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Pope Benedict XVI's abdication is unlikely to lead to big changes on major issues, experts say.
Some Catholic progressives view the abdication of Pope Benedict XVI as an opportunity for the church to usher in a more liberal era, but many Vatican watchers don't see big changes on the horizon.
NBC News' Vatican expert, George Weigel, said hot-button issues like women in the priesthood, contraception and abortion won't be game-changers in the selection of a successor because all the serious contenders will have the same solidly traditional positions.
"The notion that a papal transition is like getting a new president or governor or mayor is a false analogy," Weigel said.
Rocco Palmo, who writes the blog "Whispers in the Loggia," agrees.
"The teaching of the church is the teaching of the church and it's not a pope’s prerogative to change it," he said.
Weigel contends the new pope won't be under any serious pressure to loosen the doctrine because the factions of the church that "agitate these questions are dying."
Courtesy FutureChurch
Chris Schenk, executive director of FutureChurch, says there's the possibility of change with the selection of a new pope, but not everyone agrees.
"In the United States, 250,000 people came into the Catholic Church last Easter," he said. "Those people are not embracing 'Catholic Lite.' They're embracing the new Catholic evangelism."
Sister Chris Schenk, executive director of the progressive FutureChurch coalition, said her hope is that a progressive will break away from the pack and that one day soon there could be married priests or female deacons.
"Whether it happens in this next papacy or the one after that, I don't know, but I think it will happen," she said.
She pointed to Pope John XXIII, who was not expected to bring great change when he was elected in the 1958 but later opened the Second Vatican Council, which led to modern reforms.
Palmo, though, said Vatican II didn't alter the substance of church teachings, just the "articulation of it," such as allowing Mass to be said in the local language instead of Latin, and involving more lay people in the liturgy.
"There's style and there's substance, and when we're talking substance, no change," he said.
Weigel said that when the conclave begins, the papal candidates will likely be evaluated on how well they can handle a set of less polemical challenges:
— Europe's Catholic population is declining, and the College of Cardinals will be looking for a leader who can encourage "off-brand" charismatic renewal movements that are gaining strength outside the parishes, but without letting them "careen off into the bizarre," Weigel said.
— The new pope will need the tools to promote religious freedom internationally and confront efforts to equate "biblical morality" with intolerance, Weigel said.
— The Roman Curia, which is essentially the bureaucracy of the Holy See, is in desperate need of adminstrative reform, Weigel said. The cardinals could decide that should be the top priority and choose a new pope who can get the job done, "someone who can tackle it themselves or will understand they need to hire a cardinal to be secretary of state and make it work," he said.
Related:
Who's next? Eight contenders who could succeed Pope Benedict
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Just reading about NBC's so called 'expert'. He may know Vatican doings, but his views are decidedly biased, and you would do well to identify that in your story.
I don't really see it. The article gives a frankly honest assessment of what the new Pope is up against. No point in sugar coating it.
The Vatican is facing a pretty serious PR/credibility problem. You have the abuse scandal, reported power struggles and corruption within the Vatican. The bruising image this election cycle had on evangelicals in general. The list goes on.
Whoever is elected Pope is tasked with more than just being a religious leader. He also has to perform damage control and course correction.
What does an old man living in an elaborate mansion on an immense estate surrounded by priceless works of art have to do with Jesus Christ? Why not elect a man in his late twenties to early thirties and send him out with nothing but the clothes on his back to inspire people with his message until someone gets annoyed and kills him, then elect another?
Ya know, I was just thinking about Al Gore who flies around in his massive fuel burning jet, selling his network to inbred oil barons and terrorist supporters as well as living in a massive mansion telling us were killing the planet.
Considering his story as a child and past legacy he is to be respected, this coming from myself a protestant, yet he IS a good man. Catholicism is the HEART of Christianity. The only thing ODD in the story is how NBC hopes for radicalization to slip it's claws into the TOP of the organization, much like it has slipped it's claws into the top of our Government. Church for abortion? What kind of moron wrote this story? Contraception and abortion are 2 different things, a fact perverted by our political leaders.
I believe it would be a nod of approval towards countries emerging as predominately Catholic to have the next holy father from said countries, whether Africa or Mexico. Either way through God they will make a good decision and hopefully one that ticks the libs off who want rot to infest it's way into out churches.
