'Church couldn't ignore pain in Chile,' says pope (3)

(ANSA) - Rome, May 31 - The Church could no longer "ignore the pain of (its) Chilean brothers", Pope Francis said on Thursday in relation to the child sex abuse scandal that has rocked the Church in the South American country. "There have been situations that we didn't know how to see and feel. As a Church we couldn't keep on going while ignoring the pain of our brothers," Francis wrote in a letter to the Chilen people. "Today we are called to look ahead, accept and suffer the conflict, in order that we can resolve it and transform it into a new path," he added. Earlier in the day the Vatican press office said sex-abuse sleuth Msgr Charles Scicluna was to be sent back to Chile. This time Scicluna will go to Osorno diocese, where Bishop Juan Barros is accused of covering up for notorious abuser Ferando Karadima. The pope will also shortly meet Chilean priests who were victims of sex abuse, the office said. Earlier this month Chile's bishops resigned en masse over the abuse scandal that has roiled their country.