My point is that many thousands, probably millions, of practicing Catholics saw it and continued to take communion from bad priests. They continued to have the priest perform all kinds of sacraments for them, knowing full well what he was ... but living in denial of it ... pretending it was not real.
I seriously doubt that that number of parishioners knew. Queers are very good at hiding and obfuscating. And from my reading of the PA report (I'm only up to page 300 out of 1400), those who did know were told "it's been reported to the bishop" and went away expecting it was being handled.
Virtually everything I read points up two things...the laity by far did NOT know, and they are by damned expecting the hierarchy to get it right this time or there would be consequences. Any priest or bishop who thinks they can get away with delay and obfuscation this time is simply foolish.