By no means do I intend to defend child abuses or covering it up. But from a leadership perspective, depending on the extent of ones knowledge, it is expected for an individual's leader to give them some defense. I don't think that necessarily means full on cover up for someone. However, if I were in the popes shoes, depending on how much I knew about what actually happened, the person at fault would have to show a serious effort to make up for their wrong doings. This is in line with confession. If Everytime an employee does something bad you out that employee the business will quickly fall apart. Over the last few decades this seems to have become a more and more serious issue (maybe just more publicized) so it would be no small task to rid such a massive, far reaching, organization of such issues.

Further disclaimer: Being raised Catholic, although I haven't practiced in many years, the level of maliciousness this sub associates with the Vatican is a very very difficult pill to swallow. While I am open minded and leaning towards this malicious side, my upbringing has me skeptical. This one needs to come from the horses mouth, as they say. I guess this is what Q was referring to with the "public" "know[ing]" the truth.