Southern Cross". Pope Francis accepted his resignation as archbishop of Durban on 9 June 2021. Napier continues as apostolicae administrator of the archdiocese until his successor is installed. Views AIDS In January 2005, Napier stated, in comments similar to some made by Pope Benedict XVI, that government programmes to distribute condoms were ineffectual in stemming the spread of HIV. Instead, he proposed programmes based upon the principle of abstinence. Vatican's views on Africa In October 2003, Cardinal Napier stated that, to some extent, the Vatican lacks a "sufficient sensitivity to African churches." He said the trips Pope John Paul II made to Africa have helped, since every time he comes, Vatican officials are forced to learn something about Africa. Paedophilia comments controversy On 17 March 2013, in a BBC interview Napier said that "From my experience paedophilia is actually an illness, it is not a criminal condition, it is an illness." He went on to explain that he did not mean that there was to be not criminal liability. He mentioned two priests he knew who were abused as children and went on to become paedophiles and said: "Now don't tell me that those people are criminally responsible like somebody who chooses to do something like that. I don't think you can really take the position and say that person deserves to be punished. He was himself damaged." Michael Walsh, a biographer of Pope John Paul II, stated that at one time this was the view of many Catholics in the US and UK. Barbara Dorries from Chicago-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests and, herself a victim of sex abuse from a priest when she was a child told the BBC: "If it is a disease that's fine, but it's also a crime and crimes are punished, criminals are held accountable for what they did and what they do." Napier attacked the BBC after the broadcast for being "sensationalist" and "putting words into my mouth". He added: "I made it quite clear that paedophilia is a crime, and that we as a church have got a whole process in place for dealing with it." Napier apologised via Twitter for his comments: "I apologise to victims of child abuse offended by my misstatement of what was and still is my concern about all abused, including abused abuser." He went on to say "It's the supreme irony. Because I raised