So I guess we will continue the discussion without your input for now.

Joe,
"I pretty-much agree with John MacKenzie, too. I completely agree with John that people are personally to blame - that it's people who committed the crimes, and not the Church."

Joe,
wouldn't you agree the the church assumed a part of the blame when it chose to hide and protect the people who committed the crimes and in fact enabled them to continue committing the same crimes?
Had these priests been given a choice of say a cloister without access to children and being defrocked, I would be more sympathetic.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely - I believe this applies to Rome.

If you are saying that the members of the church who knew nothing (I was one) are not to be condemned, I agree.
M