The Vatican has rejected the U.S. Bishops sexual abuse policy. Good God, when do they start to care about the victims? Yes it is hard to keep an institution from growing into an end in itself instead of a means to an end, but when you are brought up short you should be able to recognize you are wrong. I suppose that is the core problem, being able to admit to being wrong. A denomination that emphasizes confession should be better at learning from its mistakes institutionally. And better at drawing the distinction between forgiveness, which is hopefully always possible, and reconciliation, which shouldn't be attempted when it poses a risk of reabuse of vulnerable people (see Forgiveness Forum).

A story from the San Francisco Chronicle says: "'What upsets many priests is when it involves something like an open-mouth kiss with a 16-year-old that happened 40 years ago -- and that was the only offense,' said Maurice Healy, spokesman for San Francisco Archbishop William Levada." Sorry, I don't think an open-mouth kiss with a 16 year old is minor.
And I bet that 46 year old's life is still being affected.