This, in fact, is one of the Pope’s problems.  It’s a point well made by Michael Sean Winters at America’s blog in a rather long post:

One of the consequences of Benedict’s background in theology and philosophy is that his concern for intellectual precision sometimes blinds him to the consequences of his statements. In the case of lifting the excommunication of the bishops of the Society of St. Pius X, he understood clearly that this was a first step, not a last one, that the bishops would need to accept the decrees of Vatican II and that such acceptance would include Nostra Aetate, and that the greater his own influence over the group, the more likely they are to be rid of some of their crazier beliefs. Pope Benedict did not, alas, foresee the consequences of his decision, or if he foresaw them, he decided to let the chips fall where they may. The decision itself was correct. Why worry about the consequences?

Here’s the thing.  The Pope is totally unaware, I think, that not only do ideas have consequences, but that the expression of these ideas have certian consequences as performances that are understood not as subtle points of strategy or rigor, but, instead, as plays within a game of cosmic morality, a game in which many might say the Church is not doing well.  Again, this is a game of appearances, a game which is explicitly superficial and possibly wrong to engage in.  However, be ye wise like serpents…