In a statement Friday, the Vatican said the pope had made the “exceptional decision” to dismiss Fernando Karadima from the priesthood for the “good of the church.” It said the former priest had been notified on Friday of the decision, which prohibits him from celebrating Mass or administering the sacraments. But days after returning to Rome, the pope, citing new information, sent sexual abuse investigator Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta to Chile to speak to victims, witnesses and other Church members. In June, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of three bishops over the church's handling of the sexual abuse cases — including Bishop Juan Barros of Osorno, who has been accused of covering up Karadima's actions.
The Roman Catholic Church defrocks Father Fernando Karadima, a priest at the center of a sex abuse scandal in Chile.