AIDAN O'KEEFFE,
Sir, - If "zero tolerance" is to be applied to paedophile priests it can only be to their actions and not to them as human beings and as Catholics.
As humans they need our love, medical and psychological care and constant vigilance. Generally, religious orders have behaved honourably when their members have succumbed to cancer, alcoholism or have psychiatric problems.
If the superiors of the late Father Brendan Smith or the Pope and his American cardinals talk of throwing offending priests out of the order or the church, they besmirch the name of Christ, they fail their sick brother and they endanger young people by allowing sick paedophiles to roam unsupervised. - Yours, etc.,
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AIDAN O'KEEFFE, Celbridge, Co Kildare.