Top Vatican abuse investigator taken to hospital in Chile

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February 21, 2018 4:14 PM

The Vaticans top abuse investigator, Archbishop Charles Scicluna, has been taken to hospital shortly after his arrival in Chile to investigate a controversial bishop, the Catholic Church announced Wednesday.

Scicluna, in Chile to hear evidence against a bishop accused of covering up the abuses of a pedophile priest, was taken ill but was "stable and fully aware," a spokesman for the Chilean Catholic Church said.

"He has been taken to a medical facility for a check-up due to a malaise that has emerged in recent weeks," Church spokesman Jaime Coiro said.

Scicluna travelled to Chile as part of his investigation into Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused of covering up and even witnessing the abuses of pedophile priest Fernando Karadima during the 1980s and 1990s.

Controversy over the 61-year-old Barros marred Pope Francis' trip to Chile last month, when he hugged and defended the bishop.

Maltese archbishop Scicluna had already interviewed one of Karadima's victims, Juan Carlos Cruz, in New York on his way to Chile.

He began hearing the testimonies of abuse victims in Chile on Tuesday, before he fell ill.

Victims' testimonies would continue "as planned" to be heard by a legal assistant to Scicluna, Jordi Bertomeu, until Friday, the spokesman said.

The conclusions of the investigation are to be submitted to Pope Francis, who will then decide whether to open a canonical investigation against Barros.

Karadima was accused of abusing children in 2010, and convicted by the Vatican to a life of penitence.

Civil charges against him in the Chilean courts were dismissed because of a lack of evidence.

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