[Steve_Seattle]

"And, what’s surprised in this transformation is the number of ‘evangelical’ Hispanics, their congregations and size of memberships."

Part of the explanation is that many Hispanics practice a kind of folk-Christianity which most Catholic intellectuals - and most Catholic priests - have been taught to look down upon as backward and superstitious.

Unlike a great many of North American Catholics, evangelical Christians still seriously believe in the power of prayer, in spiritual healing, in spiritual transformation, and in an actual experience of the Holy Spirit and the power of Jesus to transform lives. This is appealing to many Hispanics.

I am a fan of the British TV series, Midsomer Murders, in which most clergymen are Anglican vicars. For them, religion is reduced to mumbling prayers from a book, prayers which no one really believes. Much of Catholicism is also like that, and many Hispanics want more than that.

[altura]

We seem to have a crazy Pope.

And now we want to elect a crazy President.

Well, okay then.