It is educational to study the publicity on Pope Benedict's trip to Brazil. First we learn that politicians who are pro-choice should be excommunicated:
But when an Italian reporter pressed him on whether he agreed that Catholic legislators who voted to legalize abortion in Mexico City should rightfully be considered excommunicated, he caused a fury that led his spokesman to try to downplay his response.
"Yes," Benedict replied. "The excommunication was not something arbitrary. It is part of the (canon law) code. It is based simply on the principle that the killing of an innocent human child is incompatible with going in Communion with the body of Christ. Thus, they (the bishops) didn't do anything new or anything surprising. Or arbitrary."
Then we learn that priests shouldn't engage in politics. How does one reconcile this? Well, it is easy if you are the pope, I guess. It's certain kinds of politics that are off-limits for priests:
Pope Benedict decried the growing gap between rich and poor in Latin America on Sunday but told priests to stay out of politics even as they fight for social justice.
And check out that latter link for Benedict's opinions on how indigenous people of America were silently longing for the Catholic faith long before the kind invaders arrived. Good stuff.
Well, good stuff if you are a cynic watching the show. Not so good stuff if you care about the people.