My opinion which is worth less than the standard $.02 is that it will go similar to humanae vitae. The Holy Spirit will keep the Pope from proclaiming heresy, but there will be a committee which has dissenting opinions. Dissenting Bishops will let dissenting priests disregard church teaching and give scandal by allowing “remarried” Catholics recieve communion. Anyone who argues against the dissenting priests or bishops will be suppressed by officials in the Vatican. (Look up Cardinal Patrick O’Boyle.)
There are somethings that will make a difference. At least in the U.S. the younger priests tend to be more faithful than the older ones (who are now bishops- we have about 30 to 40 more years to endure before the dissenters die off.) The priest scandals knocked out almost all the clericalism that faithful catholics retained. A priest that dissents will likely hear an earful from faithful parishioners. Also parish hopping is much more common now. This will further Balkanize the Church into parishes that are more faithful and others that are more “cafeteria”.
Of course there is always the chance of another “awakenig”. I’m going to put some prayer tome toward that cause.
Yes, I’ve stopped saying it for a long time now, but about the only thing that can save our country is another Great Awakening, like the ones that happened in America and England in the 19th century.
Whether or not something like that happens is as God wills. Unlike the Protestants here in the forum, who seem to think that troubles in the Catholic Church benefit them, I think we need an awakening and a new beginning in all the churches, if what commonly used to be called Western Civilization is to survive.