It’s all been done, oh, it’s all been done before

The ranters and ravers calling daily for Cardinal Law’s resignation — from VOTF to 45 diocesan priests (out of 900) to Mark Shea — seem to have forgotten that the Vatican doesn’t jump to respond to public pressure. And while all this hub-bub is new to Americans, it’s old hat to Rome, because they went through similar pressure campaigns a few years ago from the German and Austrian “We Are Church” movement. And in that case Rome did then what it’s doing now: a bishop accused personally of sexual misconduct resigned, and otherwise… not much happened all that quickly.