One other thought that occurs to me - this is just a "little theory," of course -
Most people have a certain ability to "think for themselves." Some just simply don't. Or don't want to. Or feel they want to be on "solid ground." I really do feel that higher-ups in the Church are intelligent enough to understand that. (MOST of them, I mean - again, I think it's a mistake to stereotype a very large group of individuals or feel that they're all the same.) If they say "YES DAMMIT IT HAPPENED THE WAY THE BIBLE SAYS!!! TO THE LETTER! IGNORE THE FOOTNOTES WE ADDED IN THE BIBLE, THAT HAVE BEEN THERE IN EVERY SINGLE PRINTING SINCE 1970!!! CREATION HAPPENED AS-IS, ADAM AND EVE HAPPENED, EVERYTHING HAPPENED STRICTLY THAT WAY DAMBIT!!!" - -- Then those who need that "concrete surface" to stand on, will have it, and those who are able to think for themselves will have the understanding to realize that it's a "wink-wink" kind of a thing. That's my perspective on it, anyway.
Of course, I could be wrong and maybe there WAS in fact an Adam and Eve and the Earth is 10,000 years old and evolution never happened. In which case, paint my face red...
By the way, did you know there's Jesuit M.D.'s? I bet M.D.'s, almost for sure, would pretty much have to believe in evolution. There's many differerent groups within the church; it's a VERY large organization with millions of individuals.