Can Pope Leo Kick the Cans Down the Road

Pope Leo played out the script of a new Pope well. Good will to all people. The Catholic denomination, he implied, is one love, peace and the highest of callings. Not mentioned were the issues that counter this public relations manipulation. The denomination also thinks gay people, those who practice birth control, and women who get abortions are both the most vile of sinners and lesser than male clergy in one way or another. While the denomination would never say it hates you, it kind of does. You are a sinner that is not fully welcome. 

The link was written by a lesbian woman who left the denomination but is trying to return. She points out that every year, gay babies are born to devout Catholic couples. Pope Francis advocated listening to all the groups barred from full acceptance. The link author wonders when the cans will no longer be just kicked further down the road. She wants out gay people to be accepted without conditions.

Certainly, kicking the cans down the road by "listening" to those with grievances but doing nothing substantial to address them is fiscally the safest thing to do. There are plenty of prejudiced Catholics, I've known some. I'm sure there is a view in the Vatican, perhaps unspoken, that a flawed church which retains some evil but is well funded is better than a clean and just church that is broke.

With devout people wanting to be accepted without condition and other Catholics wanting gay people condemned the most attractive option is to listen a lot and make no changes. The world around Catholicism, however, is changing. Older members, the most conservative, are dying off. Younger people don't hold to the old stuff. 

Popes need to think like U.S. Republicans. Committed Catholics, especially older ones, have no other option. If they are mad because gays are accepted with no reference to "sin" and given rights the communion, etc., the older and conservative members will stay in the denomination. Young people, however, have options. Popes need to be strategic.

To invest in the future instead of hold on to the past takes a lot of courage. This Pope, like all in the past, may see it safest to kick the can down the road by just listening and changing nothing.