Pennsylvania grand jury report on Catholic priests' alleged sexual abuses.

The calls for Francis' resignation do appear to be coming from people who were already opposed to his papacy. It's not like this all just developed over the last few years -- it's been going on for generations (centuries? millennia?), long before Francis' ascension -- so in that regard Vigano comes across a little like Captain Renault at the card table. Francis should certainly be held accountable for his own actions, but this goes much deeper than one papal administration.

Brennan77 said

Your question is a good one...

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By the way, thank you for your response. As one of the foremost Catholics on the board (particularly in terms of your doctrinal knowledge) I do appreciate and respect the perspective you bring. Just to follow up, I wasn't so much asking if this ongoing issue with the church has shaken your faith as a Christian (which you addressed with the Tolkien quote) so much as your faith in the Catholic church as an institution. I think you answered that a little indirectly here...

Brennan77 said

. I am angry and there's a lot to unpack so I have withheld comment in this thread. I'm not sure I am ready to do so at length but I will say that I think we need investigations like this throughout the country. Only the truth, no matter how horrible, can begin to heal the wounds.

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...but is there a point that you could see yourself ever saying "enough is enough" and renouncing your membership?