See my comments above. Personally, I think it's a matter of too much happy-clappy Christianity-lite over a period of several decades...and even longer.
Interestingly, Pope Leo XIII wrote a letter to Cardinal Gibbons (the Archbishop of Baltimore) and the rest of the American bishops in 1899. In this letter, he condemned what he called "Americanism". Before you react, please understand that he was not cautioning against being proud of our country or being willing to defend it, but he was condemning the tendency to water down Catholic doctrine in order to "fit in."
The underlying principle of these new opinions is that, in order to more easily attract those who differ from her, the Church should shape her teachings more in accord with the spirit of the age and relax some of her ancient severity and make some concessions to new opinions. Many think that these concessions should be made not only in regard to ways of living, but even in regard to doctrines which belong to the deposit of the faith. They contend that it would be opportune, in order to gain those who differ from us, to omit certain points of her teaching which are of lesser importance, and to tone down the meaning which the Church has always attached to them. It does not need many words, beloved son, to prove the falsity of these ideas if the nature and origin of the doctrine which the Church proposes are recalled to mind.
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We cannot consider as altogether blameless the silence which purposely leads to the omission or neglect of some of the principles of Christian doctrine, for all the principles come from the same Author and Master, "the Only Begotten Son, Who is in the bosom of the Father."-John i, I8. They are adapted to all times and all nations, as is clearly seen from the words of our Lord to His apostles: "Going, therefore, teach all nations; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all days, even to the end of the world."-Matt. xxviii, 19. Concerning this point the Vatican Council says: "All those things are to be believed with divine and catholic faith which are contained in the Word of God, written or handed down, and which the Church, either by a solemn judgment or by her ordinary and universal magisterium, proposes for belief as having been divinely revealed."-Const. de fide, Chapter iii.
Let it be far from anyone's mind to suppress for any reason any doctrine that has been handed down. Such a policy would tend rather to separate Catholics from the Church than to bring in those who differ. There is nothing closer to our heart than to have those who are separated from the fold of Christ return to it, but in no other way than the way pointed out by Christ.
Note carefully the bolded text in the second paragraph quoted above. He cautioned them then to not be silent on uncomfortable (my interpretation) portions of doctrine...
Sadly, that's what happens too much these days. They talk freely about helping the poor, the stranger, the elderly, and so on. Which is correct...don't get me wrong. But they seem to be uncomfortable about really hammering home principles of individual morality. Sure, they give their obligatory pro-life talk occasionally. And, since this DOMA debate is in the news the past couple of years, they will...on occasion...talk about genuine marriage...but I can't think when the last time I heard one of them really do a barnburner about the evils of homosexuality or about the reality that a contracepting woman should not present herself for communion...or any number of subjects along those lines.
And their silence is leading their sheep astray.
So unlike some of my peers, I don't try to deny reality. And the only excuse I offer is that they have been very poorly catechized throughout their lives and are not being fed ALL the truth.
To the shame of (many of) our pastors, our shepherds, our catechists, and...far too much...Catholic parents.
Pray that the new Pope will begin to “plant seeds” of true spiritual renew or springtime of faith.