While I believe the assertion contained in an accompanying document released at the Cardinal's press conference, namely that we are in "a time of peril" in the Catholic Church, is somewhat overstated, there is no question that a serious polarization has developed within our Church. That polarization, along with a mean-spiritedness and lack of civility in dialogue, fosters a climate of fear and intimidation, and threatens our mission to be a community of love, healing and reconciliation.
The questions that the Cardinal surfaces such as the changing role of women, human sexuality, the morale of priests, the role of the laity, the responsibility of the Church in the political arena, the manner of consultation and decision-making in the Church, and the place of collegiality and subsidiarity in relations between the Vatican and the American episcopate --are cutting-edge issues which must be addressed openly and forthrightly in an atmosphere of respect, candor and fraternal charity.
Such a genuine search for understanding and truth can only serve to enhance the credibility of the Church and to foster its mission of bringing the Good News to all.