A South African cardinal who helped elect Pope Francis has described paedophilia as a psychological illness and not 'a criminal condition'.

The Catholic Archbishop of Durban, Wilfrid Fox Napier, told BBC Radio 5 live that people who were abused as children and became paedophiles were not criminally responsible for their actions in the same way as somebody 'who chooses to do something like that'.

Cardinal Napier, who was among the 115 cardinals in the conclave at the Vatican that elected Pope Francis earlier this week, called paedophilia a 'psychological disorder.
------
The cardinal spoke of two priests he knew who were abused as children and went on to become paedophiles.

He told the BBC: 'Don't tell me that those people are criminally responsible like somebody who chooses to do something like that.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...l-conclave.html

Well, now this changes everything, especially when you get caught.....

Quote: Olivia wrote in post #1

---

A South African cardinal who helped elect Pope Francis has described paedophilia as a psychological illness and not 'a criminal condition'.

The Catholic Archbishop of Durban, Wilfrid Fox Napier, told BBC Radio 5 live that people who were abused as children and became paedophiles were not criminally responsible for their actions in the same way as somebody 'who chooses to do something like that'.

Cardinal Napier, who was among the 115 cardinals in the conclave at the Vatican that elected Pope Francis earlier this week, called paedophilia a 'psychological disorder.
------
The cardinal spoke of two priests he knew who were abused as children and went on to become paedophiles.

He told the BBC: 'Don't tell me that those people are criminally responsible like somebody who chooses to do something like that.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...l-conclave.html

Well, now this changes everything, especially when you get caught.....

---

A Cardinal is an advisor to the Pope! Sounds like they've found a way to disregard the sexual molestation of children down to acceptable levels of punishment.
After all, they can't help themselves and shouldn't be punished as a criminal. I'm sure God will understand their predicament. Sheesh!

Cardinal Napier needs the counseling .....the priest who abused children (whether or not they were abused) needed jail time !!

Cardinal Napier can say whatever he wants but the fact still remains that the Church moved these MONSTERS from one parish to another and the abuse continued !! There is NO EXPLAINING THAT AWAY !!

Maybe, just maybe ...if the Church would have done the right thing from the beginning then the problem would not have been as widespread as it was !!

NO SYMPATHY for the Abusers, Cardinal Napier !!

Quote: W-Girl wrote in post #4

---

Cardinal Napier needs the counseling .....the priest who abused children (whether or not they were abused) needed jail time !!

Cardinal Napier can say whatever he wants but the fact still remains that the Church moved these MONSTERS from one parish to another and the abuse continued !! There is NO EXPLAINING THAT AWAY !!

Maybe, just maybe ...if the Church would have done the right thing from the beginning then the problem would not have been as widespread as it was !!

NO SYMPATHY for the Abusers, Cardinal Napier !!

---

Quote: Olivia wrote in post #3

---

A Cardinal is an advisor to the Pope! Sounds like they've found a way to disregard the sexual molestation of children down to acceptable levels of punishment.
After all, they can't help themselves and shouldn't be punished as a criminal. I'm sure God will understand their predicament. Sheesh!

---

Quote: nerd wrote in post #2

---

Quote: Olivia wrote in post #1

---

A South African cardinal who helped elect Pope Francis has described paedophilia as a psychological illness and not 'a criminal condition'.

The Catholic Archbishop of Durban, Wilfrid Fox Napier, told BBC Radio 5 live that people who were abused as children and became paedophiles were not criminally responsible for their actions in the same way as somebody 'who chooses to do something like that'.

Cardinal Napier, who was among the 115 cardinals in the conclave at the Vatican that elected Pope Francis earlier this week, called paedophilia a 'psychological disorder.
------
The cardinal spoke of two priests he knew who were abused as children and went on to become paedophiles.

He told the BBC: 'Don't tell me that those people are criminally responsible like somebody who chooses to do something like that.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...l-conclave.html

Well, now this changes everything, especially when you get caught.....

---

so he is saying it is something you catch. the man is a nut and/or has the problem himself.

---

Quote: Olivia wrote in post #5

---

Quote: W-Girl wrote in post #4

---

Cardinal Napier needs the counseling .....the priest who abused children (whether or not they were abused) needed jail time !!

Cardinal Napier can say whatever he wants but the fact still remains that the Church moved these MONSTERS from one parish to another and the abuse continued !! There is NO EXPLAINING THAT AWAY !!

Maybe, just maybe ...if the Church would have done the right thing from the beginning then the problem would not have been as widespread as it was !!

NO SYMPATHY for the Abusers, Cardinal Napier !!

---

<b>When they moved the "MONSTERS," did they also provide the counselling they needed to stop the abuse or did they just give them access to a different group of children? This whole story is disgusting and they should be held accountable! </b>

---

What's the big deal. This Card is just selling the Liberal/PC line on this issue. Any Rat Pol would agree with him.

Quote: algernonpj wrote in post #7

---

In addition paedophies are so broken the cure rate is near zero; we do not know how to fix them. If the compulsion is as strong as the cardinal is claiming, one way or another they need to be kept separate from society, just like serial killers, rapists, and other sociopaths.

---

Quote: algernonpj wrote in post #8

---

Quote: Olivia wrote in post #5

---

Quote: W-Girl wrote in post #4

---

Cardinal Napier needs the counseling .....the priest who abused children (whether or not they were abused) needed jail time !!

Cardinal Napier can say whatever he wants but the fact still remains that the Church moved these MONSTERS from one parish to another and the abuse continued !! There is NO EXPLAINING THAT AWAY !!

Maybe, just maybe ...if the Church would have done the right thing from the beginning then the problem would not have been as widespread as it was !!

NO SYMPATHY for the Abusers, Cardinal Napier !!

---

<b>When they moved the "MONSTERS," did they also provide the counselling they needed to stop the abuse or did they just give them access to a different group of children? This whole story is disgusting and they should be held accountable! </b>

---

To be fair to at least some church officials, IIRC there was a point in time where pedophile priests were evaluated by psychiatrists who counseled them (the pedophiles) and informed the church officials that they (pedophiles) could be 'cured'. At this point in time we know better.

---