I think the case of Marko Ivan Rupnik is instructive. He's a Catholic priest who used to belong to the Jesuit order, and who developed a reputation as an important contemporary artist. He became quite powerful and influential.

In the past couple of years it's come out that he sexually abused many women, many of them nuns, for decades, often using his priestly authority to pressure women.

It took many years of complaints for the Church to move against Rupnik, and when the wheels of justice finally started to grind into action, they moved very slowly and far from conclusively.

Despite testimony from many of Rupnik's rape and abuse victims, The church will not strip him of his priestly status, and he's been observed in Rome celebrating Mass (leading Mass) with his supporters.

The Church cites canon law and all sorts of difficulties prosecuting the man, but Pope Francis could, if he so chose, take instant, definitive action.

But he won't.

And so it goes.

And the more things change, the more they remain the same.