SANTIAGO (CHILE)
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>>Anne Barrett-Doyle: “When a Chilean bishop spends a day in jail, there will be changes in the Chilean church”
January 15, 2018
By Cristian Aránguiz
La experta estadounidense es una de las voces más autorizadas a nivel mundial en casos de abusos sexuales dentro de la iglesia católica. Ha apoyado importantes investigaciones, como las que se realizaron sobre el Arzobispado de Boston y que hicieron renunciar al poderoso cardenal Bernard Law, lo que años después daría origen a la premiada película “Spotlight”. Hoy, con la llegada a suelo chileno de la máxima autoridad de la Iglesia Católica, Barrett-Doyle le hace un llamado al Papa a dar respuestas a las víctimas de las violaciones y a reflexionar sobre las actitudes de las autoridades locales que protegen a los agresores.
Bishop Accountability es una ONG de origen estadounidense que recopila información global sobre miembros de la Iglesia Católica acusados de abuso sexual o violación de menores. En medio de la visita papal a Chile, la sede de la Fundación para la Confianza sirvió como comando central para que Anne Barrett-Doyle, líder de Bishop Accountability, entregara de manera pública los antecedentes que han recopilado sobre sacerdotes o miembros de la Iglesia Católica chilena acusados de realizar abusos sexuales o violaciones en contra de menores de edad.
La lista íntegra se encuentra, para su revisión, en el sitio https://www.bishop-accountability.org, donde se consignan 79 casos nacionales.
[Google Translation: “The Chilean government needs to carry out criminal investigations in the Catholic Church, to do that perhaps you start by creating laws that would enable them to persecute institutions like the Church or people within it,” the expert said of what the Catholic Church should do. Chilean state to be able to sanction new abuses.
The American expert is one of the most authoritative voices in the world in cases of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. He has supported important investigations, such as those that were carried out on the Archbishopric of Boston and that made renounce the powerful Cardinal Bernard Law, which years later would give rise to the award-winning film “Spotlight”. Today, with the arrival on Chilean soil of the highest authority of the Catholic Church, Barrett-Doyle calls on the Pope to give answers to the victims of the violations and to reflect on the attitudes of the local authorities that protect the aggressors.
Bishop Accountability is an American-born NGO that collects global information about members of the Catholic Church accused of sexual abuse or rape of minors. In the midst of the papal visit to Chile, the headquarters of the Foundation for Trust served as a central command for Anne Barrett-Doyle, leader of Bishop Accountability, to publicly release the background they have gathered about priests or members of the Catholic Church. Chilean women accused of carrying out sexual abuse or rape against minors.
The full list is available for review at https://www.bishop-accountability.org , where 79 national cases are recorded.
Q. What actions should be taken to avoid the concealment of sexual aggressors, either from civil society or within the clergy?
A. From the interior of the church there must be a law so that any bishop or anyone who knows of any abuse, must report them immediately and safely. But we believe that the real answer comes from outside the church, from secular organizations, from the prosecutors of justice who are the ones who should and can get involved to solve. When a Chilean bishop spends a day in jail, there will be changes in the Chilean church.
Q. Have the necessary measures been taken today, from the Vatican headquarters, to prevent sexual abuse by its officials?
A. I do not think so. Today the Vatican does not yet have a policy of zero tolerance for abuse. But not only that, but it promotes those people to better positions, like what is happening here in Chile.
Q. Pope Francis announced a policy of zero tolerance, has it been fulfilled?
A. Pope Francis has promised “zero tolerance” for the crimes of abusers or sexual harassers. He has said that the protection of minors is the highest priority for the Catholic Church, but here in Chile the bishops and higher authorities do not follow that promise.
Q. What policy, then, has the Chilean church maintained in cases of abuse?
A. A bit unclear and in some cases keeps priests accused of sexual abuse in practice. In fact, at least two of the priests who appear in our base convicted on civil charges have been reinstated to the ecclesiastical exercise. Chilean bishops are unusual because they openly violate the standards of care and protections established by Pope Francis.
Q. Then, Pope Francis arrives in a country where his measures have not been met?
A. Clearly, the Vatican institution has shown itself in favor of bishops like Juan Barros, and former Monsignor Errázuriz, who have been accomplices, in some way, with the Karadima case and would normally be careful to say so, but there are documents and testimonies that establish These men are not fit to hold positions within the Church. If the Pope really wants to apply “zero tolerance” measures, he has to start by disciplining Church leaders who have put children in danger.
Q. What analysis do you make about the Chilean government’s actions on this matter?
A. The Chilean government needs to carry out criminal investigations in the Catholic Church. To do that perhaps should start to create laws that enable it to persecute institutions such as the Church or people within it.]
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