Benedict wanted to avoid the consequences of the revulsion and legal mess brought about by the pedophile priests. I think Francis is also avoiding comment on the matter.
Ratzinger was the one who kept pressuring John Paul II to force the bishops to take meaningful actions against pedophile priests.
I am no fan of Francis but he met with victims of priest/abusers in Philadelphia and expressed himself extensively on the subject. More likely he is avoiding ACTION on the matter because so many of the abusers are homosexual pedophiles and therefore likely to be his “progressive” supporters. They are the termites in the wooden structures of Holy Mother the Church. Benedict is a very old and frail man, He may just have lacked the stamina to fight the termites. If you understand his career and his quality, he has no fear and no reason to fear consequences. revulsion or the legal mess. He is older than was Thurgood Marshall when he resigned from SCOTUS telling reporters that he was old and tired and wanted the chance to rest.
The problem was/is middle-age faggots partaking of their favorite treat: adolescent boys.