[Knitting A Conundrum]

Another excellent analysis by Oswald Sobrino.

[Miss Marple]

Very interesting. The quotes from then Cardinal Ratzinger indicate why the liberal Catholics are so livid about Pope Benedict.

What this says to me is that threats of withholding donations or leaving the Church will have no effect on him. Good.

Oh, I have a question and am glad you are here. I was on the Vatican news site and there is a special link that is embargoed and needs a password. Do you know if that is always on the site, or if it indicates an embargoed announcement to the media (in other words, something important to be announced)?

[hispanichoosier]

We will have to accept that many who call themselves Catholic will leave the Church when the whole faith is preached including subjects eagerly avoided by too many Western clerics: no contraception, no sex outside of marriage, no gay civil unions or "marriages," no ordained women. In that sense, the Church, especially in the affluent West, will become even smaller, less wealthy, less imposing in terms of assets and institutional affiliations. But, at the same time, the Church is then freed to preach the whole truth, to be challenging, to be heroic: to be herself.

This passage should be inscribed in everyone's mind, heart, and church!

[Salvation]

**At that point, genuine growth begins as more and more see the value of her countercultural witness, a witness that proposes mercy instead of abortion and euthanasia, a witness that proposes meaningful sex instead of impersonal sex, a witness that proposes generosity of time and resources instead of mindless accumulation of material goods.**

Meaningful growth bump.

[Gerish]

Very good analysis indeed. Interestingly, I was watching Fr. Groeshcel not to long ago on EWTN and he echoed the same sentiments as far as the Church getting smaller. He saw this as somewhat of a good thing, weeding out all the bad apples.

[St. Johann Tetzel]

We will have to accept losses

Can we nominate a few that are needful of being 'losses'?