The evils I speak of are not those done by Shanley and Geoghan themselves. The evil of pedophilia appears everywhere.... with parents, physicians, Rabbis, ministers, teachers, scout leaders... anybody who has access to children. The only thing that makes the Roman Catholic Church unique in this regard is that while everyone else tries their damndest to root the pedophiles out and bar their access to children, the entire organization, including those at the highest levels, dedicate themselves to using whatever means necessary, including threats of excommunication, to silence the accusers and move the violators into new and fertile hunting grounds. In that, they are so far away from their mission, their very existence makes me question the existence of God.

But you asked me why the vitriol, not why I think they are a failing religion.

Go to any of the traditional strongholds of the Roman Catholic faith: France, Italy, Southern Germany, Ireland, East Coast USA, Austria, etc. Less than 20% attendance, and less than 5% by people under 40. Does that sound like a thriving, prospering religion to you? They've had to pay out so much in monetary settlements that they're selling church property and closing parishes across the Northeast USA, traditionally their richest dioceses. The only place they still have a following is in third world countries, and it's been shown that as nations improve their standards of living (Brazil, Argentina) people either move to Protestant faiths or quit Christianity all together.

The Roman Catholic Church itself will tell you if you press hard enough that they are an Aristocracy. The term 'princes of the church' bestowed upon Cardinals is not slang, it's a title. They view themselves as nobility and the rest of us are peasants. It's an outdated, out of touch institution that is going under (and not quickly enough in my book).

I am a devout Christian, but frankly, somedays I have to wonder if I'm not just believing wives tales when the Lord of Hosts allows men such as Law to blaspheme in His name and excommunicate children to silence them.