"[H]e called the Church's posture "unfortunate", because it more and more drives away young people from the Catholic Church." This is an absolutely appalling statement. The reason why people are leaving the Church is not because of Her eternal and infinitely wise teachings, it's because the world is luring more and more people into living sinful lives. 100 years ago, no one would have ever thought that abortion on demand (for no reason other than just not wanting to have a child at the time) would be an openly accepted practice. No one would have ever thought that pornography would be sold in just about every gas station and convenience store. No one would have thought that public schools would teach that homosexuality is OK, and that it's wrong to criticize it. And the problem is not coming from the average person. It's coming from the elite who control the media, special interest groups, music industry, and so on (not to mention the devil). They specifically target young people so that they grow up to live sinful lives. The truths taught by the Church will always be the truth, whether you believe in them or not. The truth is not dependent on someone believing in them. More and more people today are believing that 2 2=5. When an engineer builds a bridge, he has to follow the rules, otherwise it will collapse. But when it comes to building a bridge to Heaven, people think that they can follow whatever rules they want, and it won't matter as long as they're sincere. Well, sincerity doesn't matter when an engineer builds a bridge. He could be the nicest guy in the world, but if he doesn't follow the rules in the engineering books, the bridge will collapse. And what are the teachings and dogmas of the Catholic Church? They are the engineering books to building a solid bridge to Heaven! The truth is real and it is findable (which the world will tell you otherwise). The two virtues of the world today are sincerity and tolerance. Both of these either ignore or go around the truth. The world is leading so many people around like sheep who don't have a clue. Most people today are completely asleep. The truth will set you free!

I second that, Amen to you.

I just recently went to the Basilica in Rome, and the opulence and obviously excessive cost made me sick to my stomach. How many members of the catholic church had to slave away to hand their savings over for this and with no hope of their future ever getting better except when they die. If anyone needs proof that there is no Christian god, then go and visit the Vatican.

I should add that the other religions are no better.

ryan, I like your analogy with engineering books, but their is one big problem: There are lots of different books for getting to heaven, which one is right. At least with a book on bridge building you know it works or not straight away because your bridge will either stand or it wont. It would be a real blow if you got the the gates and were told you had followed the wrong book ...

Ryan, religion is obsolete ... The Church was useful 200-300 years ago, when simple commands like "don't kill" and "don't steal" served to civilize the humanity.... This role has long been overtaken by the state.

What the Church (and any Church, for that matter) is now, is an immense, super-bloated structure/organization based on milking its members in order to self-perpetuate itself. And being a priest is nowadays the most meaningless, senseless profession on Earth.

In the States we have pedophile priests being protected by the” chaotic church.” For over 20 years they have moved them around, hiding them. If that didn’t work they shipped them to a Catholic facility in Suitland Maryland on the campus of a catholic High School. The Church needs babies more money and more little boys for the priests.

Their agendas might be different,but one thing is certain the church and state from time to time clash ,both are ideological ,it is high time they found middle ground ,hiv might not be a problem in Brazil as it is in Subsaharan Africa,despite this, hiv prevention strategies must be put in place with both the support of the state and church ,quite a challenge,but a multisectoral support system must be put in place to fight hiv /aids in LatinAmerica as a whole, the present positons of both the church and the state raises many questions about hiv infection,the law,society,human sexuality,society and culture all these must be addressed if we are going to face the social side of hiv infection and the stigma and discrimination that comes with it.

Using morning after pill does not mean you cannot get AIDS.
Prefer using your brain, wear a condom.