There is no amount of denial people are incapable of when it comes to the dark depths of religion.  My best friend is Irish-American Catholic (although of his beliefs, he refers to himself as a Spinozan Catholic).  His mother is college educated and a retired school teacher, but she can't get enough of the Pope, regularly runs off to Rome, and won't listen to anything about the child abuse scandals.  It isn't just a matter of the shills at the Iona Institute playing spin doctor.  There are millions of laity like my friend's mother, and they're the real obstacle.