"So, for better or worse, because of the decentralized nature of the Catholic Church, Rome was not involved in the sex abuse scandal. I think that it has been generally helpful since Ratzinger took over the problem in 2001, but it is still mostly a local problem."

Unbelievable, Joe. Your defence of Rome is valiant yet unconscionable at the same time. An institutional problem, largely ignored as you admit by a very long-term pope, is no local problem.