Not to defend the pope and his lack of prosecution of these pedophiles, but you have to remember that the rule of a leader is never absolute. A leader still has to answer to either the lay people, the nobles/elites, or both. Or else a leader will have to face a rebellion in some form or another. That being said, the problem is that Pope Francis has to go against a significant number of pedophiles and other ultraconservative priests. The Vatican is a hotbed of political intrigue as much as in the royal courts, congress or parliaments. There has been a talk of conservative discontent on Pope Francis for many years now; many of whom adore the pope’s more conservative predecessor, Benedict XVI. I mean, how else would a pope get elected by its own elites other than to also engage with politics? It’s not different to your everyday office politics or government.
Not to defend the pope and his lack of prosecution of these pedophiles, but you have to remember that the rule of a leader is never absolute. A leader still has to answer to either the lay people, the nobles/elites, or both. Or else a leader will have to face a rebellion in some form or another. That being said, the problem is that Pope Francis has to go against a significant number of pedophiles and other ultraconservative priests. The Vatican is a hotbed of political intrigue as much as in the royal courts, congress or parliaments. There has been a talk of conservative discontent on Pope Francis for many years now; many of whom adore the pope’s more conservative predecessor, Benedict XVI. I mean, how else would a pope get elected by its own elites other than to also engage with politics? It’s not different to your everyday office politics or government.