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La crédibilité du pape François sur les abus sexuels du clergé a été sapée au Chili

Le voyage du pape François en Amérique du Sud a reflété l'attention habituelle du pape pour la réalité des souffrances des pauvres et des populations indigènes marginalisées. Mais sa visite a aussi démontré le manque de clarté du pape sur la priorité donnée aux victimes et aux survivants d’abus sexuels commis par des membres du clergé, et a en outre sapé les efforts de l'Église pour montrer sa repentance sur cette question importante.

Dans son discours à la "Moneda" devant les autorités civiles chiliennes, le pape a demandé pardon et a exprimé sa honte pour les abus sexuels commis par des membres du clergé. Le pape François a aussi reçu une délégation des victimes à huis clos. Ce sont des étapes importantes, mais il n'a pas montré la même ouverture envers les victimes de Karadima.

Ces faits positifs ont été cependant complètement compromis quand le pape François a déclaré que ceux qui ont accusé Mgr Juan Barros Madrid de couvrir des abus sexuels commis sur des enfants étaient coupables de « calomnie ».

Mgr Juan Barros Madrid a été nommé évêque d'Osorno en 2015, alors que sa complicité avec Karadima était devenue publique ; il avait été auparavant évêque aux Armées. Sa nomination a été faite par la hiérarchie au Chili, qui s’était montrée d'accord avec la dictature de Pinochet et appréciait l'empathie du Nonce Angelo Sodano. Mgr Barros a été le protecteur du pédophile en série, le père Fernando Karadima, figure influente et bien connue de l'élite économique et conservatrice du monde catholique de Santiago. Les membres de la Commission pontificale pour la protection des mineurs ont protesté de sa nomination, mais le pape François est passé outre. On ne pense pas que Mgr Barros ait lui-même commis des abus ; mais il était certainement conscient de ceux en série de Karadima qu'il a protégé.

Un mouvement de base est alors né dans le diocèse d'Osorno qui a contesté et rejeté la nomination de Barros, demandant au pape de le révoquer. Le pape François, parlant avec des journaliste avant de quitter le Chili, a déclaré qu'il n'y avait aucune preuve contre Barros et accusé les survivants d'abus de calomnie. Pourtant, les survivants des abus de Karadima – que le pape François a refusé de rencontrer – se confirment être crédibles. En fait, le cardinal Sean O'Malley de Boston, qui dirige la Commission pontificale pour la protection des mineurs, a publié une déclaration exprimant que la défense par le pontife d'un évêque chilien accusé de couvrir des abus était « une source de grande douleur » pour les survivants. Il y a également eu une réponse du président des laïcs d'Osorno : « Le Pape devrait comprendre qu'il n'est pas un jury, il n'a pas à se prononcer sur les crimes, qui seront jugés par un jury chilien, son devoir est de vérifier si l'évêque Juan Barros est vraiment un chef spirituel ou non, et de comprendre qu'il ne remplit pas sa mission en tant qu'évêque : être un signe d'unité dans un diocèse ».

We Are Church International (WAC) et le réseau européen Églises en liberté (EN) expriment leur soutien à la protestation ecclésiastique légitime des chrétiens d’Osorno et partagent le point de vue de Somos Iglesia Chile (section nationale du mouvement WAC) dans cette affaire.

Nous appelons le Pape François à revoir d'urgence son soutien à Mgr Juan Barros dans l’intérêt de toute l'Église.

Sigrid Grabmeier, présidente de WAC International

Enrique Orellana F., président de Somos Iglesia Chile

Raquel Mallavibarrena, présidente du Réseau européen Églises en libertés

Il viaggio di papa Francesco in Sud America ha manifestato l’attenzione abituale del papa alle sofferenze  delle popolazioni native, povere e  marginalizzate. Però la sua visita  ha anche dimostrato  mancanza di chiarezza nel dare la priorità  alle vittime degli abusi sessuali del clero e ha pregiudicato   gli sforzi della Chiesa per dimostrare il suo pentimento su questa importante questione.

Il papa ha chiesto perdono e ha manifestato la sua vergogna per gli abusi del clero parlando alla “Moneda” alle autorità civili cilene. Papa Francesco ha anche ricevuto un delegazione di alcune delle vittime a  porte chiuse. Sono stati passi  importanti però egli non ha avuto la stessa apertura e disponibilità nei confronti delle vittime di Karadima. Gli  interventi positivi sono stati del tutto compromessi quando il papa ha detto che quelli che avevano accusato il vescovo Juan Barros Madrid di aver “coperto”  abusi sessuali sui minori erano colpevoli di calunnia.

