2 more Chilean bishops forced to resign as pope cleans house

Pope Francis delivers his message on a windy morning during his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican on June 27, 2018. AP

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has accepted the resignations of two more Chilean bishops, more fallout from a sex abuse scandal.

Last month all of Chile’s active bishops offered to quit for collectively failing to protect children from pedophile priests.

The Vatican on Thursday announced that Francis was allowing Rancagua Bishop Alejandro Goic Karmelic and Talca Bishop Horacio del Carmen Valenzuela Abarca to resign. That brings to five the total of resignations accepted so far of the 31 offered.

In the region of the Rancagua diocese, 14 priests have been accused of having had sex with minors. Bishop Goic had served as head of the Chilean church’s child protection commission.

Francis had already accepted the resignation of Osorno Bishop Juan Barros, once a top aide to Chile’s most notorious predator priest. /ee