Pick the most likey reason for the braod cover up: Let's not forget it was not the rank and file followers who instituted the cover up-though they pay the financial costs associated (Get over it RC folks, you were "thrown under the bus" for the mistakes and cover up attempts by those at the top of your organization - and punished for their bad deeds by the legal system). Logic says knowledge of the situation and strategy reached to the very top of an organization that was controlled from the top.

1) "Fear of being found out" - is there a logical reason not to believe that a few, possibly more, in positions of authority either committed the same acts, or knowingly let it occur. Do we really know how imbedded this behaviour was inside the organization -that is likely now controlled only mainly because of financial concerns and lessons learned.

2) "Blame the Victims" There has been a lot of that, published and otherwise from rank and file RCs and from those in positions of power (remember Bishop Colin Campbell's comments blaming the victims for luring in the offending priests).

3) "Fear of the impact of the scandal on the RC Empire. There is ample evidence of the dominant (almost ruler-like) role played by RC priests -well beyond matters of the "soul" Priests played a significant role in maintaining this position, which was being eroded by education and enlightened reasoning. Admiting the scale of the problem could have a domino effect in eroding the role of the RC church in many societies.

4) "The Historic internal belief that RC priets could do no wrong". No need to explain this, beyond the concept of the order of Melchisedek."

5) "The Homosexual issue inside the RC church and entrenched theology ". Admitting the scale of the issue among those in a position of authority could have a serious impact on entrenched theology. We see haw far those at the top of the RC organization will go to defend entrenched theological positions - for example abortion, birth control and ordaining women into the priesthood (even though many RC members are increasing enlightened on many of these issues).

6) Belief that this type of behavour could be controlled,was small scale "and the priests could be fixed through prayer and intervention" in a big cumbersome, global organization.

7) You add some more if you like-I don't buy the financial theory put forward frequently by Joe Offer.