Cardinal says if guilty, priest charged with raping a minor must pay

Santo Domingo.- Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez yesterday said if the priest charged with raping a minor is found guilty he must suffer the consequences and will be banned from exercising the priesthood.

He said if Alberto Cordero is guilty as charged, the Catholic Church will not defend him and if on the contrary is proven innocent, the suspension "will automatically fall."

"I regret this young priest’s situation very much but if he really did a wrong he has to pay the consequences of his mistake," the Cardinal said.

The prelate said although Cordero wouldn’t be expelled from the church, he would be suspended from the ministry.