Joe,
When the hierarchy of an organization is part of the cover-up if not the crime, then the criticism is earned. I have had personal experience with two instances of priests abusing children and in both cases the Diocese chose to move the offender to another parish where abuse occurred again. I do not blame my Catholic relatives for this crime. I do blame the church. One of these was promoted to Monsignor despite his "problem" and is now in federal prison.
Child abuse is horrendous but you and I both know that it was a different world for Catholics in the 50s and 60s. If a nun said I did something, my parents punished me. It didn't matter whether I did it or not. Nuns and priests had close to absolute power over children in their care. That was a time when a girl who was raped kept her mouth shut for fear of being shunned. Pregnant unwed girls were sent to "visit" a faraway relative for a few months. They came back to go on with their lives with no one the wiser (except the poor girl who was forced to give up her child). Abortions happened - I personally know good Catholics who arranged them for their children - but it was done very quietly and illegally.
The world has changed. Catholics, especially US Catholics have changed. Frankly, I see a break coming between Rome and the US.I applaud the courage of the nuns in the US who have chosen to support a national health plan despite the church's stand that it represents government funding of abortions. COnvents in the US have been under fire from Rome for quite a while now. It will be interesting to see if the church can reign them in or watch them form an alternative Catholicism.
I am rambling. Sorry.
One question - do you personally condemn anyone's behavior regarding the child abuse scandal within the churches?
Mary, not trolling. I respect your opinions.