Harare, Zimbabwe (News of the South)-Pope Francis has gone against the recommendations of the Roman Catholic Church’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) and reduced sentences given to pedophile priests who abused children, according to the Voice of America (VOA).
The Pope overruled CDF rulings which called for the defrocking of priests and sentenced the clergymen to lifetimes of penance and prayer and removal from public ministry.
The move, which is in line with his emphasis on mercy, has not gone down well with some sections of the Vatican.
Marie Collins, who is a member of the Pope’s own sex-abuse advisory commission expressed dismay at the Pope’s overruling of the church’s recommended penalties saying the move weakened its resolve.
She also voiced opposition to the Pope’s understanding of pedophiles as being ‘diseased’ people.
“All who abuse have made a conscious decision to do so. Even those who are pedophiles, experts will tell you, are still responsible for their actions. They can resist their inclinations”.
“While mercy is important justice for all parties is equally important. If there is seen to be any weakness about proper penalties then it might well send the wrong message”, she said.
The criticism of Pope Benedict is a continuation of longstanding questioning of his tough line in dealing with pedophiles.
Other critics accuse the Holy Father of surrounding himself with cardinals who have previously botched handling cases in their own archdiocese according to VOA.
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