text: Sam, pedophilia IS both a sin and a crime.  That statement is what puts the institutional church's response in such a horrific light.  The failure of the bishops to provide a strong system of accountability within the church, placed into question all of the church's teachings on Justice, on compassion, and perhaps all, the very concept of bishops as shepherds.  That internal failure was an abandonment of the higher moral path preached by the church, leaving justice and accountability at the much lower bar set by secular law.  
  
  If that alone weren't bad enough, they then fought against even that lower bar at every level...
  
  A key phrase in what you said was "the church... doesn't seem to want to fit..."  This response was and CONTINUES to be a choice.  A choice that troubles and corrodes.  Kieran's point focuses in on one in a long string of choices bishops and pope's made, and continue to make.  
  
  I don't feel to bad for Francis: he HAS choices and options.  He's not using them.