Several of you have inquired about how papal conclaves work. Unfortunately, I'm in the middle of exams right now, but this is a topic that Mike Trueman and I intended to cover in our sequel toSurprised by Canon Law. Mike is scheduled to visit in a couple weeks. If you folks are interested, Mike and I might bump this section up on our writing schedule and leak it on the blog.
Why is it that all the news stations say the American Catholics disagreed with the pope and would like to see a less conservative pope? To me this sounds like the old media game ( IF YOU TELL THEM LIES LONG ENOUGH THEY'LL BELIEVE IT ). I among almost every Catholic I know was in complete agreement with the pope on all sides of the issues. I do think there is some hidden agenda with these news organizations, but what it is I have yet to pinpoint. I think most Catholics take comfort in knowing that the church will provide the world with a spirtually positive influence despite the ideology of a handful of high powered nutty Americans who claim to be Catholic.
I whole-heartedly agree! I have praised the networks for the excellent coverage of the Pope's death and works of the Vatican. I do, however, blame them for spreading negative comments that a few Catholic Americans have made and turned them into fodder for claiming there is a vast division in the Catholic Church.