Santiago, Chile, Sep 10, 2018 / 16:00 pm
The Archdiocese of Santiago in Chile has requested that the country's Court of Appeals send an "exhorto" or judicial request, to the Vatican Secretary of State, asking the Vatican to provide all available information about the abuses perpetrated by Fr. Fernando Karadima. The request comes amid litigation following a lawsuit that has accused the archdiocese of covering-up Karadima's actions.
"This request seeks to obtain all the information that may help determine the facts of the case," the archdiocese wrote in a statement.
In Chilean judicial proceedings, an "exhorto" is akin to a subpoena for documents or information.
In 2011, Karadima was declared guilty of sexual abuse by the Vatican, which sentenced him to "a life of prayer and penance, also in reparation of the victims of his abuse." In addition, the Vatican prohibited him from "the public exercise of any ministerial act, in particular confession or the spiritual direction of all categories of persons." Controversially, he was not laicized.