They know the words to say to appear contrite and honest that they wish this had not happened with all the adverse publicity and scandal, but they still don't fully get it.  They seem to still see child abuse as a recurring moral failure on the part of the priest.  They appear to give intellectual assent to the fact that it is a crime, but they are  still on a steep learning curve.  These men must have known its true scope.  Upon being made a bishop, they have access to the records of the priests in their diocese.  They preferred not to know about it and wished it all to go away.  They feigned ignorance.

The Catholic Church in Australia has been dragged kicking and screaming by the secular media into acknowledging that they were failing spectacularly.  ++Pell was beside himself when mention of a Royal Commission was made, saying it was not needed, and then, when the Commision was announced, poured forth blather about how he welcomed it!  He has now exiled himself away from Australia.