I will admit that there have been bishops guilty of negligence and a cover-up. But this is because they themselves went against Catholic discipline. What no one seems to want to acknowledge is that the Church is in the process of cleaning itself up. If you were truly interested in stopping this abuse then you would be calling on priests and bishops to be more Catholic rather than using this as an opportunity to attack the Catholic faith.
I’m not attacking the Catholic faith at all but rather the practice of the Catholic church. I could question the entire population of Vatican City and I’m certain not one person would speak in favor of child molestation, not one nor would any fail condemn such as against Catholic teaching.
Over the past thousand years many attempts have been made to “clean up” priestly morals. The edicts and pronouncements of Popes and councils don’t seem to have worked in the past as history so clearly records.
Since the Catholic church self describes as “Apostolic”, “Holy”, I should think Catholics would ask at what point God would say, “Enough! I’m done with you”.
Does such a point even exist?
That's the job of your leadership...and they've failed for eons now. The Popes answer to all the victims abuse was to declair the "Year of the Priest"....exaulting them once again before the very victims they abused. Requesting they be more "catholic" isn't working....as evidenced in still more and more stepping out as victims in 2011....thousands abused so one can easily be overwhelmed with the very numbers...and many journalists have left reporting about these as the nature and degree of abuse has been so difficult to take in.....that and the degree of cover-up by the leadership.
What no Catholic seems to want to acknowledge is that the Catholic Church has been saying it will clean up its act for over a thousand years! How much time does it take to get Church discipline right? The dogmas and doctrines of the Catholic Church are fair game in a discussion such as this because it is obvious that there MUST be more than just words if claims are to be believed. I'll say it again, child rape is NOT just your plain old every day "temptation" and most people would not even need a law or commandment to prevent them from committing it, much less repeatedly committing it. Even unbelievers are repulsed by such an act.