[Pio]

I'm sorry Sinskpur but you are engaging in wishful thinking. It is obvious that you have no knowledge of the situation in Boston. These are not old, parishes, that are falling apart.

Three of the communities that are rebelling are Weymouth, Sudbury and Newton. Driveways in these towns cost more than 2 acre estates in metro Fort Worth. These are the MOST wealthy communities in Boston.....think San Francisco and Manhattan. I've seen these parishes on tv and they are in good shape, that is part of the reason why people are furious!!!

Many of these parishes are deeply involved in VOTF. You talk to these people about the vocations crisis and they are furious that he is not ordaining women.

O'Malley may be just acting on Father Groeschel's diagnosis: We just need to get smaller. The sad thing is that it seems like evangelization is out of the question. These northeast Bishops need some sort of plan to evangelize fallen-away Catholics. The problem is that fallen away Catholics view the Church as too conservative! They want their divorce, birth control, female priests etc etc etc.

It's really frustrating in Boston because everyone and their brother is Catholic but nobody goes to Mass. I'm not sure how much even the freepers understand how Catholic Boston is (was.) Growing up, my town was 95% Catholic...this is not an exaggeration!!

Ultimately, Bishop O'Malley is just shrugging his shoulders...maybe he figures "let them go to Hell."

[sinkspur]

Well, obviously not ALL of the parishes are in wealthy communities. Many are in urban locations, are old, and need much renovation.

O'Malley no doubt included some of the VOTF parishes to appear even-handed.

[GirlShortstop]

O'Malley may be just acting on Father Groeschel's diagnosis: We just need to get smaller. The sad thing is that it seems like evangelization is out of the question.

That's how I see it.  Evangelization will happen, and those 'brought into the flock' won't be lead to the den wolves as a result.  I could be wrong, but my outlook stems from Hope:  in, and for The Mystical Body of Christ.

Pax et bonum, Pio.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

These northeast Bishops need some sort of plan to evangelize fallen-away Catholics.

In Philadelphia, we go door-to-door to invite the fallen away back.

The problem is that fallen away Catholics view the Church as too conservative! They want their divorce, birth control, female priests etc etc etc.

Well, they aren't really Catholics then, are they?

Ultimately, Bishop O'Malley is just shrugging his shoulders...maybe he figures "let them go to Hell."

They know the truth and they reject it. What is the Bishop supposed to do? Compell them by force to attend Mass?

The return of fallen away Catholics is something that is up to God, not man.