text: yjin,
  I cannot speak to what may be going on in the hearts of the church's leadership.  What I CAN do, is talk about what we see ad read, and add my thoughts.
  
  In the context of this thread, I should think that the real fear that should set in as the anger and responses to this kind of story fades, is what is taking the place of that anger and outrage, is a sense of apathy.  For the bishops, I cannot imagine such a malaise could be good for the church.  Yet, they (the church's leadership) do not give the laity a voice, nor any power here.  I cannot imagine most Catholics being "happy" with the church's response.  That it draws anger could even be seen as good, because it means the church's members still care, and feel "vested" in it.  As that sense fades towards apathy, anything the bishops do or do NOT do will no longer matter.  We're disconnecting.  We may/may not still attend, but that real sense of being part of something good will fade...  THAT should scare these guys...