Name:   Talullahhound - Subject:   The Pope Has Interesting Comments Date:   9/12/2017 12:01:59 PM

I have to agree with you in principle.  I don't think the Catholic Church is in decline any more than any other church.  And I don't think the scandals have really been any worse than some I have heard of in the Protestant Church.  My MIL was a life long Baptist and in her church, the Music Director seduced a 14 year old and the pastor was carrying on an affair with in church member in front of his wife.  That is only one church, but lets just say that humans are tempted by sin, no matter what their religious stripe. 

In my years, I have known a lot of priests and nuns, who had a calling and were in fact, very fine people.  Years ago, on a cat forum I belonged to, the brother of one of the members, who was a priest, joined our group and had his own "ministry".  Even non-Catholics sought him out for guidance.  I believe that God placed him there, becasue there was a need among our membership.  We were all quite devastated when he died suddenly of a heart attack, and everyone still remembers him, although it must be 14 years ago. 

A lot of Catholics are upset by the more liberal positions taken by Pope Francis.  But to make the Catholic Church out to be worse than other relgions is a mistake.  Let's face it - a lot of churches have "liberalized" their views of homosexuality and divorce, in an attempt to keep up with a societial shift. 

I may not agree with the changes that Pope Francis has made, yet, they do pertain to church matters and spiritual leadership.  I just think he is way out of his lane, getting involved in other secular matters.  Someone commented to me on another discussion that "preservation of our planet" is a spiritual matter, but I disagree.  (and we acutually had a civil discussion about it).  And as far as U.S. immigration policy, the Pope is way out of his lane there.  It's not a matter of executing the "dreamers", but rather sending them back to where they would have been if they or their parents had not broken the law to start with.  I don't see it as a "prolife" issue.