[marshmallow]

You realize that the Pope made his remarks to Lutherans, right? He was not talking about Protestantism in general. He was discussing the subject of Pentecostals and he was contrasting their methods and success with those of "mainstream Christian denominations", to quote the article. This presumably includes not only Catholics but also Lutherans (to whom he was speaking), Anglicans, Episcopals and perhaps others such as Methodists and Presbyterians.

This was not a "Catholics vs Protestants" speech although some apparently would like to spin it as such.

[nathanbedford]

No, I had not realized that he was speaking to Protestants about other Protestants. That would seem to temper his remarks somewhat but I do not think it wholly cures them of insensitivity (I cannot believe I just used that word!).

Does it matter that it is not a Roman Catholic leader commenting on Protestantism but a Roman Catholic leader with established Protestant church leaders commenting on the fundamentalist and Pentecostal churches?

I suppose much depends on the rest of his remarks to set the context which the article regrettably fails to supply beyond saying that the fundamentalist sects are a phenomenon "for better or worse" (emphasis supplied) who have "converted hundreds of thousands of former Catholics."

In the context as supplied, it is not unreasonable to question the remarks which described these fundamentalist churches as possessing "little... depth... stability....content."

I am willing to accept that the thrust of the pope's remarks have somehow come through distorted but if the fault lies not with His Holiness it must lie with a reporter or editor.