text: Very interesting spin on the decline of the Catholic Church in America and around the world that suggests that the decline of Priests and Women Religious has "opened the door for the laity to carry out the promises of Vatican II" and therefore implies that its a good thing and evidence that the church is not in decline!  Really? The objective or "promise" of Vatican II, was "Aggiornamento" or modernization, a so called bringing it up to date, that forever and undeniably created the slippery slope the Church has been on ever since, resulting in a diminishing of the Priesthood and Religious vocations, and transferring those special responsibilities to the laity...not a sign of growth or anything positive, but a necessary action to prevent the all out destruction of the Church.  The laity cannot consecrate and can only administrate...Is that what the Church has become?  Another large Protestant like, administrative body?  Yes