[Teófilo]

...And this agitprop has already accomplished its desired goal (i.e., sent a loud and clear message to the world that the Church is caving on issues of sexual morality).

The bishops will not cave in, period. Once we understand that simple fact we can put this working document in its appropriate context. I assure you that next year this working draft would have been all but forgotten.

~Theo

[irishjuggler]

Well, it's very difficult to un-blow the horn. The message, like the pontiff's infamous 'who am I to judge?' remark, has already gone out. It really doesn't matter very much that this isn't what most of the bishops want. And it doesn't really matter what happens next year. The message has already been sent that the Church has raised the white flag. The Church will no longer actively oppose the homosexual agenda, contraception, divorce, fornication, etc. The Church will now tolerate all of those behaviors in the name of mercy.

That's not to say that the Church couldn't reverse course. Of course, it could. Pope Francis could stand up tomorrow and set the record straight. He could tell the world in no uncertain terms that the Church still believes what it has always believed. But he won't. This is the course he wants. He's made it very clear that he believes that the way forward for the Church is to be attuned to 'signs of the times' and compromise with the world.