I don't think you're being paranoid to consider a 'conspiracy'. I have thought for a long time that liberals have placed themselves in positions of influence on Congressional staffs, in Chanceries of Catholic Dioceses, and as we've seen, in Seminaries for both Catholic and other Chrisian churches. This has been done to steer ideas to the liberal side, and we have seen that happen.
One reason the Catholic Church had such a problem after Vatican II, was that the people who were directing the changes wanted to go farther than what the Documents actually said. They wanted to see the Church more modernized, so they made changes that infuriated traditional Catholics, but when those people complained to the Chanceries, they ran into brick walls because the liberals had gotten themselves entrenched and refused to listen. That's why some folks just gave up completely, or bypassed the Diocese and went directly to Rome to complain.
Thankfully, this began to wane a few years ago; maybe some of those early libs began retiring, and more traditional folks realized they needed to be in those position, so began doing so. Also Pope John Paul II, with the assistance of Cardinal Ratzinger, began cracking down on some of the more egregious abuses. I believe Pope Benedict will continue that work he began with JPII.
I believe the CHurch sexual abuse scandal erupted when it did in Boston as 'cover' for the Supreme Judicial Court to make its pronouncement about homosexual marriage. I believe the Boston Globe was in collusion with the SJC, and that the relentless media was designed to negate any influence the Church might have had in fighting the idea of homosexual marriage. In fact, after Cardinal Law had retired, the Globe had an editorial crowing about exactly that, that the Church shouldn't have anything to say about any moral matters because of the abuse scandal.
Behind the scenes Cardinal Law pressured every Catholic politician, judge, and media person to go along with a cover-up. He put intense pressure on them and made a lot of enemies. He told them it was their responsibility as Catholics not to let the story come out. Some of these guys were old conservative Irish Catholics and they were shocked and more determined than ever to put an end to the abuse .