Reply #4: It was the phrase "at risk" that caught my attention

[Tuvok Obama]

As usual, the attitude of Catholic leaders is in favor of protecting the institution. I don't see why the molestation and rape of children is not treated as an emergency, and has not been treated as such for many decades.

Perhaps if the church (i.e., the church's finances) were "at risk" because of all the pedophiles in its employ who keep getting transferred (instead of turned in to the authorities for arrest and imprisonment), then the church might try a little harder to protect its own children.

With all the scandals from past decades and especially what's come out in the past few weeks, I'm baffled that Catholic children are not considered by the church to be "at risk" for molestation and rape.

To answer your question, one defends against charges that are that old by ceasing to perpetuate new ones -- in other words, by turning in pedophiles instead of covering for them. In the meantime, I hope the Catholic church hemorrhages money.