Are we being victims of right wing politicking and/or an ignorant

[hedgehog]

press? It seems that a lot of the candidates being pushed are conservatives. The only African cardinal mentioned is a conservative from Nigeria. The only German we hear of is Ratzinger. Is Cardinal Law really that prominent in the ceremonies? Do we see his picture because he's the only Cardinal most American editors recognize? Is the Curia trying to rehabilitate his image?

[Matilda]

1. All the candidates are - at least on the surface - conservative.

Because all but three (and those three are very old now) were
appointed by John Paul II, and he only ever appointed those who
shared all his ultra-conservative views, at least in public.

This is one of his major flaws IMO - he didn't appoint the brightest
minds, or the best at pastoral care, just those who were prepared
to say no loudly and publicly to married priests, ordination of
women, decentralisation of the papacy, etc. The only question that
remains is how many were prepared to say what he wanted to hear
just to get on - in which case they're guilty of hypocrisy - and
how many really do reflect his ultra-conservative outlook - in
which case there's not much hope of reform in the Church.

[hedgehog]

2. Oscar Romero was a conservative, John the XXIII everyone's

retired grandfather and John Paul II a vigourous sign of change.No one should count their chickens at this point.

[demosincebirth]

3. Why do they pigeon hole them in the conservative box,

when most are liberal as anyone here on social issues. I'm liberal as hell and yet I'm against abortion and not for women priests, yet. Does that make me a Conservative? I hope not.

[hedgehog]

4. To me, in the context of the Church, a conservative focuses on

issues if sexual morality esp. contraception and homosexuality and emphasizes the divine nature of Christ. Another aspect of this is an effort to separate the laity from each other and God by such methods as advocating the return of altar rails and a Latin Mass. A liberal focuses on the people of God and social issues like poverty and subjugation of women. The conservative wants a dignified Kiss of Peace, the liberal wants people reaching across the aisles.

[regnaD kciN]

5. Because...

...like it or not, if you want to put "liberal social issues" into effect, you become a politician, not a Pontiff.

Although Popes can use the "bully pulpit" to greater or less effectiveness (after all, JPII did little to halt the spread of the Iraq war or the unfettered capitalism he so denounced), the only place where they really have power is within the Church and the making and enforcement of its internal policies (i.e. dogma and discipline). And, when it comes to such matters, they are mostly outspoken conservatives, who can be counted on to preserve or even extend (such as Ratzinger's opinion that Humanae Vitae should be raised to the level of an infallible teaching) JPII's conservative policies.

[hedgehog]

6. Yeah, political issues like feed the starving, clothe the naked

visit prisoners and bring the Good News to the poor. Sorry for the sarcasm, but I believe too many delegate these issues to the periphery of our faith and enshrine sexual morality and ritual at the center.

[meow2u3]

7. You have a point

Right wingers obssess over the Sixth Commandment at the expense of Seventh.

They're fixated on sexual morality, but give scant, if any, attention to social justice, economic fairness, and Christ's pet peeve, care for the poor.