Archbishop Charles Scicluna to investigate child abuse in Chile

Archbishop Charles Scicluna has been sent to Chile to look into allegations against a bishop accused of covering up clergy crimes against minors there.

The Vatican on Tuesday said that Pope Francis sent the Archbishop after new information has emerged about Bishop Juan Barros of the Chilean city of Osorno.

Scicluna is the Vatican’s top investigator on child abuse, having previously served as Promoter of Justice in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under the then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

He has notable reputation within the Church, having  previously uncovered evidence of sexual abuse against the late founder of the conservative religious order the Legionaries of Christ.

Barros has been accused of protecting his former mentor, Rev. Fernando Karadima, who was found guilty in a Vatican investigation in 2011 of abusing teenage boys over many years.

Karadima denies the allegations, and Barros said he was unaware of any wrongdoing.

Just last week, the pope told reporters abroad that he was sure Barros was innocent and that the Vatican had received no concrete evidence against him.