Pope Benedict may face ambush in Mexico

Social activists are hoping to ambush the Pope when he visits Mexico. Not with guns, but with demands that some may say are equally dangerous - if not more so. Activists who want justice for children abused by priests, women who want to be ordained, and people upset about the ongoing violence in the country have all set their sights on the Pope.

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (Catholic Online) - Benedict may have to do some deft maneuvering as each group prepares to deliver their concerns and demands. However, the Holy Father has not been accommodating to certain elements, and certainly less so than his predecessor, John Paul II.

Elio Masferrer, from the national School of Anthropology and History said that Benedict "does not have a specific policy for different groups in society, as did (his predecessor) John Paul II, who had distinct ways of approaching young people, intellectuals and indigenous people, for example."

He added, "This is a great weakness. The Church is in a state of paralysis. The faithful do not follow what the hierarchy lays down, and therefore the leadership has lost its power to influence the daily lives of Catholics."

There is some truth to this, that Catholics are sometimes, in some places, doing a poor job of listen to the Pope and following the direction of the Church. However, Benedict is not amending adjusting the Church to accommodate dissenters. Rather, the Church is becoming even more conservative in the face of opposition.

In the last two years, Benedict has elevated staunch conservative bishops to the College of Cardinals, making it more likely that his successor will also be a conservative and thus protect the Church from the influence of extreme elements. 

Still, the Pontiff can address these issues and make clear that the church will not tolerate them. 
On the issue of child abuse, the Benedict has spoken out and despite lax measures in the past, it has taken, and continues to take, ever stronger steps to protect children. Pedophile priests, although rare, have grabbed world attention and the rightful ire of the Holy See which is now advocating strong criminal sanctions against those suspected of committing such crimes. Still, activists intend to approach him and ask for additional changes. Whether those changes will be adopted depends on how well they will protect children while upholding the teachings of the Church. It is unknown what demands these advocates will actually make.

Meanwhile, a virtual civil war between the government and the drug cartels has claimed more than 47,000 lives. While the world watches with grave concern developments in countries like Syria, where the death toll has exceeded 7,000, the world seems to ignore the staggering violence that racks Mexico each day. At least one group plans to raise the Pope's awareness to the crisis and ask him to speak out against it. The Holy Father is widely expected to issue a strong condemnation of the conflict. 

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Finally, one group of activists is planning to approach the Pope with a petition to allow the ordination of woman as priests. There is no belief this will actually happen, since it runs opposite to the teaching of the Church - that priesthood is specifically for men, a precedent established by God. Women remain called to serve the Lord in other, unique vocations.

Pope Benedict is expected to affirm the Church's commitment to social justice and human rights. However, none should expect him to compromise on the basic tenets of Catholic faith. The Holy Father may be ambushed, but none should ever expect to see him waver. 

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