[Mark in the Old South]

Re: "I really feel a great deal of pain for catholics. I just can't help but feel that catholics as a whole are getting a bad rap."

Don't feel sorry for us
I am a neophyte to the Catholic faith but I kinda welcome this. It has been clear to me for some time that all mainline denominations are suffering from rot from within. I learned in medicine that when a wound is infected you have to clean it out. It is painful, unpleasant and at times it smells but it has to be done to save the patient. The Church will loose stature for a while but corrupt bishops shouldn't have stature in the community anyway. With luck and a strong debreeding the bishops left standing (or their replacements) will be stronger and can begin to rebuild.

[justanotherfreeper]

I learned in medicine that when a wound is infected you have to clean it out

Amen! I would rather the Church have fewer members, but members who are genuinely Catholic, and understand what they believe and why, then the current Kerry/Kennedy hangers-on. If we need to raze every Catholic hospital, school and church building to the ground with our own hands and jail every bishop in the country to cleanse the Faith, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Better to start over with clean earth to till.