I was raised Roman Catholic and remember the priests of our parish clearly. Most were ex-chaplains from WWII. I personally spent many hours helping in the church and the Parish House. And never experienced or even heard of any attacks on children.
It saddens me to think that these men and men like them are now tainted by the crimes of others. It infuriates me that the church chose to cover up the crimes and set perverts loose on me and my family while forcing us to listen to sermons from these same perverts on the evils of homosexuality between consenting adults.
I lived in Buffalo in the 60s and 70s. The police there knew of a Catholic priest from out of state who had been accused of rape, protected by the church, and moved into a local parish. They knew because a concerned former parishioner warned them that they had a rapist in their midst. They could do nothing but wait and hope he didn't rape again.
The Sunday Times has a front page story explaining that the problem in worldwide. There are similar cases in Ireland, France, Poland, etc. Millions have been paid out in secret settlements. How does the Pope expect to be taken seriously in the Church's stands on abortion, homosexuality, divorce, or any moral issue when he has been actively participating in a worldwide cover up of the sexual abuse of children?