There was no problem with the forum for the last 2 years.   What ruined the forum was MSW's obsession with the political season, manifesting itself in countless fire-breathing editorials that classified everyone who disagreed with his political views as biased, racist, foolish, immoral and ignorant.    

MSW'S lead encouraged some forum participants to go and do likewise, with constant posts that painted those on the other side of the political fence as biased, racist, foolish, immoral and ignorant.

Those of us on the other side of the fence felt we had the right to explain that we didn't appreciate being spoken of this way.   This only resulted in compounding the posts from those who disagreed with us, and it seems also, countless appeals to the NCR staff to censor the forum.

Now we see the end result.  The forum has been neutered.

I find this extremely regrettable, since the previous NCR forum was one of the last truly open Catholic forums.  Now it's gone.  Thanks MSW.