Downplays church control and encourages individual conscience

"This teaching also compels us as Catholics to oppose genocide, torture, unjust war, and the use of the death penalty, as well as to pursue peace and help overcome poverty, racism, and other conditions that demean human life."

American Catholic church seemingly maturing in direct proportion to the increasing immaturity of the fundamentalist retributionist American church. Only in Bush's America could both extremes possibly claim to be followers of Jesus Christ.

Spreading American democracy abroad should be added to the top of the American Catholic church wish list along with "genocide, torture, unjust war, and the use of the death penalty, as well as to pursue peace and help overcome poverty, racism, and other conditions that demean human life."

American Catholic church seemingly maturing in direct proportion to the
increasing immaturity of the fundamentalist retributionist American
church.

Well said!