Pope Francis delivers his homily as he celebrates Mass with cardinal electors in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican March 14, the day after his election. (CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano)
Today the Vatican released a statement in response to
accusations that as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope
Francis, was
complicit in various human-rights abuses during Argentina’s “Dirty War,”
1976-1983.
The full statement, read at a press conference by Vatican
spokesman Father Federico Lombardi, is below:
“The campaign against Bergoglio is
well-known and dates back to many years ago. It has been carried out by a
publication specializing in sometimes slanderous and defamatory campaigns. The
anticlerical cast of this campaign and of other accusations against Bergoglio
is well-known and obvious.”
“The charges refer to the time before
Bergoglio became bishop [of Buenos Aires], when he was Provincial Superior of
the Jesuits in Argentina and accuse him of not having protected two priests who
were kidnapped.”
“This was never a concrete or credible
accusation in his regard. He was questioned by an Argentinian court as someone
aware of the situation but never as a defendant. He has, in documented form,
denied any accusations.”
“Instead, there have been many
declarations demonstrating how much Bergoglio did to protect many persons at
the time of the military dictatorship. Bergoglio's role, once he became bishop,
in promoting a request for forgiveness of the Church in Argentina for not
having done enough at the time of the dictatorship is also well-known.”
“The accusations pertain to a use of
historical-sociological analysis of the dictatorship period made years ago by
left-wing anticlerical elements to attack the Church. They must be firmly
rejected.”
“Regarding
“Liberation Theology”: Bergoglio has always referred to the Instructions of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He has always rejected violence
saying that its price is always paid by the weakest.”