Kelly Schlicht fails to point out that the \conservative"" views of Pope Benedict XVI are the same as those of Pope John Paul II, and that these views are rooted in long-standing Catholic doctrine, which are the basic teachings of the Church (""Future of Catholicism grim under Pope Benedict XVI,"" Opinion, April 22-24).
The Catholic Church has always seen itself as the one true church established by Jesus Christ through his apostle, Peter. This Church doctrine will never change. From the time Martin Luther broke away from the Catholic Church, anyone who followed that path as a minister to the new Protestant Churches was seen as ""deficient"" by the Catholic Church in terms that the line of succession with the Apostles was broken, and any powers conferred by Jesus to his Apostles cannot, in turn, be conferred to those outside the Catholic Church.
Married Catholic priests exist in the world in the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church and this practice is allowed by Church canon law. There are approximately 20 rites in the Catholic Church.
In the Western Catholic Church there are two, with the Latin or Roman rite the dominant one. In the Eastern Catholic Church there are about 18 rites all under the authority of the Pope. John Paul II's and Benedict XVI's view are the same regarding married priests.
Married Catholic priests exist in every country except the United States. As far as dealing with AIDS, the church states, ""Abstinence from improper sexual relations and mutual fidelity between the spouses are the only generalized sure conduct in the face of the danger of AIDS. The recommendations of public health experts coincide in this with the moral doctrine of the Church."" Church doctrine also deals with same-sex marriage and the ordination of women.
The Catholic Church is not a democracy. The teachings of the Church on dogma and morality are not determined by popular vote, which you apparently would like to see, but by almost 2000 years of tested trial.
John Kopcha
UW-Madison Alumnus
