As Catholics fill their churches during this Holy Week, many are experiencing profound difficulties with how the church is being led through the latest crises amidst new revelations of clerical abuse and also implications that Pope Benedict may have been involved in cover ups.
There is a growing chorus amidst the faithful, and not just the secular press, that the Catholic church should embrace full transparency and take a much stronger stand against pedophile priests. Many are also fervently arguing that the church should reconsider the whole issue of priestly celibacy.
Experts believe that the Catholic church is facing one of its biggest crises throughout its long history. Paul Collins, an Australian church historian and former priest said that while the controversy was not addressed by his local priest, the congregation discussed the issue after the service.
"People are outraged really, they're furious with the complete failure of the church's leadership, and their view would be that we are led by incompetent people," Mr. Collins said. That view has been repeated by many Catholics interviewed around the world, the Washington Times said.
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