Mike, read what I said. I said American Catholics know very and care very little about what the Pope says, and most likely Nigerian Catholics know and care even less. The Catholic Church is centered in the local parish community and Rome is largely irrelevant to most Catholics.

And as a matter of fact, I know a good number of Nigerian and Rwandan Catholics who are recent immigrants to the United States, and I have asked them about parish life in their home countries.

So, how is it you know and I don't know how these poor, abused Catholics in Africa are constantly brainwashed with propaganda from the Pope? I have studied worldwide Catholicism with a critical eye all my life. I know with a good amount of certainty that the central authority in Rome is far less powerful than it seems to outsiders. Few Catholics have concerns that reach beyond their home parishes, and few priests spend time relaying orders from Rome. Sunday Mass primarily revolves around worshiping God, not getting marching orders from Rome.

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Ian sez: His (Benedict's) comments are repugnant, reckless and disgraceful.

Gimme proof, Ian. Give me a direct, in-context quote from Benedict, at least one paragraph long. Here are his published remarks - pick something. I will wholeheartedly agree that the sound bites the press (especially Reuters) extracts from his speeches are "repugnant, reckless and disgraceful." But when you read what Benedict says in complete paragraphs, he generally makes pretty good sense - even when I disagree with him. John Paul II was a different story - I could characterize many of his statements as "repugnant, reckless and disgraceful." And nonetheless, JPII was wildly popular, which drove me crazy.

Benedict has been pope since 2005. Since then, he has made two brief statements on condoms (one cautiously favorable) and one statement on homosexual marriage (which I haven't seen yet). He has made many more statements on peace, on economic justice, on the rights of immigrants, and a long list of other social justice issues. I would guess that condoms, homosexual marriage, and abortion might constitute five percent of what the Pope has said. Social justice issues are far more important to him, and to the Catholic Church in general. How much coverage does the press give to Catholic positions on social justice?


-Joe-