Excommunication is the harshest punishiment. However most excommunication can be done away with by going to confession to a Priest. often. FOr instance in the case of abortion to which one time and still might have that penalty. IN other words like any other man if this allegations are true he would confess his sin to a priest.
Zadok the Roman blog has these observations
http://zadokromanus.blogspot.com/
"On Fr Marcial Maciel Degollado
The Vatican Press office has issued a statement about the founder of the Legionaries of Christ.
It says that since 1998 the CDF has received complains about 'crimes reserved exclusively to the competency of the dicastery.' Fr Maciel published a denial of these accusations in 2002. In 2005 he resigned as superior of the Legionaries due to reasons of 'advanced age'.
The above items were object of 'mature examination' by the CDF under the norms of JPII's 2001 motu proprio Sacramentorum sanctitati tutela.
Having received the results of the investigation, Cardinal Leveda has decided not to pursue a Canonical Process due to reasons of advanced age. He has invited Fr Maciel to a discreet life of prayer and penance renouncing all public ministry. The Holy Father has approved this decision.
Personal Note
I must say that this is a most extraordinary press release. I'm sure that some commentators will see the decision not to pursue a canonical process against Fr Maciel as being a cover-up. However, the question must be asked what one can do in any legal system when the one accused of any crime is of advanced age.
The fact that the Vatican has made public Cardinal Leveda's request to Fr Maciel that he live a discreet life of prayer and penance renouncing all public ministry is significant. It would be very easy to draw the conclusion from that statement that substance was found to the allegations. Indeed, such a statement certainly does not benefit Fr Maciel's reputation. It will be interesting to see what the response of the Legionaries will be.
# Posted by Zadok the Roman @ 12:29
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Why doesn't he deserve the harshest punishment? You can get excommunicated by bumping the Pope like a Manager might bump an Umpire. Here's a guy who was bump'n and grind'n with young seminarians. Hardly seems right to do anything 'sides excommunicate the creep.