Beyond The Papacy

This blogger is no longer under the illusion that the Holy See will survive the fractures within it without significant changes.  Like any enclosed political structure, it is being pulled every which way, dominated by two major opposing forces.  At opposite ends are armies of fundamentalists and relativitists [1], each group having a different vision of the Catholic church in this modern secular society.  In Pope Benedict XVI's prophetic words from 2005:

Today, having a clear faith based on the Creed of the Church is often labeled as fundamentalism. Whereas relativism, that is, letting oneself be "tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine", seems the only attitude that can cope with modern times. We are building a dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one's own ego and desires. [2]

What those changes will entail only time will tell.  Perhaps there would no longer be a pope and in his place there would be a voting bloc represented by the cardinals.  How cardinals come into being would be determined by the archbishops, how archbishops come into being would be determined by bishops, how bishops come into being would be determined by the pastors of the parishes and how pastors come into being would be determined by the parishioners in the parishes.  Hopefully, behind the selection process at every tier, those who vote would be guided by their prayers and the Holy Spirit.

[1] Relativitist is defined here as one who supports or believes in relativism.  See [2] below for the definition of relativism (quoted above).
[2] http://www.vatican.va/gpII/documents/homily-pro-eligendo-pontifice_20050418_en.html