Your reasoned comment aside, the petition is about garnering publicity for some highly discredited people, not protection of children or anyone else. That part seems to be working, at least a little bit. Shanley represents two things that need to be watched with vigilance: 
1. Despite his egregious betrayal of the priesthood, he probably was convicted  and imprisoned on pure perjury, as have other priests who unlike him were not foolish-acting hippies.
2. Shanley  supports the abolition of age of consent laws. What other priests agree?