The president of Chile, Gabriel Boric Font, assured that Pope Leo XIV, with whom he met at the Vatican Apostolic Palace on October 13, expressed his “pain” for the cases of abuse within the Catholic Church in Chile.
“We talked about particular issues in Chile, he told me about the pain that the cases of sexual abuse in the Church had caused him as a missionary, and that it also caused Pope Francis,” stated the Chilean president in his official X account.
Receive the main news from ACI Prensa by WhatsApp and Telegram
It is increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channels today:
On his social networks, Boric described the meeting as a “very nice and thoughtful meeting,” highlighting the close and spiritual tone of the conversation with the Pontiff.
“We started talking about the apostolic exhortation that he wrote, called I love youwhich continues Francisco’s reflections,” wrote the Chilean president.
The president said that the Pope “urged him to address the structural causes of poverty and marginalization with humility,” underlining the importance of respecting those who think differently. “It is a call that especially summons those of us who are in politics,” added Boric.
The president also highlighted the shared memory of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Chile and Argentina of 1978, in which the mediation of the Holy See was decisive in avoiding a war between both countries. “We talked about the assessment we have as a result of the 40 years of the treaty, where the mediation of the Church was fundamental to be able to bring positions closer together and find ourselves among brother peoples,” he stated.
Another point of the conversation was the situation in Gaza and the progress in the first part of the ongoing peace agreement, on which the Chilean president and the Pontiff exchanged opinions.
Finally, Boric pointed out that, on behalf of the State of Chile, he officially invited Pope Leo XIV to visit the country, highlighting the deep appreciation of the Chilean people for the figure of the Pontiff and the common commitment to justice and peace.
After the audience with the Pope, Boric met with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and with the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Mons. Paul Richard Gallagher,
In the statement published by the Vatican, it was reported that the conversations with the Chilean delegation took place in a cordial atmosphere, addressing topics of mutual interest, such as “the fight against poverty, migratory phenomena and the ethical issues that mark the social and political life of the country.”
Victoria Cardiel
Victoria Cardiel is a journalist specialized in social and religious information issues. Since 2013, he has covered all Vatican news for various media, such as the Spanish news agency Europa Press, or the weekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of Madrid, Alfa y Omega.