On Tuesday, September 15, Pope John Paul II addressed the American Bishops in Los Angeles and indicated, quite forcefully, that there can be no dissent in the Catholic Church.

He said , "It is sometimes claimed that dissent from the magiserium is totally compatible with being a 'good Catholic' and poses no obstacle to the reception of the Sacraments. This is a grave error . . . " The examples he used throughout his talk encompassed such issues as abortion, the ordination of women, sexual and conjugal morality, divorce and remarriage.

The mass media, of course, had their predictable field day with this address and omitted much of the nuanced qualification: For example, John Paul also said to the Bishops, "I wish to support you as you continue to engage in fruitful dialogue with theologians regarding the legitimate freedom of inquiry which is their right."

There is no doubt, however, that he did emphasize what everyone expected he would emphasize: "the inacceptability of dissent and confrontation as a policy and method in the area of Church teaching," as he put it.