Recently, in a shocking episode in Chile, 34 bishops have resigned on suspicion of deliberately covering up and sheltering mass child sexual abuse. Earlier this week, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had accepted the resignations of three Chilean bishops, including Bishop Juan Barros. The three were suspected of involvement in child sexual abuse. A Vatican official said the departure of the three bishops meant the Holy See would officially begin rebuilding Chile's ecclesiastical system.
Of particular interest is Bishop Juan Barros, 61. Pope Francis, on an earlier visit to Chile, had firmly believed and personally appointed him, calling Baros "innocent" and "vilified without evidence." Barros is considered a close confidant of the pope, but the pope's support for him drew condemnation from domestic public opinion in Chile, criticizing it for disrespecting the victims.
Soon after, investigators released more than 2,300 pages of investigative reports, which recorded testimonies from victims, witnesses and other believers in Chile's church sexual assault. It was concluded that Chilean bishops had "grossly failed in their duties" in child sexual abuse cases, with some bishops even being perpetrators themselves, and others deliberately destroying evidence to prevent investigations.
Now that the key figure Bishop Baros has finally stepped down, Juan Carlos Cruz, a key witness who has long followed the Chilean sexual assault case, wrote on Twitter: "Today is a new day for the Chilean Church, and the world will be full of hope again, and we hope that today is the beginning of ending the Church's sexual assault culture!" ”