Vatican City, Sep 21, 2018 / 09:00 am
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of two Chilean bishops, the Holy See has announced. The decision brings the total number of prelates to have had their resignations accepted by the pope to 7, following the allegations of systemic sexual abuse and cover-ups by Church authorities.
The removal of Bishop Carlos Pellegrín Barrera of Chillán and Bishop Cristián Contreras Molina of San Felipe was confirmed in the daily Bollettino of the Holy See Press Office. It was also confirmed that no successors had yet been chosen.
Instead, the dioceses will be led temporarily by apostolic administrators appointed by the pope. Two religious priests were named as having been chosen to take over from the bishops.
Fr. Sergio Pérez de Acre Arriagada, a priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, will administer the Diocese of Chillán. Fr. Pérez has been serving as the rector of the church of the Sacred Hearts in Valparaiso.