Il vescovo Juan Barros Madrid fu nominato vescovo di Osorno nel 2015 dopo che la sua complicità con Karadima divenne conosciuta; prima era stato vescovo castrense.  La sua nomina è la diretta conseguenza di una gerarchia che era in sintonia con la dittatura di Pinochet ed aveva la simpatia del nunzio Angelo Sodano.  Egli era il protettore del Padre Fernando Karadima,  pedofilo  seriale e figura molto influente e conosciuta nella élite economica e conservatrice del mondo cattolico cileno. Membri della Pontificia Commissione per la protezione dei minori contestarono la nomina ma papa Francesco procedette ugualmente. Il  vescovo Barros  non è  accusato di avere  egli stesso compiuto abusi; ma  era certamente consapevole degli abusi in serie di Karadima, che egli poi ha protetto.

Dopo tutto ciò nella diocesi di Osorno è sorto  un movimento di base  che ha discusso e  rifiutato la nomina di Barros  e ha chiesto, alla fine,  al  papa la  revoca del vescovo. Papa Francesco, parlando con un giornalista prima di lasciare il Cile, ha detto che non c’erano prove nei confronti di Barros  ed ha accusato di calunnia le vittime degli abusi.  Senza alcun dubbio  le vittime di Karadima -che il papa ha rifiutato di incontrare- sono risultate del tutto credibili.  Infatti il Card. Seàn O’Malley di Boston, che è il presidente della Pontificia Commissione per la Protezione dei Minori, ha rilasciato una dichiarazione secondo la quale la difesa da parte del papa del vescovo cileno accusato di coprire abusi è stata “motivo di gran dolore”per le vittime. Si è avuta anche una replica del portavoce dei laici di Osorno: “Il papa deve capire che egli non è un tribunale, che non deve  giudicare i reati - questo spetta ai tribunali cileni- e che quello che egli dovrebbe fare  è vedere se il vescovo Juan Barros è o non è   una guida spirituale ed inoltre comprendere che egli non  sta compiendo la sua missione di vescovo… cioè quella di  essere segno di unità nella diocesi”.

L’International Movement We Are Church (WAC) e l’European Network Church on The Move (EN-RE) esprimono il loro appoggio alla legittima protesta dei cristiani di Osorno e condividono l’opinione di Somos Iglesia del Cile (sezione nazionale del movimento WAC) su questa questione. Noi chiediamo a papa Francesco di riconsiderare urgentemente il suo appoggio al vescovo Barros per il bene di tutta la chiesa.

Sigrid Grabmeier                Enrique Orellana F.               Raquel Mallavibarrena    

Chair                                      Chair                                      Chair

WAC International             Somos Iglesia Chile               European Network Church on the Move

Rome, 25 january 2018

Contact: Marianne Duddy-Burke, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +1 617 669 7810 Executive Director, Dignity USA

Raquel Mallavibarrena, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +34 649332654

We are Church International founded in Rome in 1996, is  global coalition of national church reform groups. It is committed to the renewal of the Roman Catholic Church based on the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and the theological spirit developed from it. https://www.we-are-church.org/413/index.php

The European Network Church on the Move is  spontaneous convergence of organizations – associations, communities, informal groups and networks – of European Christians who are in majority Catholic, sharing:

(1) the vision of  Church prophetic, ecumenical, liberating, supporting, loving, which neither excludes nor discriminates and which follows on the steps of Jesus the liberator

(2) the will to work, respecting cultural and religious diversity, for peace, justice, freedom, human rights and democracy, including in the Catholic Church http://www.en-re.eu/index.php

La credibilidad del Papa Francisco con respecto al abuso clerical se ha visto socavada en Chile

El viaje del Papa Francisco a América del Sur reflejó la atención habitual del Papa a la realidad de los sufrimientos de las poblaciones nativas pobres y marginadas. Pero su visita también demostró la falta de claridad del Papa en la prioridad  de  las víctimas y sobrevivientes del abuso sexual clerical, y socavó aún más los esfuerzos de la Iglesia para mostrar su arrepentimiento en este importante tema.

El Papa pidió perdón y expresó su vergüenza por los abusadores sexuales en su alocución en la "Moneda" ante las autoridades civiles de Chile. El Papa Francisco también recibió una delegación de algunas de las víctimas a puerta cerrada. Estos fueron pasos importantes, pero  no tuvo la misma apertura y disposición con los abusados por Karadima.  

