Vatican City, Feb 7, 2018 / 13:42 pm
The delegate appointed by Pope Francis to hear testimony from abuse victims in Chile will also travel to the United States for a meeting with a man alleging that Bishop Juan Barros witnessed sexual abuse but did nothing.
According to The Associated Press, Juan Carlos Cruz said that Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna of Malta asked Feb. 6 to meet with Cruz in person, instead of speaking via Skype, as previously planned.
Cruz is the author of a 2015 letter to Pope Francis, which said that Bishop Juan Barros had personally witnessed sexual abuse committed by Fr. Fernando Karadima, and engaged in homosexual acts with the priest.
On Jan. 30, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Scicluna, widely regarded as an expert in the canonical norms governing allegations of sexual abuse, as a Vatican delegate to examine accusations against Barros.
Scicluna reportedly plans to fly to Santiago, Chile sometime this month to hear testimony from victims of clergy sexual abuse. The initial plan was for Scicluna to speak with Cruz, who now lives in Philadelphia, over Skype from Chile.
The AP reported Feb. 7 that this plan has changed, according to Cruz, and that Scicluna will fly to New York to meet with Cruz in person.
The Holy See Press Office was unable to confirm the AP report.