Chilean federal police are investigating a Roman Catholic priest
accused of sexually abusing four minors, a spokeswoman said Monday.
The
Rev. Fernando Karadima is already under investigation by the Vatican on
the sex charges, the archbishop of Santiago said in June.
Karadima has denied the abuse accusations and said he welcomes the investigation, published reports said.
Spokeswoman
Magarena Olivares of Chile's Investigative Police acknowledged Monday
that the department also is investigating the priest, but she declined
to say what the investigation entails because it is ongoing.
She
also declined to talk about recent news reports that say Karadima lent
church money to four employees in his former parish.
Archbishop
Francisco Javier Errazuriz commented on the loan allegations Sunday,
saying such a move would be unusual.
"It's not normal," Errazuriz
said in a televised interview. "That is, if a person wants to lend his
own money, let him lend what he wants. That is clear. But when it deals
with money from the parish, that is not usual. It is something totally
exceptional."
Patricio Vasconcellos, secretary of the parish
where Karadima served before the priest was removed, was quoted as
saying over the weekend that he was "very grateful" for the loan.
He
received the $20,650 (10 million-peso) loan on January 19, 2009, Vasconcellos said, according the La Tercera TV's online publication.
Errazuriz
said in June that he decided to ask the Vatican to intercede after
learning of the grave sexual misconduct accusations against the
80-year-old priest.
"The strong accusations, their painful airing
on television, the scandal they have provoked and the investigative
process have produced in our community sentiments of suffering, disorder
and lack of faith," Errazuriz said.
The archbishop said he also
asked the Vatican to lift the statute of limitations on any possible
infractions because some of the accusations date back many years.
He has
requested that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
investigate the matter, in which case a three-judge panel would take
over.
Errazuriz said he expects a ruling this year.
The priest has been removed from all public ministry, Errazuriz said.
SIC: CNN/INT'L