Posted on 05/22/2018 2:47:27 PM PDT by ebb tide
This yet another striking case helps to understand the reach of the phenomenon, which has become “a system”, and at the same time, tells of the shepherds’ inability to take adequate measures to combat it. It is a case that confirms the dramatic situation in which the Chilean Church has collapsed, whose episcopate in recent days has presented en bloc their resignation to Pope Francis so that he might be free to proceed as he best believes in renewing the hierarchies of the country.
Among the bishops who participated in the Vatican meetings summoned by the Pontiff, was the 78-year-old Bishop of Rancagua, Alejandro Goic, who - according to Il Sismografo - is currently the president of the Episcopal Commission for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse by the Clergy (Consejo nacional de prevención de abusos y acompañamiento a las víctimas). On his return to the diocese, in the city that rises about 80 kilometers from the Chilean capital Santiago, the prelate was forced to make a drastic decision, suspending from the ministry as many as 15 of his 68 priests (22 percent of the diocesan clergy), because suspected of being involved in a network of child abuse and exchange of pornographic material.
A few days ago, in the city of Rancagua the public learned about a parish priest forced to confess that he had sent pictures of himself naked to some young boys. Chilean TV, Canal 13, during a documented investigation, has suggested the existence of an organized group of diocesan priests, a network that calls itself “la famiglia“ (the family) with the “nonno” (grandfather)” at its top, followed by the “zie” (aunts) and “nipotiˮ (nephews), whose members would allegedly be involved in sexual trafficking through the web that also involves underage children.
Elisa Fernández, former coordinator of the diocesan youth ministry, has lead the accusation: the priests would involve young people between 15 and 19 years of age. Fernández assured she had witnessed the fact that priests in Rancagua were commenting on their sexual preferences for minors. A year and a half ago, Fernández had sent to Bishop Goic a list with the names of the priests involved, he however did not take any action.
For this reason, a few months ago, Fernández created a fake Facebook profile with which she pretended to be a 16-year-old boy named Pablo and contacted one of those priests, 54-year-old parish priest Luis Rubio Contreras. The priest fell into the trap and sent an erotic message and a picture of him completely naked to the alleged minor who contacted him. Don Contreras, interviewed by Canal 13, admitted: “I admit having done so, I know that it is horrible, but I can’t say more. It is a day of great sadness, I feel ashamed for what I have done”.
Following this episode, Bishop Goic first announced the decision to temporarily suspend the parish priest, to then suspend the other priests suspected of being affiliated to “the famigliaˮ, until the position of each is clarified. Elisa Fernández criticized the bishop for waiting so long before taking any action, even though she had met him four times to inform him about the existing network of abusers.
Monsignor Goic defended himself by declaring on Chilean TV13 that he “did not study to become a detective, but to be a pastor”. Then he explained that he had not prompt an in-depth investigation into Father Rubio because there had never been “a formal complaint” against him.
And the band played on.
If guilty, hang ‘em.
Plenty of unanswered questions and very few facts, so far. Wonder why this aggressive teacher Elisa did not involve the police? Maybe in Chile the relationship with Church is different? Is this perversion commonplace in Chilean priesthood? If so now it makes sense why all the bishops resigned.
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