More of the same in my opinion. 76 year old man living in the past, against same sex marriage, married priests and ordaining women. The Catholic Church needs to wake up and get on the right side of these issues if it hopes to survive. Sadly with this man in charge in Rome it is not going to happen very soon.

the original: the Catholic Church is the Catholic Church. It isnt going to change centuries of traditions to be on the "right side of these issues". Their stand is what makes them the Catholic Church and not the Unitarian Universalist Church.

Just because society changed, doesnt mean the churches should, does it? Either they stand by their beliefs or they dont.

Good news a Pope who is from the outside of Europe, second he is a Jesiut, third he is from the Americas and fourth he is Italian. Now the first thing he must do is turn over to all government authorities the records of all the priests who abused children. Then turn over all the names of the Bishops and Cardinals who covered it up. Then remove them from the church. Stop all the ponzi and shell games of moving money into certain funds and then declaire the Diocese bankrupty. (Example Cardinal Dolan in Wisconsin). Accept the organization of nuns (LCWR) and stop the witch hunt. The nuns are the truly great Catholics in this church. Open the priesthood to women and allow priest to marry. Reopen all the closed churches in the US and give them back the money that their Bishops took from these parishes. Support these parishes from all the money that Rome is sitting on (Last figure was $50 billion).
Finally 80% of all Catholic women are using conterceptives and birth control. Just accept it and give up the empty language of outdated ideas. 65% of all Catholics favor same sex marriages. Also 65% agree its time for the church to accept women as priests and allow priest to marry.

Then and only then can this church be the great religion and church again

Dan L

Dan - are you a Catholic? I didn't think so. Please keep your suggestions to yourself. The Church is the Church and will never change Church teachings and Dogma. If you don't understand that then may I suggest some college-level Theology courses.

Mr. LaVigne,
and your theological justification for these changes are...........? The Pope is a Pope, not God. He must be bound by his best understanding of God's Will, not his own or that of the current society.

Mars - typical liberal gibberish. intelligent discussion is impossible when all you want to do is bash Catholics. Perhaps if you attend church (of your choice) on Sunday your heart will open some.

Personally I'm not a religious person. I have a lot of faith in my heart, and I feel that I don't need go to to church to prove that to the higher power.

I will say that it's not fair to label a religion based on the corruption of some of its men. Power corrupts and that is one constant in the universe. No doubt Catholics have done much good in this world, and so have Muslims.

Your right Ms Mars the church accepts priest abusing and molesting children. If they didn't then it would have stopped years ago. The priest and the Bishops who covered it up would no longer be in the church they would have all been in prison.
And yes I am a catholic but not the kind that closes his eyes and covers his ears and accepts what the leaders preach without questioning it.

I understand The Flat Earth Society chose a new leader recently.

Strange how that didn't get much notice.

Mr..Thomas I support your new parish and your pastor 100%. What I would like to see is the Bishop give the Old St.Peters back to you and your pastor. There was no reason for him to close it in the first place. Second there is noting wrong in supporting the LCWR and the good that this group does. Also supporting the Future Church and their goal of getting women priest. Lets face it in todays society you would have a hard time finding Catholics not supporting this along with same sex marriages and birth control and conterceptive for women and women rights to control their own bodies when it comes to medical care for themselves. What needs to happen is the 95% of good priests must speak out and call for the leaders to give over the records of priest and Bishops involved in the abuse of children.

The water is warm and all are welcome to the one true and original church of christ where taking advantage of the sacraments daily help us all develop a close relationship with our living god. If anyone cares to join I would be happy to sponsor them. God bless and nice work Holy Spirit. You picked another great one.

religions only purpose is to start wars.