Big Al I was brought up a catholic with a secondary education by Jesuits. The scout troop I belonged to was run by the parish priest.In my entire time as a "child" I can honestly say I had not heard of even a rumour of abuse. It obviously happened in many other places-the statistics cannot be denied. That it severely traumatized many of those
abused is also beyond dispute. That it destroyed lives and families is not disputed. Having not experienced it first hand I cannot truly imagine the depths of misery experienced by the victims.
As a partial aside I was watching a you tube clip recently on Irish males that emigrated to Britain in the 50's and 60's. Many are now in poor health and living in bedsits in places like Birmingham. One of them being interviewed told how he had been abused by a priest in a county home in baltimore. He was then threatened by the senior priest there with dire punishment if he "spoke out of turn" I cannot imagine his feelings of pain, rejection, betrayal and hopelessness in such a situation. It really was a gut wrenching story.

No. you are right I cannot understand the betrayal of trust, but I can appreciate how such things can wreck lives, and their individual stories play havoc with the emotions. But this comes nowhere near to appreciating how the victims felt.