Pam Spaulding of Pandagon passes along a Vatican statement that incestuous rapist pedophiles who impregnate their nine-year-old daughters are just fine by them.

He also said the accused stepfather would not be expelled from the church. Although the man allegedly committed “a heinous crime … the abortion – the elimination of an innocent life – was more serious”.

Read the quote in context here.

I… think they made a mistake. Politically stupid? Obviously. Morally unclean? Undoubtedly. Legally suspect? Sure. But even doctrinally it’s completely unclear to me how that’s supposed to work. It’s certainly not the way I’d want to operate an enterprise where one of the primary missions of both clergy and laity involves being trusted alone with minor children.