Reply #3: I'm not sure how to respond

[hedgehog]

I would guess that not many people are paying attention to the bishops one way or another, but they have the checkbooks and the deeds. People in active parishes dread a visit from the bishop lest it be a prelude to an announcement that the parish is being closed/consolidated. People I've known for years are surprising me every day now because they are so angry at seeing the bishops cling to the notion that somehow an army of young celibate males will appear out of nowhere to take over the roles of the retiring priests. I just don't see how these guys could influence an election one way or another.