Consider this then a progressive referendum on Benedict’s sincerity (and real substance).
Indeed, enough of the talk and total in-action, is the rightful position of the Progressives. The real question - Why is it not Benedict’s?
This is a key part of the “change” process the progressives demand, and justifiably expect. Unfortunately, the lack of true action in this one particular area of change suggests Benedict seems more interested in looking photog sharp for his Yankee Stadium history capturing Kodak moment, then he does the forever damaged victims past, present and future, some of whom may even be in the bleachers watching, praying and hoping for him to hit them a home run and signal during his sermon that the time has finally come for true and real substantive justice.
With that specific illustrative “change” example, back now to the broader and diverse “litany of change platform” the Progressives seek. It’s as if some top secret session then convened in the bowels of St. Peter’s Basilica in the mid to late ‘70’s to address this heretofore unheard of blasphemy, and a conclusion seemingly reached – we either change with our customers or lose the Progressive base.
Analyst Note:
Church hierarchy presents itself as unable to change under the opportunistic guise that change violates “church teachings”. To show that this is more of a smoke screen than reality, consider one example where it is not so. That is the issue of priests marrying, which itself is all balled up in the celibacy issue.
Wikipedia notes “Celibacy for priests is a “discipline” in the Roman Catholic Church, not a “doctrine”: in other words, a church regulation, but not an integral part of Church teaching….Because the rule of clerical celibacy is a law and not a doctrine, exceptions can be made, and it can, in principle, be changed at any time by the Pope. Nonetheless, both the present Pope, Benedict XVI, and his predecessor, spoke clearly of their understanding that the traditional practice is unlikely to change.”
Therefore, as respects” change”, it is not that the Catholic Church is unable to change. It simply prefers (chooses) not to.
So while Benedict “can”, the problem is simply that Benedict “won’t” – allow priests to marry or for that matter, relatedly allow women to be priests. If the Progressives expect change/movement on this and many other fronts, it may indeed be a case of Mission Impossible for them, as Mission America steamrolls right over it.
Deciding to stay the course, and without a new market and customer base, the Church was doomed to collapse as that decision put the progressive segment in virtual runoff. The pivotal boomer generation abruptly changed its weekly services attending habit from the “every Sunday” frequency of generations before, to just twice a year in the newly formed C&E (Christmas and Easter) Club. That affect was compounded by the fact that succeeding generations were not ingrained with the “Catholic guilt” legacy, the pervasive bulwark of the Church’s progressives membership infusion these last two centuries in the United States, Europe and probably the rest of the developed world. The influence to view anything other than Catholic as wrong, coupled with a one way ticket to Hades for missing a Sunday mass became ineffectual. The robust recruiting/holding effect of that eternal damnation sword of Damocles was forever gone with the boomers and succeeding generations.
Again in corporate terms, and one losing relevance with its customers, the Church ironically decided not to reengineer the company, but rather boldly retool its customer base, to one more attuned to buying its traditional product offering. To do so however, would require the Vatican “Board” to find a new “CEO-like” symbol for the brand. Enter John Paul II, the de-facto Eveready Bunny of Catholic Inc. marketing and recruiting.
He kept going and going and going – everywhere, to mitigate member outflow, and grow elsewhere. His mission then to generate real global member growth by both slowing the erosion rate of the progressives, and simultaneously accelerating new demographic membership. The latter required focus on geographies where core church conservatism would still sell and sell well – i.e. third world nations.
Generally impoverished and seeking anything spiritual to latch their hopes and dreams onto, these people’s became easy prey for a clever and attractive sales pitch. Perhaps the most “Popish” (although this Analyst has been impressed with Benedict’s unexpected ability to pull it off too) of any papal leader in modern times, in terms of his way and mannerisms, almost actor like, John Paul II was able to brilliantly make that important personal sales connection with this vulnerable audience, and reason why he sold so incredibly well.
In conclusion, the Vatican shrewdly realized the 20 generation or so catholic guilt cycle is broken and it’s progressive base must be courted if it is to be retained. To do so requires the Church to compete with progressive Christian religions and do what it has made a very clear decision not to do – i.e. change. That decision not to change from hardcore church conservatism principles, evidence John Paul’s reign, was confirmed in a final swipe at the progressive membership with the selection of a staunch conservative, the German born and raised Benedict, as John Paul’s successor. Conservative, not as respects global issues related to defense and economics per se, but rather hawkishly conservative on church dogma and principles – i.e. the stand on abortion, inaction on sex abusing priests, women priests, divorce, stem cell research etc. A Pontiff who to be fair, and quite sympathetically, grew up an very difficult if not horrible environment, including being forced into membership in the Hitler Youth during World War II, which he appropriately then and since roundly denounced. Yet still one who’s hardened upbringing and embracement of religious conservatism is further evidenced in nicknames Benedict has been given in the press, including “God’s Rottweiler”, “Panzerkardinal” and “Cardinal No”.
With that background, the takeaway message from the white smoke billowing from the ancient chimney of the Sistine Chapel three years ago upon the election of Cardinal Ratzinger to Pope Benedict XVI - We’d (Catholic Church) rather grow by losing (.i.e. not changing) – the Progressives.
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