""I think that the idea of "obedience to authority" in the Catholic Church has often been overstated, and sometimes understood as "obedience to the Pope." It has long been Catholic teaching that obedience to one's conscience takes precedence over any other authority. The Catholic Church is supposed to inform believers, who then must make the final decision regarding their own lives. At least in current times, official statements by the Catholic Church on moral issues, are rarely, if ever, stated in the form of commands - although the press and the right-wingers often reinterpret such statements in the form of absolute commands.

""What do they say, Ed (Canadian RCs)? I will admit to being on the progressive side of Roman Catholicism, but what I say is generally consistent with what I was taught in a Catholic seminary in the 1960s.""


Joe, a read of the RC generational survey indicates that it is an "overapplication of representativeness" to put all people in the RC church church in one grouping. The survey (which I can't certify that it was conducted well) indicates significant generational differences in the "adherence to the church's authority" (which seems reasonable to me). Since there are social and cultural difference among nations, it is not also "reasonable" to at least consider that there may also be similar differences among RC members from the many diverse RC countries (note that I have not seen any related research).

I am not sure just how reflective the comments I have heard from friends and relatives who are practicing RC's (none in the youngest generation noted in the survey). However, they indicate a greater acceptance of the authority of the church than you indicate from your experience above? If accurate, this may be a reflection of the difference in acceptance of authority between the USA and Canada? However, I have detect much frustration with the many sexual misconduct scandals by those in a position of trust(some may be more recent than in the USA).



Generational differences-survey