Pope Francis has removed two Chilean bishops from the priesthood who are accused of sex abuse.
From America Magazine:
In an unprecedented move, Pope Francis removed from the priesthood two Chilean bishops accused of sexual abuse.
In a statement released Oct. 12, the Vatican said that 84-year-old Francisco Jose Cox, the former archbishop of La Serena, and 53-year-old Marco Antonio Ordenes, the former bishop of Iquique, were dismissed from the clerical state by the pope and there would be no appeal.
“The decision adopted by the pope on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, is not subject to appeal,” the Vatican said.
Just before the announcement was made, the pope met with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera and discussed the sexual abuse scandal affecting the Catholic Church in the country.
Speaking with journalists after meeting with Pope Francis, Pinera said he and the pope “shared the hope that the church may experience a renaissance and recuperate the affection, the closeness of the people of God and can continue playing the important role that the church plays in our country.”
The expulsion of the former bishops comes two weeks after Pope Francis also expelled from the priesthood Fernando Karadima, a former Chilean priest who gained notoriety for sexually abusing young men in his parish.
Reacting to the announcement about the two bishops, survivor Juan Carlos Cruz, who was abused by Karadima, hailed the pope’s decision, tweeting that now “there are two pedophile bishops less” in the church.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In