Sin embargo, estos eventos positivos fueron completamente socavados por el Papa Francisco al decir que aquellos que acusaron al Obispo Juan Barros Madrid de encubrir abuso sexual infantil fueron culpables de "calumnia".

El obispo Juan Barros Madrid fue nombrado obispo de Osorno en 2015. Al saberse su complicidad con Karadima fue trasladado a Osorno, antes era obispo castrense. Su nombramiento viene como consecuencia de una jerarquía existente desde hace tiempo y  acorde con la dictadura de Pinochet  y con la empatía del nuncio Angelo Sodano.  Fue el protector del pedófilo en serie Fernando Karadima, una figura influyente y conocida de la élite económica y conservadora en el mundo católico del país. Los miembros de la Pontificia Comisión para la Protección de Menores protestaron por el nombramiento, pero el Papa Francisco siguió adelante con ello. No hay ninguna sugerencia de que el Obispo Barros sea un abusador, pero sí un encubridor; sin duda era consciente del abuso en serie de Karadima a quien protegía.

Entonces nació un movimiento de base en la diócesis de Osorno que disputa y rechaza el nombramiento de Barros, pidiendo al Papa que lo revoque. El Papa Francisco, hablando con un periodista antes de abandonar Chile, dijo que no había evidencia contra Barros y acusó a los sobrevivientes  de difamación. Sin embargo, los supervivientes del abuso de Karadima, a quienes el Papa Francisco se negó a ver, han sido confirmados como creíbles. De hecho, el cardenal Seán O'Malley de Boston, que preside la Pontificia Comisión para la Protección de Menores, ha emitido una declaración según la cual la defensa del pontífice de un obispo chileno acusado de encubrir  abusos es "una fuente de gran dolor" para las víctimas. Hubo también una réplica del portavoz de los Laicos de Osorno: " el Papa tiene que comprender que él no es un tribunal, que los delitos no tiene por qué juzgarlos él, sino los tribunales chilenos, y  lo que tiene que hacer es ver si el obispo  Juan Barros es de verdad o no un líder espiritual y comprender que  no está cumpliendo la misión de un obispo... que es ser signo de unidad de una diócesis"

Somos Iglesia Internacional (WAC) y la Red Europea Iglesia por la Libertad (EN-RE) expresan su apoyo a la legítima protesta eclesiástica de los cristianos de Osorno y comparten la opinión de Somos Iglesia Chile (sección nacional del movimiento WAC) en este asunto. Pedimos al Papa Francisco que reconsidere urgentemente su apoyo al  Obispo Juan Barros por el bien de toda la Iglesia.

Sigrid Grabmeier                Enrique Orellana F.              Raquel Mallavibarrena    

Chair                                      Chair                                      Chair

WAC International             Somos Iglesia Chile             European Network Church on the Move

Contact: Marianne Duddy-Burke, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +1 617 669 7810 Executive Director, DignityUSA

Raquel Mallavibarrena, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +34 649332654

We Are Church International fundada en Roma en 1996, es una coalición global de grupos nacionales de reforma de la iglesia. Está comprometida en la renovación de la Iglesia Católica Romana basada en el Concilio Vaticano II (1962-1965) y el espíritu teológico desarrollado a partir de él. https://www.we-are-church.org/413/index.php

The European Network Church on the Move es una convergencia espontánea de organizaciones – asociaciones, comunidades, grupos informales  y redes – de cristianos europeos, que son católicos en su mayoría, y que comparten

(1) el planteamiento de una Iglesia profética, ecuménica, liberadora, que apoya, que ama, que nunca excluye ni discrimina y que sigue los pasos de Jesús el libertador,

(2) la voluntad de trabajar respetando la diversidad cultural y religiosa, en favor de la paz, la justicia, la libertad, los derechos humanos y la democracia en el mundo y también en la Iglesia Católica. http://www.en-re.eu/index.php

January 25, 2018.

[ Spanish ] [ Italian ] [French }

Pope Francis' trip to South America reflected the Pope’s usual attention to the reality of the sufferings of the poor and marginalized native populations. But his visit also demonstrated the Pope’s lack of clarity on prioritizing the victims and survivors of clerical sexual abuse, and further undermined the Church’s efforts to show its repentance on this important issue.

The pope asked for forgiveness and expressed shame for clerical sex abusers in his address at the “Moneda” before the Chilean civil authorities. Pope Francis also received a delegation of the victims behind closed doors. These were important steps, but he had not show the same openness with the victims of Karadima.

