The report that the clergy are the ‘main obstacle’ to Pope Francis’ renewal agenda did not surprise me at all. For some decades now, different observers have been lamenting the sad plight of the Church: she is burdened with incompetent and uncommitted priests and bishops. The people who need to and can take the necessary decisions to improve the situation—our bishops—are afraid to do so. Any thought-out and effective decision to improve the situation will mean that the numbers of those opting for the priestly ministry will go down. This is the last thing that many bishops do not want to happen. They need numbers to keep their institutions going.
Subhash Anand, St. Paul’s School, Bhupalpura, Udaipur
