As U.S. Catholic Numbers Decline, the Pope Grows Bigger



A Catholic writer pointed out something about cultural change and current events I had not noticed. He notes the irony that as Catholic numbers continue their inevitable decline, fewer marriages, baptisms and mass attendance, only one religious figure remains in the news. It is the Pope. There is no Jerry Falwell or prominent Protestant of any stripe quoted or in play. Even as it gets smaller and has less money the Catholic denomination's influence as a moral commentator has gone up. 

The link points out the long history of the prominence of Episcopalism. Certainly this high church version of Protestantism has had a long and successful history in politics. Many readers are too young to have known the period when leaders like Eisenhower were Episcopalians. There have been other Protestant celebrities, Bishop John Shelby Spong for example, but so far as I can tell none are in the media regularly today on issues related to governance.

From what little I understand about Catholicism, the emergence of two Popes who were Jesuits is part of the improved narrative in the denomination. My understanding of Jesuits is one of being the ultimate Catholic priest, ministering to those in the pews. When they speak and write it is often about poverty. When the association of U.S. Bishops issues a statement it often is about abortion. Past Popes like Benedict could not stop himself from condemning gay marriage. Pope Francis wanted Bishops to not talk about that at all.

Pope Leo got lucky in the public relations arena twice. First he arrived when there was vacuum at the top of Christianity in the U.S. Second, his foil, Trump, is a hapless contestant that made the Pope sound like the smartest guy in the room.

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