Progressive Catholicism

Though secular in outlook myself, I am always intrigued by discussion of progressive politics grounded in various religious traditions. I also have a longstanding fascination with the Catholic Church despite being raised in a Protestant household. Here is an article by Ted Schmidt, a former editor of progressive Catholic journal Catholic New Times, which recently ceased publication after almost thirty years, on the history of the journal, the shifts in his faith over the last several decades, and his projections for the future. I'm not sure I buy his position of cautious optimism, not so much because I have any sense of dynamics within the Church but because I'm not sure my sense of where society at large is headed is terribly optimistic. Nonetheless, it is interesting to read what he has to say.