As is so often the case, I truly enjoy listening to the words of Francis.  And as is equally often the case, I doubt his words will come to fruition, at least in my life and the life of my children.  All of this "go slow," and "it takes time to change something this big" talk is fine, as long as one is willing to essentially sacrifice the lives of so many who will never live to see what good (if any) comes of all of this.

This concept of ignoring the present, and focusing on some unobtainable future is part of why there was and is so  much anger over the scandal, the promised tribunal(s), the Commission, etc...   There is a clock ticking, and people will do what our biology requires: we will die.  Does the church owe anything to the currently living?  Should it?  Somewhere buried in that question, and the answers, are some pretty deep questions about the nature of the church, and whether this was what Jesus had in mind, both in the way he lived, and also in what he said...