I personally feel the same way about the RCC infesting my government with authoritarian and anti-liberty notions. Stop trying to pass laws that tell me how to live and you'll probably not see us again.
"Voting your conscious" is an illusion, since it does not change the way "your" conscious controls your life - it is only meant to control my conscious and the way I live my life.
Simply put, it is the RCC and evangelicals that are the aggressors in government, not the other way around. Stop playing the victim.
Catholic progressives? There's an oxymoron for you!
Rot has infested our churches, and it had nothing to do with 'libs'. The Catholic church is rotting from within. Those who cannot bear to hear anything negative about their religion or church are a huge part of the problem. They are the parents, bishops, cardinals and even the Pope, who ignored the problem of pedophile priests.
We have freedom of speech in America and that extends to your sacred cow, the Catholic church. You should thank God for that.
Elect a Woman Pope.
Women priest, priest getting married, priest allowed same sex marriage, priest marrying alter boys, wow! The Catholic church sure has a rough road ahead and we will all be dead when they finally come around to it. Sort of a full circle though because priest and the pope used to be able to get married and who knows what else.
If a new Pope doesn't propose some reforms to adapt to these changing times -- where the internet now exists, and public education and science about the world and the universe is available and widespread -- the Old Church will continue its slow slide into irrelevance.
Georg Gaenswein should be the next Pope. He is the future of the Catholic Church in my view.
If you're really concerned about the RCC's future, you might back the Papacy of the lovely Sister Chris
Schrenk. Better move fast, however, before she's excommunicated for being "uppity."
WHen their "biblical morality" threatens to write laws I and my family have to live by, they're going to get a hell of a lot of pushback from those of us who don't believe in theocracy...
I wondered what the statement meant. The reporter should have ferreted that out. Did Weigel mean that the church would have to stomp on those who are using biblical morality to enforce intolerance? or did he mean that the church would have to tell everyone to shut up and put up because biblical morality is what it is? I don't remember growing up with a church that hated either muslims or jews. I remember a catholic church who actually met with leaders of countries that were predominently Jewish and predominently Muslim. In fact, I even remember a church that encouraged Israel to start getting along with the Muslims. That wasn't intolerance. So.. yeah Weigel did NOT explain well what he meant. Speaking of which, Weigel seems like a good German name, surely rigidity and austerity has nothing to do with his predictions. <sarcasm>
aww- oh
Photo: Lightning Strikes Vatican After Pope's Resignation
Many are talking about the strike's incredible timing
http://weather.aol.com/2013/02/11/photo-lightning-strikes-the-vatican/
The future of the Catholic Church according to msnbc ..... please! No women priests, no on abortion, no homosexuality. No one is running for president here.
Why no women priests? It's just people talking about "god" and whatnot.
bilbao72,
No women priests because the Church is considered a female being, it is a "she". Thus the marriage of priest to church, male to female. A woman priest would be married to a female Church, contradicting the stance of the church on homosexual unions. Also explains why priests cannot be married to women like Protestant ministers can. They are already wed to the Church.
FYI
That explains everything - the church confuses humans with buildings and other inanimate objects like kitchen appliances.
And the church is concerned with rigid gender roles not just for people but for buildings.
It also explains why the church opposes marriage equality, because buildings are sentient and can sign legal contracts.
"Churches are people my friend".
On another note does that mean that the Church is a slut? I mean "she" is "married" to over 10,000 men at the same time...
No Skrekk, anneigh's statement doesn't explain anything because its idiotic. The teaching of the Church, as declared by John Paul II (agree with it or not) is that because Christ did not select any women as His Apostles (as differentiated from the rest of us who are disciples, not Apostles) the Church has no authority to ordain women as priests. There is evidence however (Dan Brown's fantasies aside) that there were women who were leaders in the early Church (such as Mary Magdalene). There are also some subtle hints in the canonical scriptures that Christ's mother had a much more directive role in the early Church than tradition would dictate. The notion that Christ intended to create a Church with a more "gender-equal" distribution of power is not without some merit. These women however were easily pushed aside in a society that granted women virtually no legal rights and barely recognized their status as people. The Church solidified the marginalization of women during the Council of Nicea in the 400's when the canon of accepted books in the Catholic Bible were finalized. Texts that supported a larger role for women in the Church were excluded from the final canon and the rest, as they say, is history.
