Whither The Withering Catholic Church?

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced a $ 600 miliion settlement with 500 victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy dating from decades ago. This dwarfs the 552 similar claims in Boston that were settled for $85 million. There were other suits and there are more coming. Surely not all the abused youngsters have come forward probably because of shame. The Church has had to sell some of its base of real estate to meet the tab. This is all happening at a time when competing, more liberal Christian faiths have eaten away at the Catholic membership.

So what has the Church done to meet the dual challenge of falling patronage and a systemic fault that attracts the wrong kind of demographic for its clergy? Nothing has been changed. Artificial birth control and abortion are still forbidden. And the clergy can't marry nor can women become priests. Meanwhile the liberalization of other faiths and the liberalization of the legal system will continue to take its toll on the Church. Nothing lasts forever. This includes ways and customs of religious practice.