2 more bishops in Chile resign over sex abuse scandal as Pope Francis cleans house

VATICAN CITY
The Associated Press

June 28, 2018

Pope Francis on Thursday accepted the resignations of two more Chilean bishops, the latest fallout from a sex abuse scandal whose scope and gravity were initially underestimated by the pontiff.

Last month, all 31 of Chile’s active bishops offered to quit for collectively failing to protect children from pedophile priests.

The Vatican announced that Francis allowed Bishop Alejandro Goic Karmelic of Rancagua and Bishop Horacio del Carmen Valenzuela Abarca of Talca to resign, bringing to five the total number of resignations accepted so far.

In the Rancagua diocese, 14 priests have been accused of having had sex with minors. Goic had served as head of the Chilean church’s child protection commission.

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