Every time I read a speech by Pope Benedict I come away with the impression that he wishes for the good old days when the Catholic Church controlled most of Europe through their chosen monarchs and decided who would live or die on the whim of the day.  I’m not a huge fan of the Catholic Church and I’m not Catholic myself, but I know many Catholics of both Conservative and Liberal persuasions and very few of them agree the church should have the kind of control over their lives Pope Benedict seems to believe it should.  There is such a striking difference between Benedict and John Paul.  The late pontiff always seemed to strike a welcoming, if not conciliatory, pose in his speeches.  Benedict, on the other hand, always seems to go on the attack.  Is this the way to draw people back into his church?