The papal visit comes at a difficult time for leaders of both the Peruvian government and the Roman Catholic Church. On Saturday, Sean O’Malley, an American cardinal, criticized the pope for comments he made about sexual abuse cases on an earlier stop in Chile. There, Francis had defended Bishop Juan Barros Madrid, whom he had appointed in 2015 and who is accused of protecting abusers. In Buenos Aires, one of the neighborhoods Francis visited, the devastation from mudslides can still be seen. “I don’t have any expectations; he’s here today and will be gone tomorrow,” Mr. Mendoza said.

Source: New York Times January 20, 2018 21:00 UTC