As to the shrinking of the church, I'd ask this: what is there in the church today to get/keep people excited?  By that, I do not mean entertainment value, but the life of the mind?

We live in an era where few of us have the luxury of large amounts of unstressed time blocks to think, reflect and ponder.  I think that applies whether we're talking about science, religion, politics,etc.  there is IMMENSE competition for what little time we have.  In that context, religion must compete for that slice of our time.  So when I sit down to read something for a bit, am I more likely to want to dig into a nuanced tome by a pope Benedict, or a piece giving me info on the upcoming total eclipse, or perhaps an article about today's political news, or the Middle East, etc?  Which of these is more practical?  What impact does the church's ongoing handling of the scandal on our decision, or how we might view what Benedict might have to say?  All of this, and more will have to be addressed soon...