I'm not a Catholic, but who can avoid catching the glimpses of ancient pageantry and religious ceremony as the process begins for selecting a new Pope?
Watching and listening, it occurs to me that regardless of the ravages of time, the sex scandals, the Vatican Bank scandals and the pulls and outright tugs at the moral fabric of the church brought about by changing times and mores, the Catholic Church has persevered and survived, largely unchanged over these two thousand plus years. One must ask: Can the United States survive even a relatively insignificant 250 years? What is it about the Catholic Church that has maintained it during two thousand plus years while nations have come and gone?
Perhaps, I surmise in reflection, it is because of the history and tradition, the regalia, pomp and circumstance... all of which are becoming conspicuous by their absence in our country. Maybe it is due to the longstanding and rigid doctrines of the church. Maybe it is because God Himself oversees and protects the church. Maybe all of these things play some role in the survival of the church and maybe the absence of these things plays an equal role in the decline of our country.
One thing is certain: We are the keepers of our own destiny; what we allow to happen to our country most certainly will happen. Unchecked, the decay of our society and our beliefs is written in the wind.
Only we can change that.
That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.
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