I definitely hate discussing religion. Fastest way of losing a friend. Will through out a few thoughts though. 1st - how come so many of those claiming to be abused happened 30 - 40 yrs ago? They are just now claiming to be traumatised. We have trouble believing a rape victim if she reports it just hours after but we believe all these people who claim it YEARS after. I feel a money making/fame scheme in the works. 2nd - why would being a large land owner be hard to understand? Think about every small town in the world that has a little church. It may be only a small lot but you add all of them together and they become a big number. Then throw in the cemetaries, shrines, monuments, hospitals, convents, monestaries, retirement homes, orphanages, etc. I would be surprised if they [/u]didn't own a lot of land. We have no problem with the thousands of acres one family can own in say - Montana(for example). 3rd - the Catholic church teaches "turn the other cheek", they are against killing such as abortion and lethal injection. I am not sure what people expect the Pope to do when these are the church beliefs. The accusations that were found to be true - the priests were relieved of their duties. They have no one and no where to go. Most priests are older and don't have living family to return to. Isolated. The accusations that were not proven - the priests were still punished by being reassigned. The parish becomes their family. They lost their family. Try imagining being told you could no longer be a part of your family, that you now have to try and fit in somewhere else. No past memories, past experiences, past ties to bind you to that family. Not trying to say that the Catholic church is totally right in all things. Just trying to point out that there is more than meets the eye. Some things are hard for even devote Catholics to understand. Imagine it would be even harder for those not raised in that religion. Just some thoughts.