Let's face it - Catholicism has to liberalize sometime

[_TJ_]

If not, it will eventually be abandoned as an irrelevance.

The teachings of the church have become less and less aligned with
the views of young people over the last 30 years, resulting in
far fewer people attending services than ever before.

Here in Ireland, 90% of people attended mass back in the 60s.
Nowadays, about 44% attend each week - and most of these
are older people. And this is actually one of the highest attendance
rates in Europe! The problem is that the church just isn't
relevant to young people here any more.

The world is always going to change - its institutions have
to change too or they will eventually vanish.

This new pope seems like more of the same - but with mass
attendance rates among catholics in France and Holland in
single digits, and perhaps as low as 25% in the US - just
how badly will the church regret this decision?

[Kellanved]

1. That's the problem

many had the hope that the cardinals would see that logic. However with Ratzinger - who wants the mass to be held in Latin again - they went in the opposite direction, arguing that people don't want a modern church.

:puke:

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. ...and they'll pay for it...actually lose for it. They've gotten no

offerings from me since October. Many more will leave over this. I won't fund intolerance.

[BrainRants]

5. Latin mass? BWAHAHAHAHA

That would help draw in more church members now wouldn't it?

Half this country can barely speak ENGLISH much less a second language.

They think Dominus is a game.

[demo dutch]

6. They'll cater to the few and devoted, and as long the pope is

on the side of the current administration he'll be popular with the non-catholic religious fanatics in this country as well. Bush will probably go his inauguration and "pump" the guy up.
The last Benedict was the pope during WW1, his peace efforts mounted to nothing. Ratzinger was head of the Dept of Inquisition. He's is so conversative,thinks that Protestants are heretics and probably feels that there should be new Crusades. Do you think he'll oppose an invasion into Iran?

[_TJ_]

7. LOL it's Ratzinger who doesn't want a modern church

talk about projection! :crazy:

[allemand]

9. It was a right-wing coup. Only a true democratization of the church

will remove them from power. But will that ever happen?

[eallen]

2. Nonsense. The Catholic Church could thrive as a right-wing sect.

That might make it irrelevant in Europe. Many would say it already is irrelevant there. But there are hundreds of millions of Christians in Africa, Asia, and the Americas who are attracted to conservative religion. That's not likely to change any time soon.

Don't confuse Ireland, or even Europe, with the world as a whole.

[Sandpiper]

3. Catholicism has also been on a sharp decline in Latin America

Which makes it all the more curious as to why Ratzinger would be the choice for Pope.

John Paul II was a very charimsatic Pope, but not even his charm could stop the bleeding.

If Ratzinger continues his hard line of "my way or the highway," more people are going to take "the highway" option.

[theHandpuppet]

8. Hey, give 'em time..

After all, they just forgave Galileo, didn't they?