are not immune from his snares." He defended the canonical sanctions imposed on Karadima as being the heaviest that could be imposed short of laicization, and as having taken into account Karadima's age and merits. One of Karadima's accusers called the cardinal's remark about 17-year-olds "an unwarranted attack". Another added that it was an attack not only on those who had denounced Karadima, but on all who were honestly looking for truth and justice for their lives. He regarded Medina's statements as "extremely suspicious, as if he wanted to diminish the outline of these grave actions, reducing the issue to homosexuality in a very silly manner, as if, furthermore, homosexuality and abuse were synonymous". The statements, he said, "were an attempt to free from responsibility someone who took advantage of his position of power over more vulnerable persons". References External links . 1926 births 2021 deaths People from Santiago Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II Chilean cardinals Protodeacons Members of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments Participants in the Second Vatican Council Second Vatican Council Pontifical Catholic University of Chile alumni Roman Catholic theologians 20th-century Roman Catholic theologians 21st-century Roman Catholic theologians 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Chile Roman Catholic bishops of Rancagua Roman Catholic bishops of Valparaíso University of Notre Dame people