How can the active propagation of lies, superstition, poverty, disease, suffering and general spiritual & cultural impoverishment possibly be for good?

When you have a billion members, some of those members are going to do this sort of stuff - unless you happen to be that rare sort of organization that can command complete and mindless obedience from all its members. Despite opinions to the contrary, the Catholic Church is diverse and its members (and clergy) are largely autonomous. Many Catholics have accomplished wonderfully good things - and some have not (and in a church with a billion members, "some" is a very large number).

Bonnie, I am sorry that I misunderstood which of your questions you claimed I failed to answer. I thought it was this one: How is healing ever going to begin when people like you insist on ignoring the troublesome part of the problem - what happened Then - I don't ignore the child molestation that is the at the heart of the problem at all, so the underlying premise of this question is false.

Your other question, about "honest discussion" being impossible, is another matter. The ability (or inability) to be honest is on my part - it is difficult to speak honestly when faced with a mob of people carrying bludgeons. One person even questioned my referring to the person being discussed as "Fr. Tony Walsh." I used that title reluctantly, but I felt I was obliged to. At the time he committed his crimes, Tony Walsh bore that title as a priest in my church, a fact that causes me deep shame and embarrassment. I certainly would not refer to him or address him NOW as "Father," but that's the title he bore at the time he committed his crimes. And that is a horrible and deplorable thing.

But no, there is no middle ground to be found right now in this forum on this subject. Those who disagree with the Conventional Wisdom are not free to speak their opinion honestly. When I have dared to ask for open discussion, I am greeted with the same hostility experienced by those who dare to oppose the death penalty here in California. Certainly, I oppose the crimes these people have committed. Certainly, I have deep sympathy for their victims. But some day, there must be an end to this frenzy of anger and vengeance. The anger and vengeance must give way to rational plans to prevent such horrible crimes form happening again.

-Joe-