Horacio Valenzuela

Last updated

Horacio del Carmen Valenzuela Abarca (born 5 April 1954) is a Chilean prelate of the Catholic Church, who was Bishop of Talca from 1996 to 2018.

Contents

Biography

Horacio Valenzuela was born in Santiago on 5 April 1954. He studied forestry at the Universidad de Concepción and the Universidad de Chile before entering the Major Seminary of Santiago. [1] He was ordained a priest on 17 August 1985 by Cardinal Juan Francisco Fresno Larraín and filled a variety of pastoral assignments over the next decade. [1]

On 11 March 1995, Pope John Paul II named him titular bishop of Gummi in Proconsulari and Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago de Chile. He received his episcopal consecration on 7 May from Cardinal Carlos Cardinal Oviedo Cavada. John Paul named him Bishop of Talca on 12 December 1996. [1]

Before becoming a priest Valenzuela was part of a religious association formed by Fernando Karadima, and he remained part of his circle. Valenzuela defended Karadima when he faced charges of sexual abuse of minors, and was himself accused along with several other bishops of abetting Karadima. [2]

Valenzuela said he never witnessed inappropriate kissing and that "Regarding the way in which he exercised spiritual direction, one must consider the strong character of Father Fernando which led him to correct it severely in order to educate: my experience is that this was not to exert undue pressure, control and manipulation. He corrected me many times and I appreciate it. We were all adults and if anyone felt uncomfortable he could get away". [3]

On 18 May 2018, Valenzuela submitted his resignation to Pope Francis, as did all the Chilean bishops at the conclusion of a three-day meeting in Rome. [4] Pope Francis accepted Valenzuela's resignation on 28 June 2018. [5] In a farewell message to the people of his diocese, Valenzuela apologized in general terms "for what I did not do or did wrong", without mentioning the sexual abuse crisis or its victims. [6] He declined to give interviews, even climbing out a window to avoid a reporter. [7] In December 2018, the Vatican launched a formal investigation into allegations of clerical abuse of nuns in the Tacla Diocese while Valenzuela was bishop. [8] Some victims alleged that Valenzuela was aware of the abuse. [9]

Valenzuela had a private audience with Pope Francis on 15 April 2019. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa</span> Catholic cardinal

Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa is a Chilean prelate of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Santiago from 1998 to 2010. He has been a cardinal since 2001 and was a member of Pope Francis' Council of Cardinal Advisers from its creation in 2013 until his departure in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jorge Medina (cardinal)</span> Chilean prelate of the Catholic Church (1926–2021)

Jorge Arturo Agustín Medina Estévez was a Chilean prelate of the Catholic Church who held senior positions both in his native country and in the Roman Curia. He was prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from 1996 to 2002 and was made a cardinal in 1998. Beginning in 1985 he served as auxiliary bishop and then from 1987 bishop of Rancagua and then bishop of Valparaíso from 1993 to 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raúl Silva Henríquez</span>

Raúl Silva Henríquez SDB was a Chilean prelate of the Catholic Church, a cardinal from 1962. He served as Archbishop of Santiago de Chile from 1961 to 1983 and as Bishop of Valparaíso from 1959 to 1961. Both as Archbishop and in retirement, he was an advocate for social justice and democracy and a forthright vocal critic of the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet—"a constant thorn in the Government's side".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Chile</span>

The Catholic Church in Chile is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope, the curia in Rome, and the Episcopal Conference of Chile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Talca</span> Roman Catholic diocese in Chile

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Talca,, is a suffragan diocese of the archdiocese of Santiago de Chile. Its current bishop, Galo Fernández Villaseca, was appointed on 20 March 2021. The diocesan cathedral is in the city of Talca.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile</span> Roman Catholic archdiocese in Chile

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile is one of the five Latin Metropolitan sees of the Roman Catholic Church in Chile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricardo Ezzati</span> Archbishop and cardinal

Ricardo Ezzati Andrello is an Italian-Chilean prelate of the Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Santiago de Chile from December 2010 to March 2019 and has been a cardinal since February 2014. He previously served as Archbishop of Concepción. He headed the Episcopal Conference of Chile from 2010 to 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karadima case</span> Case of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church

The case of Fernando Karadima concerned the sexual abuse of minors in Chile, which became public in 2010. It raised questions about the responsibility and complicity of several Chilean bishops, including some of the country's highest-ranking Catholic prelates. By 2018, it attracted worldwide attention.

