Perhaps this hisorial discusion has missed a very important part of recent history.  That point is the litmus, dogmatic appointments made by JP II and Benedict.  These appointments were made in an attempt to have authoritarin conformatism in the RCC.  This part of an attempt by a dogmatic papacy to control church thought.  Like the false declaration of infallibilty by fallible men, this has hampered and hurt true spirituality in the US.  This important  point should be stressed in any historical recollection..