I will answer your questions, Robtex, then, hopefully, add some helpful reasoning to the major question of "why priest protection from secular courts?"
1. The question has a deceptive undertone that I would like to address (though I'm sure it isn't intended). Yes, anytime there is a priest(s) who performs any kind of immoral action, then there is a problem there. The fact that there are several, however small the number be with regards to the whole of the clergy, priests who have performed pedophilia is definitely a problem, not simply because it's scandalous to a religion who's striven for centuries to clear its name, and teaches honest morality among its members, but also because it's damaging to those victims in a more serious way than victims of pedophilia from persons of different organizations (namely, because it will drive such victims away from the idea of God, which is not a good), not to mention the pschological damage that it does. Yes, it is a problem. However, the deceptive nature of the question may lead some to believe that it is a problem with the clergy as a constitution/life-calling. This, I would not agree with. As can easily be seen, the majority (vast majority) of pedophilia cases are cases of homosexual pedophilia. I do not intend any insinuations about homosexuals here, I am simply stating a fact. What this suggests is that these priests, at least a great many of them, were probably not called to the priesthood as a life's vocation. Rather, these men most likely took up the priesthood because they believed that BECAUSE they were homosexual that MUST be their calling. The Church would never recognize this as proper grounds for the priesthood, and would actually dissuade this kind of reasoning.
This raises another issue, "why were such men, if it was not their vocation, allowed to become priests?" The answer is that in recent years, due to a low number of men being drawn to the priesthood, the Church, in a sense, has been desperate for priests. As a result, the "screening" process, undoubtedly, slackened, and such men were not recognized as they were allowed into the priesthood. The Church recognizes this problem, and, due to the (far too large) number of pedophilic priests exposed in recent years, has been taking steps to correct the problem (ie, putting young men, who are interested in the priesthood, through more a rigorous "screening" process).
Don't be fooled, the Church government (magisterium) has been deeply hurt by the betrayal of these priests, and those who had chosen to "protect" them, and acknowledges that such actions are terrible, and does take action to correct the problem.
2. The link I provided wasn't a means for solving the problem. Rather, it was simply in attempt to bring the issue at hand into proper perspective (that is, that the Catholic priest pedophiles are not a majority figure of offenders in a position of authority, and that that Church (magesterium, not necessarily individual members... the Church as a whole) is not simply sitting idly by and ignoring the issue, nor ignoring the wrongness of those priests).
What can be done, while you may not think it good enough action (I don't know) is to more closely, and more strictly decide who may enter the priesthood. Removal of the priest from his postition of authority, as well as the removal of his clerical status, is also another step to be taken against known offenders, as well as those who helped in covering the actions up. Realize, that for a priest to lose his clerical status it is as good as losing everything you've worked for in life. The priesthood is a position held in especial honor in the Catholic Church, it is a promise and commitment to the service of God by means of sacriments, and teaching. In the Catholic Church the priest has powers that none other have (according to our beliefs). The priest has the power to call God to earth, to call down the power of God to forgive, and to baptize, washing away the stain of original sin, both the power of God to remove guilt of sin, and its metaphysical effects. The priest, unlike a married couple, is a priest forever (even after death). Therefore, to be unable to perform those duties which you have sworn and dedicated your life to is a heavy price to pay (for one who believes it thus). It is like being fired from your job and losing the possibility of living your dream and having your children taken away from you (as a priest, you are to consider all whom you teach and service as your own children, and to love them as such). This is the effect of having the priest's clerical status removed. You may not think it is so severe, but to a man who has spent his entire life training to do one thing, and then to have all that training be useless, it is as though his whole life has been meaningless, and what is worse, is that HE is the cause of its own meaninglessness. The elderly have the most difficulty adjusting to new circumstances. How much different is this than a jail sentence? Protection of other youth? Such men are very closely monitered (at least now) after such actions.
So, even if this doesn't convince you totally, why else would the Church try to protect priests from prison sentences? The answer to this has to do with the esteem that the Church holds for the office of priesthood. In committing such horrendous actions, the priest, himself, defiles the sacred office. The Church desires that the priestly vocation keep its integrity, as well as its dignity. While these priests may have desecrated both the priestly integrity and dignity, the Church would not like to see it further desecrated, which will UNDOUBTEDLY occur if the priest were to be sent to public prisons. You may not consider this to be a sufficient answer, but this is because you do not believe as Catholics believe. As has already been stated, a priest is a priest forever, and so to have a priest abused (no matter their crime) is to defile the priestly office. This does not mean that the priest shouldn't be punished. The priest SHOULD be punished, but not in a way that would allow for abuse.
You may see this as a cop out, that people would become priests simply to receive that kind of protection. However, with the punishments prescribed, and the strictures being put in place against the wrong kind of men being allowed into the priesthood, that objection doesn't hold much weight. It may have held weight 50-100 years ago, but not now, when the Church is now taking the necessary actions (as it deems wise) to prevent such vocational abuse.
*sigh* from the onlooker's point of view, this answer may be entirely unconvincing. However, as a believer, such reasoning holds weight, since in believing as we do, the punishment proscribed to the offending priests is considered quite serious.
