It is wrong for the Church to be protecting anyone involved in such heinous activities. On the other side of this is this is not only a pedophilia issue, it usually involved homosexuality as well. Something that our society seems to want to legitimize.
Who is protecting criminals? It isn't the Vatican... Vatican Laicizes Archbishop Josef Wesolowski for Sex Abuse of Minors. It's nearly every government around the world--including our own. The Vatican is one state that takes things seriously.