This New York Times article published today makes the case that Pope Benedict XVI has made some questionable calls that stir up "centrist" Catholics who seek a more "democratic" Church. I don't agree with all its judgments or conclusions, but as I continue to report and write on the the recent revelations regarding the founder of the Legion of Christ, and the intensifying demands that the Vatican intervene, I do see democratic principles at work. The advocates of change may be orthodox Catholics--not Catholic "democrats." They aren't debating matters of doctrine, rather they seek to overcome bureaucratic obstructionism and save "what can be saved" of Father Maciel's complex legacy. Still they are pushing and prodding Rome. Like everyone else these days, they don't want to wait for the Holy See to issue its pronouncements on "Roman time." Impatience regarding the pace of curial decision-making-- or of reforms within a troubled religious order--is nothing new. But the Internet and its capacity to vastly increase our access to once privileged information has exposed public officials to more intense scrutiny. And, perhaps, our interactive, online experiences have also increased expectations that our concerns and contributions will be welcomed with a good deal more enthusiasm than they once were. In other words, there is every reason to expect that Catholic "democrats" will intensify their demands for a place at the table. Soon church authorities may have no place left to hide.
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