Pope Francis

As Pope Francis prepares to confront the challenges facing his church, particularly as it relates to a push by some for a progressive evolution, many will wonder if he will advocate the status quo or perhaps demonstrate a willingness to adapt to a changing world. Either way, he will make some people happy and disappoint others. While there may be 1.2 billion Roman Catholics in the world and although it is difficult to prove statistically, it has been widely acknowledged that the percentage of Catholics practising their faith has been declining almost everywhere. The reasons are varied and for some it is likely due to the church’s desire to ignore the pleas for change. Although the issues are complex and polarizing in substance, Pope Francis cannot afford to disregard their impact on the long-term survivability of the church.