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Hi, if you're not Catholic, or especially if you're in one of the Protestant sects, I can see how a "split" (schism) could appear as an inevitable thing based on ideologies and practices. However, the strange thing about Catholics, even if they don't believe all the dictates of their religion, or follow them, or even attend Mass, there is something unifying about being a member of "the universal church" and the feeling of being tied to the Holy Father is very strong. Even those who might be fallen away and argue against papal infallibility or things like that, when asked it they want to form a separate church, would probably say No, they just want the one they're in to modify some things.

Interestingly, the only significant split is the SPPX movement, and that is a rebound back to the past, more tradition, in their belief, more orthodoxy. It's not the liberals on the forefront who would cause a split, it's those who feel the Church has "progressed" too far.

Others may be able to enlighten us more on this subject.
But being Catholic is similar to being Jewish, even if you don't belief it, you still identify with it.

I have been following these threads for a while, and there has been many talks of parts of the Western countries RC bishops leaving over this and other issues. That is why I wondered aloud if that was the beginning of a split.

On this side of the Rhine, we are having our own little civil war in the ELCA over similar things.

That's in part why all the polls saying Catholics believe in abortion at the same rate as the population as a whole are so wrong: anyone baptized a Catholic thinks they are one, no matter what else they believe or do.

Fact is, about half the Catholics in the United States are "split" from the Church, primarily because of persistent mortal sin: they're gay, or divorced and remarried, practice birth control, advocate abortion, etc. But they still present themselves for communion... and they don't mind commenting on how big a tent the Church is...

Everyone I ever met from SSPX did none of the above at least.

Interestingly, the only significant split is the SPPX movement, and that is a rebound back to the past, more tradition, in their belief, more orthodoxy. It's not the liberals on the forefront who would cause a split, it's those who feel the Church has "progressed" too far.

Nope, it's the liberals who drive people out, who insist on them being "inclusive". They take over an institution, and purge, or at least silence, the opposition,which finally has to leave in self-defense.

I'm not a Catholic, and don't really care what happens to it as an institution, although I suspect it will be around long after the personalities and issues of today are forgotten by all but a few academics. But as a Baptist, I have always thought that Christians, or anybody for that matter, would be better off to live in amity or indifference apart, than in rancor together.