It’s often said, as comfort and encouragement, that when God closes a door, he opens a window.

So it was that, one day after Pennsylvania state legislators (yet again) revealed themselves to be a fabulous bunch of do-nothings — failing to advance a bill that would have reformed the statute of limitations on sexual abuse charges — it was reported that the federal government had covened its own, wide-ranging investigation into the matter of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church in Pennsylvania.

First reported by The Associated Press, the federal probe — initiated by U.S. Attorney William McSwain in Philadelphia — has already issued subpoenas to seven dioceses, including Pittsburgh. It could seek to make hay through federal statutes like the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), and the Mann Act — a little-known statute from 1910 that was written to hamstring forced prostitution and these days is being applied by prosecutors combating sex trafficking that involves children.

This is pertinent in Pennsylvania because the earth-shattering grand jury report released in August contained information that sexually abusive Catholic priests had, at times, taken children across state lines in the course of molesting them.

In the wake of the report victims continue to struggle mightily, and with mixed success, to achieve real change both within and outside of the church.

So far the fallout has taken down one powerful church official — Cardinal Donald Wuerl, whose resignation as archbishop of Washington, D.C., was accepted by the pope earlier this month. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro has also secured two convictions of priests — David Poulson and John Sweeney — who pleaded guilty to molesting children.

These are important victories for victims, but they aren’t nearly good enough.

The grand jury report laid bare the epic scope of institutional coverups that for decades allowed priests to victimize young people without fear of repercussions.

And so far the mea culpas forced out of church officials — like Wuerl’s resignation and Bishop David Zubick’s call for a “Year of Repentance” — have only further convinced people that church leaders are more interested in preserving their authority and the status quo than seeking forgiveness and change.

Is it any surprise that Catholics here and across the world have panned the church’s response to this scandal? According to a poll issued earlier this month by the Pew Research Center, just 3-in-10 American Catholics say Pope Francis is doing a good job.

There’s something else to condemn here as well: our state legislature’s embarrassing failure to act as advocates for victims in this tragedy.

This week, as the clock ran out on a reform bill that would have given victims a two year window to seek redress in civil court but would have shielded the church as an institution from such suits, Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati railed against those who objected to the bill.

It was Scarnati himself who effectively killed the bill by proposing the ridiculous and offensive shield for the church itself. But of course, it was he who had been wronged by his detractors, Scarnati told the media. Debate over the measure had become “disgusting”; the entire matter was “a disaster.”

By all means sir, let’s make this all about you — never mind the thousands of victims of actual abuse your chamber has failed.

Those actually interested in advocating for those victims — Shapiro and Majority Leader Dave Reed, who told Scarnati his lackluster bill wouldn’t receive support in the House, appear to be two — seem to grasp what they continue to face after all these years.

That is, powerful institutions and leaders who, given the choice, make the issue-at-hand about them — what they want; what they think; what they can help everyone learn from this scandal — rather than the people they are supposed to be helping.