and two former members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors said they were assured by Cardinal Sean P . O ’ Malley of Boston , commission president , that he had personally given the 8 page letter to Pope Francis in 2015 .
“ Four members of the PCPM traveled in April 2015 to Rome to meet Cardinal O ’ Malley . We passed a letter to him for the Holy Father from survivors of Karadima . He assured us he would give the letter to the pope and discuss the Barros appointment . The pope was not left in the dark ,” Marie Collins , one of the former commission members , wrote on Twitter February 1 .
“ This is why I was shocked when I heard the pope had said on the plane the Karadima victims had not come to him and he would listen if they did . I knew they had contacted him directly with this letter three years ago !” she tweeted February 5 after AP published details about the letter Cruz had written .
The Associated Press reported that Cardinal O ’ Malley ’ s spokesman in Boston referred requests for comment to the Vatican . Neither the Vatican press office , nor officials at the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors , responded to calls and emails seeking comment .
African-Americans Celebrate Faith , Family , Heritage at San Diego Revival
SAN DIEGO ( CNS ) – In the 1930s , Christ the King Parish in a neighborhood just southeast of downtown San Diego was the “ mother church ” for black Catholics in the city . Racial segregation was the law of the land . Some 50 years later , much has changed in that neighborhood and surrounding ones . A series of landmark laws and rulings ended official segregation at work , schools , housing and public settings though the fight for equality and social justice continues there and across the country . Blacks started moving away , settling elsewhere in San Diego County or even out of state where the cost of
living was lower . “ We ’ re all spread out now ,” said Deacon Marvin Threatt , from Holy Spirit Parish , one of three parishes with active African-American ministries in the city . “ We don ’ t have the collective community .” The mother church needed a way to invite black Catholics to return to their traditional faith home . Thus began in 1980 the first Revival , a three-night celebration of African- American culture and spirituality at Christ the King . The 38th Annual Revival took place this year February 5-7 , this time at Saint Rita ’ s Parish , which also is in southeastern San Diego .