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`Many Americans were surprised - some happily, some disappointed - that he did not turn into the pit bull of dogma. He is taking a very pastoral approach, and I think people resonate very positively with that.''

This guy sounds like he's part of the problem.

I trust all you highly atuned Freepers picked up on the "dogma is incompatible with the pastoral approach" insinuation? Good. Because as we all know by know, insisting on theological clarity and doctrinal accuracy is inconsistent with teaching the faith, right? Right. Combating heresy is just not "pastoral".

In practice of course, dogma and pastoral care are complimentary not incompatible but a professor of church history at a Catholic college couldn't be expected to understand that. The Pope has in fact been very clear on dogma and just because he hasn't fried Mahony on a spit (yet) doesn't mean he's a wimp.

Men that aren't truly pastoral don't usually get the call to the See of Peter from the Holy Spirit.