Pope Francis falters on bishop accused of mishandling sexual abuse

The new movie “Spotlight,” focusing on The Boston Globe’s coverage of sexual abuse by members of the Catholic clergy in Boston, reminds us of the need to be vigilant about abuse in the church—and indeed anywhere. And the Catholic Church has made great strides in combating abuse. That is why Pope Francis’ comments about the alleged cover-up by the recently installed bishop of the Diocese of Osorno, in Chile, were disheartening. “Please, don’t lose your calm,” Pope Francis said in October to a group of pilgrims at the Vatican in remarks that later became public. “Osorno is suffering, yes, but for being dumb.” 

Bishop Juan Barros had been a protégé of the Rev. Fernando Karadima, a charismatic priest who has been accused of sexual abuse. Father Karadima has denied any wrongdoing but was nonetheless ordered to a life of “prayer and penance” by the Vatican, which clearly found sufficient cause to do so. (One victim accused then-Father Barros of being present during an incident of abuse.) The anger in Chile over this case was so intense that a raucous crowd showed up to protest at Bishop Barros’s installation Mass. But Osorno, said the pope, “has let its head be filled with what politicians say, judging a bishop without any proof.”

The case of Bishop Barros is complex. But there are credible accusations involved, and not everyone who opposes his installation as bishop is “dumb.” Peter Saunders, a lay member of the papal advisory committee on abuse who himself is a survivor of abuse, called the pope’s comments a “grave error.” Sexual abuse needs to be confronted at every turn in our church. The smart thing to do would be not to dismiss complaints but rather to continue to focus the church’s spotlight on this great sin.