So, Mike, I think I've provided fairly good evidence that there is a considerable amount of local autonomy in the Catholic Church. I've experienced that local autonomy first-hand all my life. You continue to deny that it exists. Might it be all right for me to ask that you provide evidence to the contrary?

It's my understanding that worldwide, abortion rates and the use of birth control and more-or-less the same for Catholics and non-Catholics. Same with the rates of divorce and remarriage. This is not, to my mind, an indication that Catholics are marching in lockstep with the Old Man in Rome.

When have I ever implied that "everything is OK with Catholicism worldwide"? I referred above to the child abuse and molestation problem as an atrocity. I know very few priests who are happy being celibate - the exception being members of religious orders who, like nuns, choose to be celibate and live in community. I think women should be eligible for ordination - and failure to do so is a slap in the face to women. I think the entire theology of sexuality needs to be re-thought by all the churches. I think that society in general needs to develop new, realistic values and philosophical underpinnings for sexuality.

There are huge portions of the billion-member Catholic Church that are in sad shape and in need of correction - and I would include many aspects of the Vatican in that. But of course, I don't think one can expect a billion-member organization to be uniformly pristine. On the other hand, there are huge portions of the Catholic Church that function admirably and accomplish a lot of good.

There are those above who see it as horrible that I remain a Catholic. You know, I think that choice is up to me. I acknowledge all the wrong that's done in my church, and I prefer to stick around and see if that wrong can be righted. Why should I give up and run away from all that, abandoning my church to wrongdoers? Despite all that I see as wrong, I have been able to enjoy my life as a Catholic immensely, to be supported in the work I feel called to do. And on top of all that, I belong to religious communities where I feel at home among friends. There's also the matter of my relationship with God, which is very important to me but not something I go on about at Mudcat.


So, Mike - this principle of local autonomy is spelled out in the Code of Canon Law, and has been for centuries. There are certain authorities that Rome has, but most are based on consensus decisions by the bishops. And for the most part, each diocese operates independently, and each parish operates independently within its diocese. If you have proof to the contrary, please provide it.

-Joe-


*and Mike, my friends from Rwanda and Nigeria are mostly priests and nuns. Does that make them incapable of knowing what goes on in local parishes and dioceses in their home country?