Do we really need an
inquisition in the Quebec Diocese?
The final answer is not ours. We are neither the Bishop, nor the Pope.
But many signs lead us to think that a good inquisition is necessary and urgent in the Quebec Diocese. The Catholic Church in Quebec is sick, and this illness is caused according to us by its leaders (the Bishops, priests and deacons).
Let's start with the sad state of the Church in Quebec.
First, there are statistics. General statistics, like the high rates of abortion, of young people commiting suicide, of divorce, etc. Then you have more directly religious statistics: low attendance at Mass, fewer baptisms, priestly vocations, etc. You also have statistics which as far as we know don't exist, but which should be obtained: high rates of ignorance of fundamental dogmas in the laity, high rates of heresies among priests (and even Bishops), of sexual deviances in the clergy, etc.
There are also a few books which deal with this topic, like "Goodbye, Good Men" by Micheal S. Rose, "The Decline and Fall of the Catholic Church in America", by David Carlin, etc.
Finally, there are our subjective impressions. You have the churches where the flock is very old, and quite lethargic. Also, you have all the young people we meet at university or elsewhere, and who inevitably are totally opposed to the teachings of the Church, even though they don't know what they are! And of course you have the sermons that have never been heard.
But granted that the Church in Quebec is ill, that doesn't mean this disease is caused by the "wolves in sheep's clothing" that have infiltrated the sheepfold. So lets try to find that cause, by elimination.
Is it God's fault? No. God exists, and He's not stupid. God didn't forget to put "Call good young men to the priesthood" on His agenda, for example.
Is it the Pope's fault? No. The Seat of Peter is not vacant, the Pope is not a heretic, and so on.
Couldn't we accuse the teachings of the Church? No. They are true and good, because they come from God. Even the most controversial teachings (about abortion, the pill, etc.) are very good.
In that case, couldn't we finger out the laity, especially the young people? No. In our infantry officer's course, we were taught that in a large group of people (a "division" or about 10 000 soldiers), what made the difference was the quality of the officers. The laity is no better or worse than in "the good old days".
What is left? The leaders. According to us, all the Bishops, priests and deacons of Quebec (our religious leaders) have failed us. The minority has failed us by becoming heretics, and the majority has failed us by not having the courage to speak up.
We therefore need to do a good inquisition in Quebec, to reveal who are the wolves in sheep's clothing, and to deal with them according to Canon Law and Canadian Law.
Please note that our argument is only sketched out here. We could of course back up each assertion with more data, according to your needs.