Your POV boils down to one of two possible arguments.
1) the "a fish rots from it's head" theory when in reality that only applies to a dead or nearly dead fish because a healthy fish produces massive amounts of antibodies and fights of the infection well before it beomes rot. Horribly wounded fish continue to swim the sea for years without rotting.
or
2) the same insanity the Big Bang people who don't believe their is a Creator make when they say, "absolutely nothing existed, then one day it blew up".
As I said, you're welcome to any opinion that suits your personal comfort zone. That in no way implies I believe your comfort zone is in sync with reality.
You are making an analogy between a fish and the Church.
The fact that you think that the laity are to blame is ass-backwards.
But it does give the hierarchy another pass. So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.