Generation gap shaping American church as it looks toward first visit from Pope Benedict

By RACHEL ZOLL
The Associated Press

I n his visit this month to the United States, Pope Benedict XVI will find an American flock wrestling with what it means to be Roman Catholic.

The younger generation considers religion important, but it doesn’t equate faith with going to church. Many laypeople want a greater say in how their parishes operate, yet today’s seminarians hope to restore the traditional role and authority of priests.

Catholic colleges and universities are trying to balance their religious identity with free expression, catching grief from liberals and conservatives in the process. the rest