to Bishop John Spong.

...is that the best people aren't the ones being promoted into leadership roles. Instead of looking for the best people the church seems bound and determined to find conservatives who'll spout the party line the best. If a person is the slightest bit progressive they could spend the rest of their career as a parish priest, regardless of their abilities. Plus the progressives who reach their 75th birthday and submit their resignations usually have them accepted right away to get them out of active leadership roles in the church. I think that's why you see easily frustrated conservatives posting letters like Myers did on marriage equality, or like Bishop Morlino of Madison getting mad at Platteville Catholics who voiced their concern over the new priests in their parish.

in the Catholic Church are either painted as outright dissidents by the hierarchy, like Sr. Joan Chittister OSB (advocates for womens' ordination and marriage equality), or don't speak up until they retire, like Bishop Wcela recently did making the case for women to be ordained as deacons.

It is extremely difficult to be a liberal and a Roman Catholic. Thank God for my spiritual director, an independent Catholic priest. SHE is wonderful.