Vaticanu, 3] dc cnem dc 20I 5

 

A 105 Sres. Obispos . 
deI Comit? Permanemc dc Ia dc Chm"
Santiago

Queridos hermanos:

Recibi cl con-co electr?nico dc I'cchn 33 dc Ins Muchas gracias por
manifestar abiertameme In inquiclud quc. cn cslus momcmm. Iicncn aI
nombramiento de Mons. Juan Harms Madrid. Io quc mc (Iiccn soy conscieme
de que Ia situacidn dc Ia Iglcsiu dc Chile es dificiI debidn 21 (odas Ins prucbas quc han tenido
que soportar. Les (begun). adcmz?xs dc mi I'mlcmu cmmn'cnsi?n, mi cerczmiu dc hermano 
mi oraci?n.

Recuerdo bien la \?isita dc cn a?o pasado tambi?n I215 diversas
propuestas, Ias cqucs me parccicrnn 5 

Sin embargo surgio Iucgo. hacia ?n de 11:30. Lm problema scrim. Sr. Nunciu Ic pidc
a Ma?a. Baum Ia x?cnunciu Iu a Lumur uu lvcl'Iudu (um u?u. pui 
antes de asumir olra rcsponsabiIidad pastoral comm Obispo dioccsanu. Ic cumcnlu quc c?
mismo se tomar? con Ios ()bispos dc TaIcn dc quc no 5c Ins dijcm 
cIios. Mons. Barms hace Ilcgar cI dc su u?aclich-o 
Nuncio.

Comm pudrdn dd 81?. \unciu complim 
bloque? {min cvcmuai camim) uhcriur cn cl r?cnlidn dc 1m :u?m snlximn. IIuqumos
deI asunm um cI (Lard. ()ucIIcI j. uC qur CI IMHO um cl 

Lin {5105 ImIit'nciI'm dc In mm In.? Uhispus.
Mons. Harms c312} Ixacicndu cI dc I-ijcnric?nt; cu I-spzn?m. \u 5C xi pusum pur
Roma pcru alvirsur? dc HI I 'urd. (mum-1 5' dc suggx?cngiu quc 
haccn.

Les In {runway/u cu CI scmir: cs
Ia {mica manum dc pm In Ichsiu. w} cuidndu Im cun?zqu :1 lm Uls?pux,
Les pidn, pur Ian/Hr. qm: {101' mi plur?; In wcuaitu.

Om: .Imfsiw' Int-I. Ira-?dig? In Virf..u:n Sun?s: Ink; mud?.


-

AP ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF A CONFIDENTIAL LETTER FROM POPE
FRANCIS TO CHILEAN BISHOPS

The Vatican, January 31, 2015

To the Bishops of the Permanent Committee of the Chilean Bishops Council
San?ago,ChHe

Dear Brothers,

I received your email of Jan. 23. Many thanks for openly expressing your concerns at this time
regarding the appointment of Mons. Juan Barros Madrid. I understand what you are saying and lam
aware that the Church in Chile is in a difficult situation due to all the trials it has had to undergo. lam
sending not only my brotherly understanding and my brotherly closeness, but also my prayers.

I well remember your visit in February of last year and all the different proposals, which I thought
were prudent and constructive.

However, a serious problem came up at the end of the year. The Nuncio asked Mons. Barros to resign
and encouraged him to take a sabbatical, (for perhaps a year), before assuming any other
responsibilities as a Bishop. And he told him the same course of action would be taken with Bishops of
Talca and Linares, but that nothing should be said to them. Mons. Barros wrote a resignation letter in
which he mentioned the Nuncio?s comment.

As you can comprehend, the Nuncio?s comment complicated and blocked any eventual path to
offering a year?s sabbatical. We spoke about this issue with Cardinal Ouellet and I know he talked about
it with the Nuncio.

At this time, on express orders from the Congregation of Bishops, Mons. Barros is performing a month
of spiritual retreat in Spain. I do not know if he will stop by Rome when he is finished, but I will advise
Cardinal Ouellet about this and your suggestions.

I thank you once again for your openness and frankness in expressing your views: that is the only way
to work for the Church, whose care the Lord has entrusted to the Bishops. I ask you to pray for me,
because I need it.

May the blessings ofJesus and the Holy Virgin be with you,
Fraternally,

Francis