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	Next Pope Likely Won't See Eye to Eye with U.S. Catholics By Michael Clancy The Arizona Republic [Rome] April 12, 2005 ROME - American Catholics hope the world's cardinals will keep them in their thoughts as they begin next week to choose Pope John Paul II's successor. The American Catholic Church faces a priest shortage and continues to struggle with the ongoing sex abuse scandal. Its congregations are increasingly polarized by issues such as celibacy, the possibility of female clergy, and societal standards regarding divorce, birth control and abortion. But these concerns don't necessarily mirror the Vatican's priorities for the worldwide church. "The way things are seen and interpreted in the United States are not necessarily seen and interpreted the same way internationally," said the Rev. Bob Rossi, a member of the Crosier religious order who worked in Phoenix in the late 1970s. "The church takes in very diverse views from very diverse cultures. What we may see as inappropriate may not be seen that way in the Vatican or elsewhere." As America struggles to keep a balance between adhering to church teachings and evolving societal norms and scientific advancement, Catholics in other countries cling to conservative views regarding marriage, politics and clergy. Neither Africa nor Latin America, countries where the church is seeing explosive growth, is experiencing a priest shortage or problems with secularization, Rossi said. Even the priest sex abuse scandal, which played out in Phoenix and other U.S. cities, might not resonate worldwide, he said, adding that he believes Pope John Paul II was attentive to the issue. "The cardinals are aware that his successor will have to deal with issues of discipline and conduct of church ministers," Rossi said. The issue took center stage in St. Peter's Square on Monday when members of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests protested Cardinal Bernard Law's inclusion in a papal memorial service. Law resigned as archbishop of Boston in December 2002 after unsealed court records revealed that he had moved predatory clergymen among parishes without alerting parents that their children were at risk. He now serves as the archpriest at St. Mary Major, a key church in Rome. His participation Monday sent a negative signal to the United States, said Barbara Blaine, a SNAP member who arrived in Rome hours before the service. "It pierces the heart of many Catholics," she said as she handed out fliers in the square. She did credit Pope John Paul II for his public statements on the matter, including telling American cardinals that there is no room in the priesthood for someone who hurts a child. "We are hoping the new pope will put into action the words of John Paul II," she said. "The church has a long way to go." The Vatican did not respond to the protest. The cardinals have taken vows of silence, meaning they will not voice opinions on any church issues. Robert Blair Kaiser, a Phoenix resident who is in Rome writing a book titled The Making of a Pope, said the cardinals are mulling this and other issues that the new pope will need to address during discussions taking place "in the hallways and over dinner." Kaiser, who has covered the Vatican since 1962, said cardinals will be concerned about the decline in the number of priests, as well as how new priests are being trained to avoid sexual abuse problems. The cardinals also are likely to talk about science, the role of women and gays, the war in Iraq and the plight of migrants from poorer countries, especially Latin America. Kaiser, who attended a Jesuit seminary but did not become a priest, said other important issues will be how the Vatican works with local churches. One example of a problem affecting Phoenix and other Southwestern dioceses is how to work best with a large migrant population coming north from Latin America. Kaiser said differences in the church around the world "are mainly cultural," so that local dioceses are best positioned to handle them. "Collegiality is a major issue," he said. "This refers to democracy in the church, but more so, it means letting bishops be bishops and applying solutions in their own areas." Phoenix resident Tom VanDyke, 53, said he hopes the new pope empowers local bishops to lead in the way they see fit compared with Pope John Paul II, who centralized authority in Rome. He sees issues in the priesthood as key to the church's future, whether it's the shortage, the sex abuse scandal or the relationships of priests and lay people. But he's not optimistic. "Having Cardinal Law celebrate the Eucharist today at St. Peter's is certainly an indication of how little they think of the rank-and-file Catholic," he said Monday. Kaiser said he was uncertain how well America's 11 cardinals will represent American issues. "We need American solutions that are still Catholic," Kaiser said. "But the only way to get these solutions is for the bishops to take the power to do so. They have not. The laity has the power, but they do not have the leadership." Pope John Paul's position on America's hunger for more liberal stance was made clear in 2003 when he appointed Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted to lead the Phoenix Diocese. Olmsted was known for his conservative, orthodox ways and ability to confront aspects of American culture he views as anti-religious. Rabbi Jack Bemporad, an American who has worked closely on interreligious affairs with the Vatican, said the church has been reasonably responsive to American concerns. Bemporad, who heads an organization called the Center for Interreligious Understanding, said the church has been willing to make changes, especially in its outreach to other faith groups. He called Pope John Paul II's overtures to the Jewish faith "revolutionary." Even in the realm of science, religious leaders say the church has been progressive in its support of research and scientific advancement as long as human dignity and respect for life is maintained. But not all American Catholics hold the same view. Dennis Kavanaugh, a Mesa attorney, said future Vatican leadership will need to respond more quickly to scientific and technological advances. "The example of waiting 500 years to acknowledge that Galileo was not a heretic really does not hold up in today's society," he said. He also hopes the new pope will revisit the issues of celibacy, the roles of women and the laity in general. "To stay the course runs a great risk that in 10 to 15 years, our parish entities and programming will be dramatically different given the forecasted scarcity of clergy," he said. Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald of England, who oversaw interfaith relations until he lost his job when the pope died, said a new pope will be concerned first with the welfare of the church worldwide, not just the United States. "The questions (about the sex abuse scandal and other matters) will come up, but it will not be a pope's first concern."