Pope admits mistakes in Chile sex abuse scandal

Pope Francis admitted Wednesday he had made “grave mistakes” in his handling of a sexual abuse scandal in Chile as he looks to quell the latest controversy to rock the Roman Catholic Church.

In a letter to 32 Chilean bishops released by the Vatican, Francis said he intended to summon them to Rome to discuss an investigation into an alleged cover-up by Bishop Juan Barros of abuse by pedophile priest Fernando Karadima during the 1980s and 1990s.

Francis expressed his “shame” and “pain” for the suffering of the victims and pledged to meet them.

“I have made grave mistakes in the assessment and my perception of the situation, especially due to a lack of truthful and balanced information,” Francis wrote.

He made no specific mention of Barros, who was appointed Bishop of Osorno in Chile, despite being accused of concealing and even witnessing abuse carried out by Karadima.

A 2,300-page report sent to the pope includes testimony gathered from 64 people in New York and Santiago.

The pope asked the bishops to Rome to discuss the findings of the probe by Archbishop Charles Scicluna and requested their “collaboration and assistance” in finding measures that can “repair the scandal as much as possible and restore justice.”

“The present difficulties are also an opportunity to restore confidence in the Church, a confidence broken by our mistakes and sins,” Francis wrote.