An opportunity to set a more inclusive table for Catholicism

>>> this week, pope benedict the xvith shocked the world with the announcement that on february 28th , he is going to become the first pontiff in nearly 600 years to step down as the leader of the catholic church . pope benedict 's resignation coin coincides with the beginning of lent, the 40-day period of self-denial and repentance in which the catholics reflect on the teachings of christ. the pope will be replaced by the end of lent, and no later than easter sunday, so it is important that the cardinals tasked with finding a new pope and leader of faith. my next letter going to the pope. dear, cardinals, it is me, melissa. i remember being taught by a priest from south africa and i sat alongside people from south africa and i remember lay women from the north side of chicago and then i appreciated the global inclusiveness of the church and despite the differences we shared a genuine engagement of catholicism for social change . as you know, catholicism goes beyond those who hold the reins in vatican city , and the global body of 2.2 billion believers. as one of the most influential irns tugss, the catholic church encompasses those around the world who don't identify with the catholic faith , but benefit from the work of the church and the organizations it has created. the church has been an advocate for the human rights and the dignity of the most marginalized people, and providing care for the sick, and the homes for the homeless , and food for the hungry . you are the largest provider of health care and education. and for students of color catholic schools are the only affordable alternative for quality education. but cardinals, even as the church has been a channel for good, it has been a conduit for injustice around the world . the doctrine intransigence of the pope being infallible has come at the expense of policies that recognize and address realities in the modern world . women in underdeveloped nations and war torn countries need to have access to contraception, and prevent deaths in childbirth, and yet where the church holds sway over public policy , you and the vatican have undermined any attempt to expand a woman's reproductive freedom and not just in the undeveloped world , but near the united states , that you seek that men tell women that contraceptive coverage be denied to them, even if they are not catholic. and your reaction to the crimes gai against the priests who committed crimes against children and were not punished. as the next pope, you have a role to set the table for world catholicism and a seat for those women called to the priesthood, and those whose faith is as indelible as the lgbt identity identityings and also a seat for those who have an abortion or those who perform them, and i am not here to dictate to you what catholicism should teach the follow followers, my husband is and we at the end mass every week. i kneel next to extrooaordinary men and women all around the world to acknowledge that the life of the people around the world is diverse and complicated, and have structures that animate their