We very much miss JP2 and yes, Benedict too. Both appeared to be very sincere and far more respectful of core faith teachings. The scandals within the church have needed Swamp Draining for a long time. A very long time. Not sure how or when theyll get cleaned up, though. It seems maybe that no pope can do it???
I honestly contemplated the hypothetical possibility of something like this happening almost 30 years ago: I remember my husband and myself talking about it as a kind of speculative exercise in "What would you do if...?" On the order of "What would you do if there were no gravity?"
Something we honestly thought could never happen, not in our lifetime, not in God's lifetime.
The very definition of Absurd.