Thirty-four Chilean Catholic bishops, including two cardinals, participated last week in a three-day summit with Pope Francis to discuss coverups of sexual abuse committed by their nation’s clergy. Then something unprecedented happened: Together they handed in their resignations to the pope, “so that he can freely decide for each one of us” what their futures would be.
This saga began in 2011, when the Vatican removed Fernando Karadima, a prominent Chilean priest, from ministry for having abused minors. Several victims accused...