So here is what I’ve been able to gather. Pope Benedict knew, of course, about the abusers in the Church. He tried to do something about it and did impose some sanctions on McCarrick and some others. However, the conspiracy of abusers was too strong and he was never allowed to do anything serious. Hence his comments to the visitors who brought complaints of abuse to him in person that his power ends at his door and he is impotent to stop the abuses. His position was like that of the Queen who can’t stand up to the evil Prime Minister (a.k.a. the head of the conspiracy.)
Benedict had to resign because the conspirators wanted him out. Francis was brought in because he has an affinity with the conspirators. The gamble is that he will be forgiven a lot more by the general public because of his progressive bleatings on a variety of issues. And the gamble is paying off.
Bluntly put, Francis is never going to do anything to the conspirators at the highest levels of the Church because he’s one of them.
I’ve read a bunch of stuff from obscure places like “National Catholic Register” and others for weeks to figure this all out. There is an added bunch of complexities like financial corruption and internecine power squabbles but I don’t care about them right now. I care about abuse. Every large organization has power trips and money shadiness but none of them end up raping kids and abusing youngsters en masse. Except for this one. There’s something clearly specific to this particular organization that makes it a hub for sexual abuse of boys and young men.
Clarissa's Blog 
Yes, this is what I’ve been able to gather although I didn’t work on it as consistently as you did so for me the knowledge is more impressionistic. But my impression matches what you’ve pieced together.
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“none of them end up raping kids and abusing youngsters en masse. Except for this one”
Hollywood…. not a single institution but the fact of sexual abuse of children in the industry means I can hardly watch anything with child actors anymore…
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Yes, that’s another one. Absolutely horrible.
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The Pope just gave a major speech today calling for action on the “emergency” of plastics polluting the oceans, and telling the faithful that they should go to confession for not recycling and for using too many plastic products!
He’s obviously determined to move on away from the pedophile crisis as quickly as possible.
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I’m very much in favor of anti-pollution measures but while the Pope can’t realistically stop pollution, he could do something about the abusers in the Church.
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