ROME
NPR
by Mark Memmott
March 06, 2013
As Roman Catholic cardinals now gathered in Rome continue to make preparations for their conclave that will choose a new pope, NPR’s Sylvia Poggioli tells our Newscast Desk that “advocates for victims of clerical sex abuse across the world are stepping up demands that three cardinals withdraw” from that process.
According to Sylvia:
“The victims groups accuse three cardinals of covering up crimes. Victims of an Italian priest have launched a petition against Cardinal Domenico Calcagno. Advocates of victims in Chile accuse Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz of ignoring accusations they were abused by a popular priest. In Mexico, victims of the disgraced Father Marcial Maciel are demanding that Cardinal Norberto Rivera stay away from the conclave.”
As The Associated Press notes: Calcagno has declined comment about accusations that he covered up any abuse; Errazuriz has also “denied any cover-up;” and Rivera has “repeatedly denied wrongdoing.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.