Francisco José Cox Huneeus was a native of Chile and a former archbishop of the Catholic Church. He was a member of the Schoenstatt Movement. He was Bishop of Chillán from 1975 to 1981 and Coadjutor Archbishop of La Serena from 1985 to 1990 and Archbishop there from 1990 to 1997, when he resigned following accusations that he had sexually abused young boys. He was laïcized in 2018.

Carlos María Collazzi Irazábal, S.D.B. is the current bishop of Mercedes.

Juan de la Cruz Barros Madrid is a Chilean prelate of the Catholic Church. He was Bishop of Osorno from 2015 to 2018. He was Auxiliary Bishop of Valparaíso from 1995 to 2000, Bishop of Iquique from 2000 to 2004, and Military Ordinary of Chile from 2004 to 2015.

The sexual abuse of minors by clergy of the Catholic Church in Chile and the failure of Church officials to respond and take responsibility attracted worldwide attention as a critical failure of Pope Francis and the Church as a whole to address the sexual abuse of minors by priests. Among a number of cases, that of Father Fernando Karadima, which became public in 2010, raised questions about the responsibility and complicity of several Chilean bishops, including some of the country's highest-ranking Catholic prelates.

Marco Antonio Órdenes Fernández is a native of Chile and a former prelate of the Catholic Church. He was Bishop of Iquique from 2006 to 2012. When appointed at the age of 42, he was the youngest bishop in the history of Chile. Accusations that he had sexually abused minors forced his resignation in 2012. Civil procedures concluded when prosecutors could not establish a case against him, but church proceedings ended with his removal from the clerical state in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celestino Aós Braco</span> Roman Catholic cardinal

Celestino Aós Braco O.F.M.Cap. is a Spanish-born prelate of the Catholic Church and the Archbishop of Santiago, in Chile. He was appointed Apostolic Administrator of Santiago by Pope Francis on 23 March 2019, then Archbishop there on 27 December.

Cristián Caro Cordero is a Chilean prelate of the Catholic Church who was Archbishop of Puerto Montt from 2001 to June 2018.

Gonzalo Duarte García de Cortázar is a Chilean prelate of the Catholic Church who was Bishop of Valparaíso from 1998 to June 2018. Product of it, he also was the Great Chancellor of the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, his alma mater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cristián Contreras Molina</span>

Cristián Enrique Contreras Molina is a native of Chile and a former bishop of the Catholic Church. He was Bishop of San Felipe from 2002 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivo Scapolo</span> Italian prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1953)

Ivo Scapolo is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who has worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1984, and has served as nuncio in Bolivia, Rwanda, Chile and Portugal. He has been an archbishop since 2002.

Alberto Ricardo Lorenzelli Rossi, S.D.B. is an Argentina-born priest of the Catholic Church who has been appointed auxiliary bishop of Santiago, Chile. He is a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco and has held positions of administrative responsibility within that order in both Chile and Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrés Gabriel Ferrada Moreira</span> Archbishop

Andrés Gabriel Ferrada Moreira is a Chilean archbishop of the Catholic Church. Since 8 September 2021 he has been the Secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, where he had worked since 2018. From 2006 to 2018 he worked in his native diocese of Santiago de Chile.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Monseñor Horacio Valenzuela Abarca". Conferencia Episcopal de Chile. Archived from the original on 26 April 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  2. ↑ "Papa Francisco aceptó renuncia de los obispos Alejandro Goic y Horacio Valenzuela" (in Spanish). Cooperativa. 28 June 2018.
  3. ↑ "El rol de los obispos en el encubrimiento de los abusos en la parroquia de El Bosque" (in Spanish). 14 May 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  4. ↑ Arocho Esteves, Junno (18 May 2018). "Updated: All of Chile's bishops offer resignations after meeting pope on abuse". National Catholic Reporter. Catholic News Service. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  5. ↑ "Rinunce e nomine, 28.06.2018" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  6. ↑ Reyes, Carlos (28 June 2018). "Horacio Valenzuela en su adiós a la diócesis de Talca: 'Le pido perdón a quienes causé algún sufrimiento y no traté bien'". La Tercera (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  7. ↑ "Video: Obispo Horacio Valenzuela se escapa por la ventana para evitar entrevista con Informe Especial". La Nación (in Spanish). 25 July 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  8. ↑ Winfield, Nicole (7 December 2018). "Vatican investigates Chilean order after nuns report abuse". Crux. Associated Press. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  9. ↑ "New complaints of abuse among Good Samaritan Sisters in Chile". Crux. Catholic News Agency. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  10. ↑ "Obispo Emérito de Talca, formado por Karadima, se reunió con el Papa en Roma" (in Spanish). Radio Agricultura. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.

Sources


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.