The term "pastoral manner" is used in the article as descriptive of the process, connoting empathy for the victims.

To the contrary, I suspect the process of litigation and bankruptcy is an effort to ascertain the LEAST amount of money they can get away with paying, not the MOST that is available.

As always, it is NOT about being fair, NOT about sorrow, NOT about atonement, NOT about the victims, NOT about accountability, NOT about a lot of things it should be about. It is about the money -- the RCC wants to keep it all, or as much as possible.