Authorities in Chile are investigating allegations that Catholic priests were in a network that took newborn babies from unmarried mothers.
The babies were illegally given away to be raised by married couples in “traditional” Catholic families.
The motivation was the social stigma attached to being an unmarried mother in middle-class families in Chile in the 1970s and 1980s.
In some cases, the biological mothers were persuaded that it was for the best.
But in other instances, the mothers were anaesthetised during delivery, and were later told their children had died, The Guardian reported.
Funerals with empty caskets were allegedly held in churches.
Priests were said to have pressured the mothers to give their newborns up for adoption.
Most of the cases took place during the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.
But some were reported as late as 2005.
The network involved wealthy families, gynaecologists, lawyers and social workers, but at the heart of the scheme was Fr Gerardo Joannon.
He admitted working with 10 doctors who helped coordinate adoptions.
The priest said did this to try to prevent back-street abortions.
But he insisted his role was limited, in that he only put families in contact with doctors.
Fr Joannon also said he only took part in adoptions the birth mother agreed to, and he denied saying funeral Masses for living infants.
But when pressured by media on the latter point, he said doctors had assured him the infants were dead.
One woman has accused him of pressuring her and allegedly helping in the disappearance of her newborn daughter.
Fr Joannon has been suspended from celebrating weekly Mass by Church authorities.
Several other priests were reportedly involved in the baby snatching ring.
Chilean Catholic Church leaders have promised to co-operate with secular authorities in their investigations.
Church leaders admit they have known about the network for at least 10 years. It was believed to have operated in six Santiago hospitals.
A Church spokesman said that injustices have been committed and human rights violated.
Sources
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News category: World.
