SANTIAGO:- Fourteen priests involved in a sex abuse scandal in Chile - which has rocked Pope Francis's papacy - were defrocked on Tuesday. "Fourteen priests no longer are allowed to carry out their duties... These priests have taken part in actions that may be civilian crimes as well as within the church," the bishop's office in the city of Rancagua said. Nicknamed "the Family," the group of priestly offenders committed sex abuses with young people including minors, churchgoer Elisa Fernandez told Channel 13 last week. –AFP

A priest said in that report aired last week that the group formed a sex abuse ring a decade ago, and engaged in sex acts with no regard for whether were minors or of age.