The reason there will never be women in positions of power in the church is because the church has nothing but institutionalized hatred and fear of the female sex. We are considered NOTHING but vessels through which new, paying customers for the catholic carnival arrive (or domestic servants ala the nuns). As for children, they are the equivalent of cannon fodder: left to starve and suffer in the abject poverty of the 3rd world countries that convert the unsophisticated and superstitious native population, or as sex objects to be robbed of all innocence and left as soul dead entities without hope. There, does that break it down for you?
Hit the nail right on the head Sorcha.
yes, very well put Sorcha.
Thank, God! I was scared there for a moment that the Church might actually have a new thought!
Last thing the Church needs is "liberalism."
Last thing anybody needs is the Church, also known as the Society for the Protection of Pedophiles in Robes.
Good grief, all priests aren't pedophiles, very very few are. Just like all Democrats aren't rigid Marxist ideologues that hate America, just the mainstay of them since the 70's when the moderate democrats were excommunicated. Then again, when the head of the party (the Democrats) are lead by a Marxist Pied Piper, lets just say all the rats crawl forth from the sewer to rejoice. Ever consider a name change???? Maybe DemocratDrone. Nothing better than hate from a person who has Government as their God.
God forbid the Church be for the poor and downtrodden.
Brutal, the number of pedophiles hiding in the RCC is important but the point trying to be made, I believe was, the fact that the hierarchy "protects" and hides the pedophiles.
Good- the media loves to keep bring this up, but the truth is there are just as many pedophiles in other churches, but because they are insignificant ( not united churches, but single churches with one pastor or a few pastors) they arent as important in the media to bring them out. I have friends of all demoninations and I surpised to find out how many of them were abuse by someone in their church ( pastor, youth group leader, junior pastor) Again, not as big as a headline as "CATHOLIC PRIEST ACCUSED OF.... "
Interesting how many religions are based on fear: fear of God, fear of women, fear of love, fear of sexuality, fear of those who don't share the same religion, fear of a multitudes of devils and demons, fear of change, fear of forgiving, fear of weakness, fear of the future, fear of eternal damnation, fear of intelligence, fear of questioning...in these fears the Roman Catholic Church is no different that a myriad of fundamentalist, doctrinaire faiths that profess to be the One True. A new Pope will not the change the Church's use of fear to keep its members in line. The Church will continue to be an odd concoction of Mother Theresa and Pope Pius XII--doing no evil and seeing no evil.
Well put, Mark!
The church fears management by dumb luck (our current way of being), and for good reason.
Mark,
When one refuses to see evil; one is doing evil. Theresa and Pius XII not so nice.
Old white guys in robes sitting around in golden thrones while millions worship them. When will this scam end?
Whew! I'm sweating bullets worrying about who the new head Pedophile is going to be!
I see I am not the only one going to hell here.
Is sarcasm a deadly sin?
I'll probably get no sleep tonight.
No rebpulicanbs, but stupidity and intolerance probably are.
The papal monarchy will continue with another old white guy that lives like a king in a "sovereign" state. Heck, even England has been ruled by women at times over the centuries. Only the Catholic monarchy insists on having men in all positions of power. In many ways, their backward thinking isn't all that much different than other religions that are still trying to live in the past.
If we see "birth control" pills, as a family planning or a choice of an individual, regardless of their beliefs, then this is a global justice, a social justice, and a measure of population-control.
Normally speaking, a woman may become pregnant each month, but it is the course of the pregnancy that delays the monthly pregnant opportunity. If a woman gives birth a kid after a 8-month pregnancy, then this woman needs to wait another 3 months at most to conceive again, if she does not have any "birth control" measures, such as birth control pill.
Now, birth control pills can also solve other women health related issues, such as menstrual pain, and this is another thing that we can think about medicines, not because the pills is for "birth control".
Pray that all catholics have to think what if their mothers have not taken any birth control pills or measures, which are given by the women health care coverage, then they might have more brothers or sisters.
