My wife is listening to Chris Matthews about the Church making progressive step forward.

[diabeticman]

Chris is too much of a wisher in the catholic church. It ain't going to happen. My wife was a catholic she was raised in the faith and she believe the catholic church --the male power center will never let happen again. If it wasn't women Priest/priestess during the first century the faith would not have survived

[hlthe2b]

1. I doubt we will see positive change of that score during our lifetimes...

That every single Cardinal (the power center of the church) has been named by either Ratzinger or John Paul, pretty much ensures hyperconservatism remains.

[diabeticman]

2. My wife believes John Paul did try but he did it too late in his life.

[hlthe2b]

3. I believe that Ratzinger was running the show in John Paul's later years--totally

[diabeticman]

6. Yes, for the most part but just before John Paul was too ill to keep his head up he started listenin

to young people and young adults and was trying to understand things that are happening in the modern world.

[Skidmore]

4. Did you hear the priest? that spoke after Matthews?

He was quick to pour cold water on all those wishes and to affirm that there is "beauty" to the cut and dried dogma of the ages.

[diabeticman]

5. Yeah. My wife said: "The Catholic Church today is even more Frighten of women in a possible priest

role than it has ever been before."

[Initech]

7. Catholic church? Progressive? Ha ha ha! If anything they're anti progress.

[SheilaT]

8. I was raised Catholic.

I can recall questioning a lot of what I was being taught at a very early age, like even before I made my First Communion.

Over the years I have preferred to think for myself rather than give up my independent thought to others, which is why, although I have very strong spiritual beliefs, I don't belong to any particular group.

I am also greatly disturbed by those who think they can change the Church from within. Not a single woman can, not really, and only a man who becomes a priest, cardinal, and then Pope can possibly effect any meaningful change.

Just my opinion.

[SharonAnn]

9. Mine, too. You can't change anything from within unless you have "a place at the table".

And women don't. And gays don't.

The change will have to come form outside, just like it does with most institutional changes.

I, too, was raised Catholic but my "well-formed conscience" won't allow me to support this version of Christ's teachings.

So, I have finally found an interdenominational church led by a wonderful minister and two assistant ministers (one is a woman) that focuses on living according to the actual teachings of Christ. It is way more liberal than the Catholic Church may ever be. And I'm at home there.

[talkingmime]

10. It's the oldest professional business and the riches one on earth, and yet,...

what they consider to be steps forward always reminds me of an invant falling forward from a parents knees, smashing it's head on the coffee table, and being completely ignored in its pain while all of the adults scream "HE TOOK IS FIRST STEP!"