Cristián Contreras Molina

Cristián Enrique Contreras Molina (born 8 November 1946) is a native of Chile and a former bishop of the Catholic Church. He was Bishop of San Felipe from 2002 to 2018.

Biography

He was born on 8 November 1946 in Santiago de Chile. He entered the novitiate of the Mercedarians in 1961 and studied philosophy and theology with them and in the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Religious Studies in 1974. He took his perpetual vows on 21 September 1973 and he was ordained a priest on 12 October 1974 by Archbishop Sotero Sanz Villalba, Apostolic Nuncio to Chile.[1]

After ordination he worked in various parishes in Valdivia (1975), Calama (1976-1983), and San Felipe (1985). He was appointed Superior and Rector of the College of the Mercedarians in Santiago (1985-1989). In 1990 he was named Major Chaplain of the Gendarmerie and Chaplain of the National Prisons.[1]

On 11 June 1992, Pope John Paul II named him Prelate of Calama and he received his episcopal consecration on 5 July from Cardinal Carlos Oviedo Cavada.[1] He was installed on 19 July.

On 19 July 2002, John Paul appointed him Bishop of San Felipe[1] and he was installed there on 25 August.[2]

On 18 May 2018, Contreras submitted his resignation to Pope Francis, as did all the Chilean bishops at the conclusion of a three-day meeting in Rome.[3] In early September prosecutors launched an investigation based on an accusation of a sexual crime made against Contreras.[4] Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 21 September 2018, replacing him with a priest as Apostolic Administrator, Jaime Ortiz de Lazcano Piquer.[5]

See also

References
  1. "Rinunce e Nomine, 19.07.2002" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 19 July 2002. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  2. "Obispo Cristián Contreras toma posesión de Diócesis de San Felipe" (in Spanish). 23 August 2002. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  3. Arocho Esteves, Junno (18 May 2018). "Updated: All of Chile's bishops offer resignations after meeting pope on abuse". National Catholic Reporter. Catholic News Service. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  4. Matus, J.; Rodríguez, S. (14 September 2018). "Obispo de San Felipe por investigación en su contra: "Cualquiera puede decir lo que quiera"". La Tercera (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  5. "Rinunce e Nomine, 21.09.2018" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
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