Roman Catholic Church feels Europe slipping from its hands

[TJ in Oregon]

The thing about the Vatican is that most of it's members are Catholic; that is to say they actually believe the Church's teachings are true. And truth is not determined by taking a poll. The wealthy western world has been leaving the Church in droves for a while now. I think part of it is that within a wealthy society we feel we have everything we need and lose our hunger for God. We don't feel like we need Him for anything. We whitewash all suffering away. Jesus was tortured and killed in grotesque fashion, pleading the Father to take away his suffering if it was in the Father's will but accepting it otherwise. Christianity isn't Christianity without sacrifice and suffering. That doesn't gel easily with a wealthy society looking at how to maximize its own comfort.

Of course there are other factors at hand but that's the main one IMO.