You know, Jim, I identify with the Catholic Church. After 8 years of seminary, it's hard not to. It has been an integral part of my life for almost 70 years. I had so much hope for my church when the Second Vatican Council came, proclaiming all sorts of wonderful ideals. And then came the reign of John Paul II, 1978 to 2005, 27 years of retrenchment and repression - and the coverup of the sexual abuse of children. You have no idea how terrible I felt about all those horrible things happening in the church I loved. I struggled to rise above all that and carry on, but it was hard.

Benedict made a good start in rising out of that repressive period, and Francis is a ray of hope, but I'm still not certain we're going to survive all this.

So, yeah, Jim, I'm still trying to come out of the bad times that lasted so long.

And you don't help. Not a bit.

-Joe-