“I once heard at a wedding a father say, ‘I sometimes have to hit my children a little but never in the face, so as to not demean them.’ How nice, I thought, he has a sense of dignity,” the Pope said.
“When he punishes, he does it right and moves on.”
The principle of not humiliating the child while doling out the punishment appears to be central to the Pope’s justification of spanking, as is that of forgiveness.
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The United States is not one of the nations where corporal punishment is banned, but an anti-spanking movement has gained momentum there.
The case of NFL star Adrian Peterson, given probation, a fine and community service in November after he admitted whipping his 4-year-old son, stirred up the debate. The NFL also suspended the Minnesota Vikings star running back for the rest of the season.
CNN’s Gisela Deputato contributed to this report.
