Pope Benedict XVI, even when he was Cardinal Ratzinger and the "enforcer" of Catholic doctrine, has flirted with the restoration of the Latin Mass, which was beloved by many Catholics for generations, but jettisoned during reform movements in that church. That he has given his blessing to it now suggests a continuation of the controls on doctrinal freelancing which his predecessor, John Paul II, instituted.

His claim that the Catholic Church is the "one true" church is based on a verse in which Jesus said to Peter, "Upon this rock I will build my church." Protestants have translated that verse as Jesus speaking of Himself as "the rock." Not only does the Greek support such a conclusion, so does logic. Peter would deny Jesus three times. Martin Luther, who led the Protestant Reformation, and others since then reason that Jesus would not likely build his church -- which he saw as a body of believers in whom He would dwell, not an ecclesiastical hierarchy which he fought against in His time -- on a mortal, sinful man.

Will any of this matter to most people? Probably not. Will it hurt the ecumenical movement, especially that which has built bridges between the Catholic and Orthodox churches, both of which claim to be able to trace their roots back to the original Apostles? Probably so.