[St.Chuck]

You've hit the nail on the head. The Dowdifiers are taking advantage of this scandal to promote their agendas. To me, more involvement by the laity would include daily mass, weekly confession, the divine office, etc. But to the secularized church, more involvement means meetings, it means gaining control, it means augmenting change. The word " change" will forever remind me of Clinton's '92 campaign. A very negative conitation, in which change for its own sake resembles something virtuous. I doubt most Catholics are very knowlegable about what they propose to change. Yes, the American way is to react, take action, to immediately satisfy any need and dispel any discomfort. THe church, however, is much more patient and much more prudent. There will always be conflict when opposing paradigms engage one another.

[american colleen]

To me, more involvement by the laity would include daily mass, weekly confession, the divine office, etc. But to the secularized church, more involvement means meetings, it means gaining control, it means augmenting change.

It is definitely a control issue. When do we ever hear the word "obedience" anymore?

My priest is kind of liberal. During a homily he gave a few months ago, he addressed the mounting opposition and calls for resignation of Bernard Cardinal Law. I could see it pained him, but he told us that he took a vow of obedience to his Cardinal, and he wasn't going to break it and add to the cacophony of voices.

That said, I do know that he wrote the Cardinal and outlined some of the concerns of the parishioners.