The serious fault has been where there has been a failure to stop child abusers having continued opportunities to abuse, and that is a terrible fault. It seems to have arisen primarily out of attempts to avoid scandal.

However in itself seeking to deal with this kind of thing out of public view is not an unreasonable thing to do - the failure lay in doing so in ways that did not recognise that the absolute priority has to be the welfare of the children involved.

I think it's reasonable to hope that that isn't going to happen these days. Here's a quote from a typical contemporary diocesean policy: "The diocese confirms that in matters of the alleged abuse of children the 'Paramount Principle' will be maintained, that is the welfare of the child is the paramount consideration in all matters concerning the protection of children.