I would be very surprised if the US Catholic Church were able to survive the 21st century as much more than an ethnic minority church clinging to the past. Today's youth pay even less attention to the ecclesiastical hierarchy than they do to remnant royalty. For good or for bad, no one under 50 cares what popes and bishops write, and most of those over 50 seem to pay attention only when the content agrees with them -- which is a form of not caring masked as concern. The temporary influx of Hispanics gives us the illusion of a growing church, but that growth is not sustainable. More than anything else, the Church is crippled by its inability to articulate a compelling message that makes today's people put personal or corporate "salvation" -- whatever that still means -- above their own gratification. To quote a lesser mind, the bishops' conference could shoot someone on 5th Avenue, and no one would pay attention. (Don't believe me? Show the above photo to a teenager.)