I suspect there is a huge spiritual battle being fought right now in the Catholic Church. The fact that two cardinal have been excluded from voting in the coming conclave tells me quite a lot.
There is a spiritual battle being fought in the Church, but it’s not for the survival of the Church. Rather, it’s for the immediate direction of its activity and attention. It’s not about “what;” it’s about “how.”
Make no mistake. The Church will go on existing and operating, and it will get to where it’s going. The question is, will it listen to the Holy Spirit and choose wisely and directly....or will it take a detour through more corruption and confusion and have to make yet more practical corrections later in order to get back on the path?
The essential teachings of the Church cannot change because what is the case, is the case. It’s a matter of fidelity to truth. On the other hand, the Church is having to reconcile itself to a new world with respect to circumstances and expression. And it’s fighting huge cultural losses in several parts of the world, while seeing a huge influx of new members in other parts of the world.
And two cardinals have not been “excluded” by man. They have recused themselves for reasons that they have believed sufficient and necessary. If there is “excluding” going on, God is doing it, not canon law.