I disagree with the author. The Vatican's latest PR gaffe doesn't “Damage the credibility of ordinary Catholics!” Put the “credibility blame” where it should go. It damages the credibility of the Pope, the Curia and the Hierarchy! It seems as if the Vatican grudgingly throws Survivor/Victims of Priest Pedophilia a bone, every now and then, but this time the policy put forth by the Vatican WAS as provocative as the Vatican had intentionally intended it to be! There was no mistake. This provocative pronouncement was specifically meant to be a slap in the face to Survivors as well as to women, who aspire to break the all-male, glass-ceiling of the priesthood. Many Catholics as well as former Catholics honestly believe that the Hierarchy and Vatican has lost her moral compass. Since Vatican II taught us, “We are the part of the Magisterium” and the “People of God,” if the Vatican doesn't watch out, there could be a major insurrection, which might make the Reformation look like a Cake-walk!

HI, Dan: I should have gone further to explain my post. I apologize. Yes, the Vatican made small improvements in the reporting of Clerical Pedophilia, but she still hasn't gone far enough by making the bishops, archbishops, cardinals and even the Pope accountable and responsible for shuffling Pedophiles from one parish to another and going through exercises in obfuscation in regard to the decades of coverups. On the topic of women in the priesthood, I understand that for many men this is a bitter pill to swallow. Unfortunately, it also a bitter bill for heterosexual men to need to accept the Eucharist and go to Confession if they have “Gaydar” and either discern or sense that their local priest is a homosexual. I realize this is a very sensitive topic, but if one looks at the demographics of most local Catholic Churches, who have homosexual priests, one readily sees that heterosexual men between the ages of 18 and 80 are often missing. I would like to make another point regarding female ordination. Who do you think that heterosexual men would be the most comfortable with? A homosexual male priest or a heterosexual female priest? Another point” On the Day of Pentecost, around 500 people, both men and women, were filled with “The promise of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.” Do you remember where Jesus promised the Holy Spirit? It was at the Last Supper! Women were not excluded from the Promise of the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit was the one who enabled BOTH men and women “to go forth and to preach the Gospel to all nations!” Also, the early Church had female priests, as evidenced in the New Testament. The apostle Paul, who by the way was NOT ordained by man, but rather by the Holy Spirit, spoke of “The Apostle, Junia!” Junia was a female. She was NOT a priest, who happened to have “female tendencies.” If one goes back to the Jewish Priesthood, it WAS solely a male priesthood, but something VERY interesting about it is that it would have been an anathema to have a homosexual or an unmarried, male priest. If you don't believe me, please read the Books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. The current structure of the priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church leaves a lot to be desired, both scripturally and practically. Having female priests, in my humble opinion, would ONLY be an improvement.