They have to re-think again, such as for family planning, which is nothing about religious at all.
Billie, and this is related to the story, How???
It wasnt.. it just another pro choice, abortion lover who loves to talk about taking babies lives.
How does a nun get sex? She dresses up as an alter boy. Quite a scheme they go going. Rubes tithe 10%, billions in the coffers. A few payouts, chump change because the rubes keep on tithing.
why is he resigning? all popes die there and no one protest because they are old and decrepits. Is he been accused of child molestation and was forced to resign? with the catholic church you never know, the like of boys goes from top to bottom. Yeah, I know I go to hell for saying this but, Hey, was not I the one that started the rumor, where them with their little ugly dirty skeletons in the closets!
— The new pope will need the tools to promote religious freedom internationally and confront efforts to equate "biblical morality" with intolerance, Weigel said.
The problem with this is the "Bible" which specifically promotes intolerance, bigotry and misogony as moranity. Better to just admit the whole thing is a fraud and move on. This "sister" is working to prop up the very institution that is committed to keeping her down. I just don't understand it. There is nothing to reform, it is a dogmatic, oppressive institution who bases its ideas on the superstitious ramblings of bronze age farmers and herders who thought the world was flat and covered by a dome. Why give it any credence at all.
Please quote for me where the Revolutionary Jesus told everyone to continue believing in the hatred of the old, and I do mean old, testament.
Why would God need messenger-boys? If you need to go through some crotchety old guy in a goofy hat and robe to get to your higher power, then you have more problems than you even realize.......
God, if there is one, was witnessed a lot of @!$%#. My mother was molested at her catholic high school in the 70's. Not to mention the alter boy stuff. And they wonder why organized religion is going down the tube. This crap is just now catching up with them. Disgusting trash. Just keep digging a hole. We, of the younger generation, are seeing all of this. Probably why I can't name one of my friends who goes to church.
I pray for you people and your ignorant comments, I'm sorry you people feel this way it sickens me.
Thanks, but we don't want your prayer. Keep your sick cult to yourself.
LMAO. You know, I have no words. You religious people are so odd, and hypocritical. It's really no wonder why organized religion is crumbling in this country. Keep it up though... You idiots will only further kill it.
NBC News writer Tracy Connor wants to create some sort of bogus drama around Benedict's resignation. There's no need for any drama.
Benedict can become a regular padre and do the pedophile priest thing like so many before him have done.
They should have female priests. At least that way, when they diddle little boys, it will be some what socially acceptable.
It saddens me, but does not surprise me, that so many "liberals" and "progressives" here are shrouded in hate, bigotry, intolerance and ignorance.
lol... Hate, bigotry, intolerance, and ignorance? Gosh, all of that is taught by religion. Nobody is born with hate for anyone else. It's learned.
You wonder why we're pissed. Accept everyone as they are... That and stop putting pamphlets on my vehicle inviting me to your cult.
MJ, we learn those things in many ways. Apparently "accept everyone as they are" is something you believe other people should do, not you.
Accept hate? Sorry, I don't do that. Fail.
And you proved my point using labels.
And you people wonder why religion is crumbling...
No MJ, of course you don't use labels...
"You religious people are so odd, and hypocritical."
"Disgusting trash"
"Keep your sick cult to yourself."
Quite the open mind you have there, isn't it.
William Faulkner, when asked what he thought of christianity, replied to the effect, (not verbatim), that it sounded like a good thing and perhaps we ought to try it. So far, I don't see the world taking his advice. All religious organizations should be taxed at the same rate as any other profit making entity. The free ride needs to end, but you'll not find a politician with the guts to say so.
Lets keeping voting in Popes that have the same backward ways. Its the 21st century, things have changed in the last several hundred years and are continuing to change. Either keep up or lose ground.
The next Pope will just keep the status quo: hate gays, hide pedophiles, slam women, purchase Republicans, derail science, slander atheists, and murder witches. Same old same old.
This is becoming just another chance for Catholic bashers to run wild.
More like a chance for pro-catholics to whitewash history and ignore reality.
Another- yup, I love how non Catholics always have their two cents worth. After a while, your eyes adjust and skip over all the comments that are worthless.