Cardinal Law and The Pope

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/08/international/worldspecial2/08cardinals.html?th&emc=th

Note: If you're gonna read what I write, you better sign up for the NY Times site. It's well worth it just for the daily news that drops in your mailbox and I refer to them a lot.

First off, a disclaimer: I'm not Catholic and I generally distrust organized religion. The whole religion thing is the subject of another topic so let's move on.

Here is a pertinent quote:

By permitting Cardinal Law to take the limelight in Rome just when the
church is mourning the death of John Paul, the cardinals have reminded American
Catholics that their most painful recent chapter barely registered in the
Vatican.

I've heard a lot in the last few days about how great a man Pope John Paul II was but personally, I can't get past the fact that his organization, during his tenure as it's head, systematically protected and even empowered child molesters. How do you remain quiet about such a thing and be considered a great man? What did he do that ourweighs shirking such a responsibility?

Any chance the next guy will do any better?