I agree, mostly. I think there was little space between John Paul II and Benedict theologically, but I think there was some difference between them in terms of their understanding of the clergy sex abuse crisis. Lest I be misunderstood, I don't think either of them did what was required, but I think Bxvi was the better of the two. As Prefect of the CDF, Ratzinger was given responsibility for managing the sex abuse crisis, and I think at some point some of it began to sink in. Ratzinger was pope for about five minutes when he removed Maciel -- he knew, by then everyone knew, what a despicable man Maciel was. My question I is: How could JP not have known? How could JP honor Maciel in Vatican Square and describe him as "an efficacious guide to youth"?  Did Ratzinger try to persuade JP to deal with Maciel? Was Ratzinger unwilling to confront JP about Maciel? One of those things must be true. Ratzinger really owes it to the church, to history, to Maciel's victims, to account for this.