The Catholic Church has a peculiar reward and punishment system. If you molest children, you are simply moved to another parish. If you cover up massive sex abuse in Boston, such as Vicar General Alfred Hughes did, you get to become Archbishop of New Orleans (and in fairness to Hughes, you don't exactly hear the Catholics in New Orleans complaining about the appointment).

However, if you are Cardinal Bernard Law and the buck stopped with you in the massive cover-up of multiple sex abuse cases in Boston, you get a nice cushy appointment in Rome. Law has been named Archpriest of St. Mary Major Basilica, a highly visible post, albeit a ceremonial one.

To say that the Pope doesn't get it would be whacking understatement in the face.

The Church is very busy these days, what with trying to punish pro-choice Democrats. The odd thing is, no attempt is being made to punish pro-choice Republicans. And no priest or bishop has stepped forward to refuse Holy Communion to Catholic office-holders who favor capital punishment or who are divorced.

It's so confusing.