Regarding reformation

A quote by Peter Kreeft expressed something eloquently that I have long known, but was unable to put into words.  He talks about the Church being a hypocrite at times in it's history - and while that's not necessarily a virtue, it's actually been BENEFICIAL at times.  Here are his words:

"No matter how morally bad the Church had gotten in the Renaissance, it never taught heresy. I was impressed with its very hypocrisy: even when it didn’t raise its practice to its preaching, it never lowered its preaching to its practice. Hypocrisy, someone said, is the tribute vice pays to virtue." (Read more here.  Peter Kreeft is the closest thing to C.S. Lewis we have around today, in my opinion). 

We can trust what the Church teaches - even when those members of the church body are sinful.  Even when they are hypocrites - saying one thing and doing another.  We are all imperfect.  But that Deposit of Faith, handed down meticulously from generation to generation from Christ himself through his Apostles, can be trusted.  Just as the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights are still AMAZING and BRILLIANT documents of our American ideals - even when Congress, or the President, or any of us for that matter, act contrary to them. The Church has had power-mongers at the helm, made bad choices, harbored sex offenders.  Yes.  Evil men have infiltrated, imperfect men have made mistakes.  Reformation (in it's true sense, of returning to the "straight path" - not changing to something "new and novel") is always a good thing when it is needed.  But the Deposit of the Faith remains unchanged throughout all of Christian history.  That is our "straight path".  The WAY.  And THAT is what I trust.