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"Then what would he do? He doesn't have the authority over the Paulists that he does over diocesan priests (too many of whom are a problem anyway). Theoretically, he could withdraw their permission to operate in his diocese, but how far do you think that would get him?"

Then withdraw persmission. And give them all holy hell! Go to full battle stations! This about abortion!!! That is so much more important than women priests and liturgical goofyness that liberal orders like the Paulist like to play with. It would show that if you disobey the Church and him he is NOT going to ignore it. Shoot... these are some dippy Paulists priests he would have to stand up to, they are not Nazis.

Then withdraw persmission. And give them all holy hell! Go to full battle stations!

And if he withdraws permission? The archdiocese doesn't own the building. It has no civil authority and no basis for civil authority to back him up. He wouldn't be able to enforce the order. And it would be a field day for the press, especially the anti-Catholic Boston Globe.

O'Malley is even now in the process of deciding which (not whether) parishes will be closed; whatever he decides, there's going to be a whole lot of people he won't be popular with. A Boston Herald columnist who claims to be Catholic recently had a column on the Church (she usually writes fluff pieces, e.g., about her aging dog, but occasionally branches out into sheer stupidity); she wrote that there are two Churches -- (in my words) one is the happy, loving, do-your-own-thing Church ("As long as the young people are happy," in C.S. Lewis' phrase), and the other the mean old nasty Church that happens to be teaching what the Church has always taught. Guess which side she's on; guess which side Kerry's on.

I do sympathize with your view -- and if the hierarchy had taken it 40 years ago . . ., well, they didn't. Maybe O'Malley should go your way (personally, I've had enough and would be willing to take up arms, should it come to that, though I won't do it alone), but he would be on the losing side. Even the USCCB wouldn't back him up. He would be on the right side, of course -- have you read C.S. Lewis' The Last Battle? In this world, the right side is often the losing side.

O'Malley has at least made a public statement that pro-abortion politicians who claim to be Catholic should not receive. I don't know what else he plans, but I'm sure the issue is in his mind and his prayers.