text: A very thoughtful and insightful reply, RusselAnthony.  Thank you for it.  One addition to your comment is that there is indeed all sorts of legislation (civil) that covers the monitoring of sex offenders.  The problem with abusive Catholic ministers who so offend is that bishops and some superiors have dealt with it as an internal matter, treated claims of abusive as attacks against the Church, and shielded priests and religious from legal prosecution.  The problem of "unknown" abusers in our midst is far more a "Catholic" problem than a civil/legal one.  While that situation is (slowly) resolving itself, it continues to haunt us with every new revelation.