Let's just say it was not the first Babylonian Captivity for God's people.
On the night he was arrested, Jesus's disciples all fled. The chief of them denied him three times. So long as the Church is composed of fallen men, there will be sin within it.
Exactly. It doesn't make the Church evil. It means that there are men, good and evil, within it. Ignoring the evil to "protect the Church" is what the evil ones count on and exploit.
From what I understand one of the good things about Jesuits, despite being fantastic educators, is that if one of their own crosses the line, they take care of it, in house. That doesn't mean shuffling a bad egg off to another unsuspecting parish. It means they TAKE CARE OF IT. I hope that's true.
Opus Dei, the "bad guys" in Browns laughable Da Vinci Code, are apparently the same way. That's probably why Brown singled them out as the "bad guys." That's a man with some deep hatred to deal with. Not healthy at all. Nor is he able to research his way out of a paper bag. What's really sad is the mewling masses who think he's accurate.
I'm personally fond of the pre-schism era, like the Church of Saint Columba at Iona. More primative, but there is an appeal there. Most of the studying I've been doing the last few years is all first mellinium stuff. That's a period that get's entirely overlooked, historically, yet it is full and rich. It just has multiple and often contradictory sources and versions. So be it. I read and listen with my heart, as well as my head. I always make sure I try to find at least as many "anti" points of view as "pro" and then try to weigh the tone and supporting information and then form my own opinion.
James in Jerusalem and Paul in Antioch. The Council of Nicea. Leo 1 creating the Papacy and the doctrine of Papal supremecy, as well as facing down the Hun with words and faith alone. Saint Gregory and the worldly power of the Papacy. The collapse of Rome and the rise of Byzantium (along with the overwhelming corruption of Byzantium). I'm particularly fond of reading Saint Augustine, though it amuses me how much of what comes from him is derived not from the Gospel but from pagan intellectuals, like Plato and Aristotle. Misunderstanding his teachings caused 1,000 years of problems, and some even linger till today.
The fallacies of men, even good men, are never to be ignored.