Sigh. Well there may have one or two "negative" remarks about the Church on this thread, but as far as I can see most of the remarks in question have been critical, not negative.

In recent years the Church itself (not its critics) has shown itself to be fundamentally institutionally flawed. The errors we see arising are not sporadic or piecemeal. They propagate all the more because of lies and denials and protection of perpetrators. That is what's so sad. I don't see anyone here condemning two thousand years of Catholicism because of a few maverick priests and nuns, but I do see an institution that is rotten almost to its core. The institution, not Catholics. You're going to need more than a John XXIII. Every cardinal now in the ring is a product of a rotten setup, don't forget. Only a time-serving insider is going to get the job. Don't you think that sounds a bit hopeless?