[ZULU]

The writer is being too harsh with the Holy Father. True, he appears not be acting as forcefully as he should in this matter, but perhaps age and illness is the reason. He may even come around yet. After all, he was in part responsible for the collapse of the "Evil Empire".

On the other hand, Catholics are sort of hamstrung when it comes to dealing with this problem and others involving the Church. The flawed ( and recent) doctrine of "Papal Infallability" is the reason. Even the Medievil Popes didn't claim that virtue.

[Longshanks]

On the other hand, Catholics are sort of hamstrung when it comes to dealing with this problem and others involving the Church... "Papal Infallability" is the reason.

Again, papal infallability is not an issue here because JPII has not refined any church doctine (that I know about). However, perhaps because of the post-Vatican II collapse in catechesis, most Catholics don't understand the doctrine of church, and therefore papal, infallability.

The pope is NOT and was NEVER proclaimed to be infallable in matters of governance, only in his definition of doctrine acting as supreme leader of the church.