Pope begins Chile visit seeking forgiveness

Pope Francis began his visit to Chile on Tuesday by begging for forgiveness for the “irreparable damage” done by priests who raped and molested children in a scandal that damaged the Catholic Church’s reputation in the country. Francis delivered his speech to Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, lawmakers, judges, and other officials at La Moneda palace in Santiago, Chile’s capital. “I am one with my other bishops, for it is right to ask for forgiveness and make every effort to support the victims, even as we commit ourselves to ensuring that such things do not happen again,” he said. The Vatican in 2011 found Rev. Fernando Karadima guilty of abusing dozens of minors over decades. In 2015, Francis appointed Juan Barros—one of Karadima’s former mentees—as bishop, sparking further outrage. Francis is the first pope to visit Chile in three decades. He plans to visit indigenous Mapuches on Wednesday in Temuco, the capital of Araucania region. On Tuesday morning, officials reported vandals firebombed two churches in southern Araucania and a third in Puento Alto, south of Santiago.