You combine that with the natural reluctance of the Vatican to interfere in "internal" matters in the U.S. -- because of the longstanding tradition of nativist, anti-Catholic agitation (just look at poor Al Smith, and how hard JFK had to work to overcome it even in the 60s) -- and it goes a long way to explain why something wasn't done a whole lot earlier to weed these guys out.
IIRC, Ratzinger began taking charge of these cases in 2002. Hopefully he will take a harder line, even if the anti-Catholics whine about "interference from a foreign potentate" etc. etc.
The cool thing about Bendict XVI is that he knows where the bodies are buried.
JP II spent his entire life in Poland, where his entire pastoral struggle was against communism.
Thus, he tended to trust the Church in the West.
Benedict on the other hand has for more than twenty years recieved complaints and documents concerning AMChurch etc...
He knows what the real deal is.
The anti-catholic bend of the past is long gone.
If anything, i expect to see "resignations" which were encouraged by the church officials.
The homosexuals will not go easily.
I dont buy it. No one could tell JPII the evidence so he wouldn't indulge his prejudice against this evidence?
And this was a big problem in the late 60's and 70's. Why wasn't something done by US bishops and cardinals THEN? There has got to be a better explanation than this personal peculiarity on one pope. Find the cause so you can be sure to root this stuff out.