text: Yes I am American and from what I hear it is largely an American problem, although not exclusively--others here can speak to this better than I... from my perspective, what we are seeing here is a pope who is deeply committed to VII-style reforms. He understands that heavy-handed "dominion" theology is not "the way of the cross," and clearly not the way forward for the church. Now by your own admission you were told that the NO mass is not RC, Catholic lite, cafeteria catholic, etc... this all comes from a very narrow, rigid perspective posited by ultraconservative RC traditionalists so, it would seem, your beef is with them and not with progressive-minded folk you see here. All living things must naturally grow/mature/evolve/adapt or risk becoming extinct, and the Church (people of God) is no different. Scripture doesn't change but our understanding certainly may, and the same is true with man-made church doctrine. If you value substance over form you should have no problem with this.