VATICAN (CNS): Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of 77-year-old Ricardo Cardinal Ezzati of Santiago, Chile, the Vatican announced on March 23. While the Vatican did not give a reason for the cardinal stepping down, however, the cardinal has faced widespread criticism for his handling of cases of clerical sexual abuse in the country. All bishops are required to offer their resignations when they turn 75. The pope chose Bishop Celestino Aos Braco of Copiapo, who will turn 74-years-old on April 6, as diocesan administrator.
 

VATICAN (CNS): Pope Francis removed two Chilean bishops accused of sexual abuse from the priesthood.
 
In a statement released on October 12, the Vatican said 84-year-old Francisco José Cox, the former archbishop of La Serena, and 53-year-old Marco Antonio Ordenes, the former bishop of Iquique, were dismissed from the clerical state. 
 
“The decision adopted by the pope on Thursday, 11 October 2018, is not subject to appeal,” the Vatican said.
 

VATICAN (CNS): After an in-depth Vatican-led investigation into clerical sexual abuse and cover-ups, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of 61-year-old Bishop Juan Barros of Osorno, Chile, along with those of Archbishop Cristian Caro Cordero of Puerto Montt, and Bishop Gonzalo Duarte Garcia de Cortazar of Valparaiso, both at the customary retirement age of 75.
 

VATICAN CITY (CNS): “We want to announce that all bishops present in Rome, in writing, have placed our positions in the Holy Father’s hands so that he may freely decide regarding each one of us,” Bishop Juan Ignacio Gonzalez Errazuriz of San Bernardo said on May 18 in a statement on behalf of Chile’s bishops.
 
The unprecedented decision was made on the final day of their May 15 to 17 meeting with Pope Francis to discuss the country’s clerical sexual abuse scandal.
 

VATICAN (CNS): Bishop Juan Ignacio Gonzalez Errazuriz of San Bernardo, Chile, acknowledged the damage inflicted on survivors of clerical sex abuse and the mishandling of cases by Church leaders in the country. “We have made mistakes,” he said.
 
“Receiving information that sexual abuses occurred in our community left many people in shock, because it is something that is unacceptable, intolerable, unjustifiable from every point of view,” the bishop said.