John Kerry

But to say it was "the Catholic Church" is not quite correct. IMHO, almost every major religion has two wings: (a) one that promotes love, compassion, tolerance and humility (yes, even Islam) and (b) one that is about Rules, Obeying the Rules, and conviction that one's path is the Right, True Path. (yes, even Hinduism, if you remember the recent violence in India) .

While John Paul II and Benedict were popes, (b) was the ascendant sensibility, an unwelcome situation that was made worse by John Paul II's appointment of a series of reactionary bishops across America. Among the worst of the worst was Cardinal Burke of St. Louis; he was the guy who most loudly threatened to deny communion to Kerry, Kennedy, Pelosi and any other Catholic politician who voted to keep abortion legal. (I think there was someone equally terrible in Denver, and Philadelphia was also bad).

Thankfully, even if reportedly still conservative vis a vis Catholic doctrine (though, as a Jesuit, he seems to me likely to still be more open minded than his predecessors-- he simply has too curious a mind not to be), Francis seems to be all about option (a). This is also reflected in the fact that one of his first actions was to demote the evil Burke by purging him from the Vatican inner circle. (Among his other attractive qualities, Francis seems to be a crafty and savvy politician: if anyone can put the evil Curia in its place -- reportedly one of his chief goals -- he can. ). May he live a very long life so that he can appoint like-minded American bishops and purge our country of the horrible types who caused so much undeserved trouble for JK.