However, these positive events were completely undermined by Pope Francis’ saying that those who charged Bishop Juan Barros Madrid of covering up child sexual abuse were guilty of “slander.”

Bishop Juan Barros Madrid was appointed Bishop of Osorno in 2015, after his complicity with Karadima became known; prior to that he had been bishop for the Army. His nomination came from the hierarchy in Chile, who were in agreement with the dictatorship of Pinochet and enjoyed the empathy of the Nuncio Angelo Sodano. Bishop Barros was the protector of the serial pedophile Fr Fernando Karadima, an influential and well-known figure amongst the economic and conservative elite in the Catholic world of Santiago. Members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors protested his appointment, but Pope Francis proceeded with it. There is no suggestion that Bishop Barros himself was an abuser; but he was certainly aware of the serial abuse of Karadima whom he protected.

A base movement was then born in the Osorno diocese that disputed and rejected the appointment of Barros, asking the pope to revoke it. Pope Francis, speaking with a journalist before leaving Chile, said there was no evidence against Barros and accused the abuse survivors of slander. Yet the Karadima abuse survivors – whom Pope Francis refused to meet - have been confirmed as credible. In fact, Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston, who heads up the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, has issued a statement that the pontiff's defense of a Chilean bishop accused of covering up abuse was "a source of great pain" for survivors. There has also been a reply of the speaker of the lay people of Osorno: “The Pope should understand that he is not a jury, he does not have to decide about crimes, that will be judged by a Chilean jury, his duty is to check if the bishop Juan Barros is really a spiritual leader or not, and understand that he is not fulfilling his mission as a bishop: being a sign of unity in a diocese”.

We Are Church International (WAC) and the European Network Church on The Move (EN) express their support for the legitimate ecclesiastical protest of the Christians of Osorno and share the opinion of Somos Iglesia Chile (national section of the WAC movement) in this matter. We call on Pope Francis to urgently review his support of Bishop Juan Barros for the good of all the church.

Contact:
Marianne Duddy-Burke, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +1 617 669 7810 Executive Director, DignityUSA
Raquel Mallavibarrena, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +34 649332654

We Are Church International founded in Rome in 1996, is a global coalition of national church reform groups. It is committed to the renewal of the Roman Catholic Church based on the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and the theological spirit developed from it.https://www.we-are-church.org/413/index.php

The European Network Church on the Move is a spontaneous convergence of organizations – associations, communities, informal groups and networks – of European Christians who are in majority Catholic, sharing(1) the vision of a Church prophetic, ecumenical, liberating, supporting, loving, which neither excludes nor discriminates and which follows on the steps of Jesus the liberator(2) the will to work, respecting cultural and religious diversity, for peace, justice, freedom, human rights and democracy, including in the Catholic Churchhttp://www.en-re.eu/index.php

January 17, 2018.

We Are Church International, a coalition of 22 Catholic reform organizations from six continents, is calling on Pope Francis to immediately reauthorize the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. This Commission, which oversees the Church’s efforts to ensure the safety of children, has been suspended due to the Pope’s failure to reauthorize it after its original three-year commission expired.

Sigrid Grabmeier, Chair of We Are Church International, said, “It is crucially important for the good of the entire Church that the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors be reinstated right away. We just saw Pope Francis apologize to survivors of clerical sexual abuse during his travels in Chile. Allowing the Commission to lapse undermines the sincerity of his words, and makes it seem that the protection of children is a low priority for our Church. The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors also has a critical role in ensuring that bishops and cardinals who are guilty of covering up and facilitating clerical abuse are brought to justice. Catholics throughout the world are deeply committed to ensuring that our children are protected from sexual abuse and other dangers. We need our Church officials to take quick action to correct this lapse in the Commission’s operations.”

We Are Church International has repeatedly called for a clear focus on addressing the issue of clerical sexual abuse and the protection of abusers by bishops in many countries, and by the Vatican. Rectifying these sins and providing appropriate care and compensation to the survivors of this abuse and their families, as well as holding those complicit in these cases accountable, are necessary steps for our Church to regain its moral authority. The well-being of children must always be our church’s highest priority. Reinstating the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and ensuring it has the resources and Papal support needed to accomplish its goals are key steps in reflecting this value.

We Are Church International (WACI) founded in Rome in 1996, is a global coalition of national church reform groups. It is committed to the renewal of the Roman Catholic Church based on the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and the theological spirit developed from it.