Hundreds of Catholics protested at a March Mass led by Bishop Juan Barros Madrid, nominated by Pope Francis to lead the diocese of Osorno and accused of covering up for a former priest found to have sexually abused children, the Asso-ciated Press reported. Approximately 1,300 Catholic faithful, 51 of 120 national lawmakers and 30 priests have taken a stand against Barros’ appointment, alleging that he concealed the abuse of former priest Fernando Karadima, who was sentenced by the Vatican in 2011 to a “life of prayer and penitence” for the sexual abuse of minors.

Barros sent a letter to priests in the Osorno diocese in which he claimed that he knew nothing about Karadima’s abuse of minors. But Juan Carlos Cruz is one of several of Karadima’s victims who claimed that “this man [Barros] was standing next to us when we were abused,” according to CNN Chile.

The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis met with Msgr. Fernando Natalio Chomali Garib, temporary leader of the Osorno diocese, in early March, and later in the month released a statement that the Congregation of Bishops “did not find objective reasons to preclude the appointment” of Barros. Criticism of the appointment also came from some members of the Vatican sexual abuse advisory board, according to statements released by the Associated Press. “If Pope Francis is presented with such powerful facts (of compromised bishops) then I can’t see why the pope cannot remove them -immediately,” said commission member Peter Saunders, who is a survivor of abuse. Concerns about the pope’s decision-making were echoed by abuse survivor Cruz, who told the New York Times, “We are used to the blows by the Chilean Catholic hierarchy, but it’s especially hurtful when the slap in the face comes from Pope Francis himself.”