Dr. Ronald Connolly, address the urgent and dire issue of the “filth” existing in the Church – esp among the leaders, and the important of an authentic, evangelical response. Pope Benedict said there is — “filth in the Church”—and he also said— “the sufferings of the Church come precisely from — ‘sin existing within the Church.'” There is the filth of scandalous bishops and priests who are homosexuals, and have made it their ministry to promote their lifestyle, yet they remain in good standing within the Church. There is the filth of the hierarchy’s complicity in this habitual scandal — for only they have the God-given authority, duty, and privilege of excommunicating those who obstinately preach in opposition to Jesus Christ and to his Church; 1.2 billion Catholic laity cannot cleanse the Church of an iota of filth. Complicity in scandal prevents millions upon millions of little ones from identifying the true Church founded and headed by Jesus Christ. If today’s Church cannot even identify itself—cannot even catechize its own—then how does it hope to succeed with tomorrow’s New Evangelization? Monterey, CA, 2014.