The rise in lay conservative fervor comes at a time when the need for activism would seem less urgent. The U.S. hierarchy has seen a wave of retirements in recent years that has swept out leading liberals. The men taking their place are generally more traditional and willing to take a harder line against disobedient Catholics, from politicians to parishioners.But even with these changes, bloggers say too few prelates speak out. The activists also say that since the 1970s, after the modernizing reforms of the Second Vatican Council, liberals have filled the bureaucracy of the church, hiding dissent from the bishops they serve.
The article -- from Townhall! -- has a strangely alarmed tone to it, like David Brooks sounds talking of the Tea Party. Why is it that need for stronger Church is less urgent because the liberals are retiring? Are we supposed to wait till some crypto commie or a proabort whore retires?
The original article was from AP, and has been republished on many sites, among which is Townhall. To me, the "fair'n'balanced" paragraph you cited sounds like a requirement of AP style -- always to include an opposing viewpoint, or something of that sort.