Two Catholic Churches

Nicholas Kristof had a column over the weekend here, discussing the two Catholic Churches. He said it “may be easy at a New York cocktail party to sniff derisively at a church whose apex is male chauvinist, homophobic and so out of touch that it bars the use of condoms even to curb AIDS.” He argues that the Boston Globe has done more to protect children than the Cardinals. And he registers doubts that Jesus would have worked to protect clergymen who raped children. Nonetheless, he finds much to praise in the base of the Church. Certainly those liberal Catholics who stay in the Church do not do so because of admiration for Church leaders.