Shar,
Your first thought is my final conclusion.  The simple truth is that if bishops still need to be told that the sexual abuse of minors is heinously wrong, or told how to "handle" such cases, or need "education" in these matters, the problems in the church go much deeper than "just" this scandal. 

How could a man possibly rise to the level of bishop, archbishop or even Cardinal WITHOUT knowing, in the deepest fiber of his being, that abuse is wrong?  How could such a think happen even once in the church, much less so often that the church spends years developing training for them?  There is something so backwards here, so intrinsically terrifying, as to call to question the very nature of the church itself, as currently defined by the bishops.  They STILL seem to want it both ways: a recognition of the problem (along with plenty of "wink-wink, nudge-nudge" responses), coupled with absolute moral, ecclesiastical powers over the laity.  Accountability - "nah."