Peruvian bishop defends Pope Leo XIV against accusations of cover-up

Lima Newsroom, May 13, 2025 / 15:56 pm (CNA).

The current bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, Edinson Farfán, is publicly defending the actions of his predecessor, Bishop Robert Prevost — now Pope Leo XIV — in the face of accusations that he covered up sexual abuse in the diocese.

Responding to a question at a press conference about the issue, Farfán stated: “That’s a lie. He has listened, he has respected the processes, and this process is still ongoing… believe me, I am the most interested person in justice being served and, above all, in being able to help the victims.”

The bishop of Chiclayo was referring to the allegations of three sisters who met with Prevost in 2022 to report that they had been abused by a priest years earlier when they were minors. They allege that the then-bishop did not open an effective canonical investigation and that the accused continued to celebrate Mass.

Farfán said he has accompanied the alleged victims: “I have asked for their forgiveness, we have wept  together, and they have undoubtedly been treated well; there is a close relationship. I hope we can reach satisfactory closure.”

He added that the canonical process is ongoing, assuring that “the cardinal, Pope Leo XIV, has been the most responsive to these cases in the Peruvian Church, and he has listened to us; he has allowed us to achieve justice.”

Pope Francis appointed Prevost as apostolic administrator of Chiclayo in November 2014 and bishop of the same diocese in 2015. He later also served as apostolic administrator of Callao, also in Peru.

Chiclayo is the fifth most populated city in Peru with over 600,000 inhabitants. 

At the press conference, Farfán also denied that the victims had received $150,000 in exchange for their silence, citing the public testimony of one of them, who wrote the following on social media in response to a series of accusations in the form of questions directed to Farfán: “I am one of the victims. We have not received any money, and I would never receive it in exchange for my silence. If this were true, with that amount I would at least have had the good sense to delete my posts, but that’s not the case. You can see everything on my profile.”

Farfán, an Augustinian like Pope Leo XIV, was appointed bishop of Chiclayo on Feb. 14, 2024, when then-Cardinal Prevost was prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, the Vatican body that oversees bishops worldwide and nominates candidates.

International concern and demand for reform

Farfán’s defense of the new pope contrasts with the international reaction of survivor groups, especially SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), which issued a statement following Leo XIV’s election expressing concern about the new pope’s record in handling abuse allegations, both in Chicago, where he is originally from, and in Peru.

In an open letter, SNAP charged that, when Leo XIV was provincial of the Augustinians, he allowed a priest accused of abuse to reside near an elementary school in Chicago and that as bishop of Chiclayo, victims reported a lack of action and transparency in the investigation, even allowing the accused priest to continue celebrating Mass after the complaint was lodged.

In the letter, SNAP demanded that decisive measures be taken within the first 100 days of the pontificate, including the creation of an independent global truth commission, the adoption of a universal zero-tolerance policy, international agreements ensuring transparency and accountability, a reparations fund financed with Church assets, and a global council of survivors with real authority to oversee and enforce these measures.

The Vatican’s reaction

ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, contacted the Vatican press office for a response, and its director, Matteo Bruni, responded by saying that “this is news that’s been around for some time, as far as I know, and the diocese has already responded in a fairly clear statement.”

The statement Bruni referred to was published Dec. 12, 2023, by the Office of Social Communications of the Diocese of Chiclayo, noting that in April 2022, several young women lodged complaints with the Diocese of Chiclayo against Father Eleuterio Vásquez Gonzáles for sexual harassment. This led to his dismissal from the parish and the opening of both internal and criminal investigations, although both of these were later closed due to lack of evidence.

“After receiving the complaints, the accused priest was summoned and asked to leave the parish and cease exercising his ministry. A preliminary investigation was initiated and then sent to the Holy See,” the text states, adding that the “Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, seeing that the accusations brought against the accused priest have not been sufficiently proven, consequently decided to close the case pro nunc.” 

In response to subsequent news media and social media coverage of the case, the diocese said it had reopened the investigation, imposed precautionary measures on the priest, “and ordered him not to exercise his priestly ministry.” It also reaffirmed its rejection of any conduct that would harm minors and vulnerable people, emphasizing the presumption of innocence while the case continues and “zero tolerance for this type of conduct.”

The Diocese of Chiclayo emphasized in the text that, in accordance with “the instructions from the Holy See,” it will continue “developing appropriate measures of prevention and action for the good of the Church” so that “pastoral activity is not affected by behaviors that seriously damage it.”

Diego López Marina and Victoria Cardiel contributed to this article.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Source: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264073/peruvian-bishop-defends-pope-leo-xiv-against-accusations-of-cover-up