Criticism of the Catholic Church

During its long history, the Catholic Church has been subject to criticism regarding various beliefs and practices. Within the church, this often involves opposition or support for practices associated with traditionalist Catholicism. In the past, different interpretations of scripture and various other critiques contributed to schisms such as the schism with the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Protestant Reformation. The Catholic Church has also been criticized for some of its historical actions, such as the church's promotion of the Crusades, and at various times by nationalist groups who feared the influence of Catholicism in undermining their regime. Furthermore, the Catholic Church has been criticized for not practicing ordination of women to the priesthood, its handling of incidents of sexual abuse, its involvement with various dictatorial regimes, and various inter-faith interactions.
This article talks about both the self-criticism of the Catholic Church by people who identify themselves as Catholic, and the cross-criticism of people from other denominations of Christianity, other religions, atheism, agnosticism or even indifference.

Internal

Liturgical reforms

Since 1970, the Mass has predominantly been celebrated in the vernacular, following the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. While this shift included a transition away from Latin, critiques of the Novus Ordo Missae go beyond language and concern the very structure and theology of the rite. Traditionalists argue that the Novus Ordo represents a rupture with the Church's liturgical tradition, particularly in its simplified rubrics, shift away from ad orientem worship, reduced emphasis on the sacrificial nature of the Mass, and incorporation of elements influenced by Protestant worship.
In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI issued Summorum Pontificum, loosening restrictions on the celebration of the Tridentine Mass, affirming that it had never been abrogated and could be freely celebrated by any priest. This was intended to address concerns over liturgical discontinuity and to foster reconciliation with those attached to the preconciliar rite. However, in 2021, Pope Francis promulgated Traditionis Custodes, severely restricting the use of the Tridentine Mass, arguing that its widespread use had led to division rather than unity within the Church.

Ecumenical Concerns

Traditionalist Catholics have expressed concerns about the Catholic Church's approach to ecumenism following the Second Vatican Council, arguing that it represents a departure from previous Church teaching on the uniqueness of Catholicism. These critiques focus on perceived changes in doctrine, liturgy, and interfaith relations.
Traditionalists argue that post-conciliar ecumenism fosters religious indifferentism, suggesting that all religions are equally valid paths to salvation, which they see as conflicting with the doctrine of extra Ecclesiam nulla salus. They also criticize the Church's increased participation in interfaith dialogue and joint prayer services, particularly high-profile events such as the Assisi Meetings initiated by Pope John Paul II, which they claim create the impression of equality between Catholicism and other religions.
Another major concern is the perceived Protestantization of Catholic worship, particularly within the Novus Ordo Missae, which Traditionalists argue introduced elements that align with Protestant theology, diminishing the distinctiveness of Catholic sacramental doctrine. Additionally, some Traditionalists view the Church's revised stance toward Judaism, as reflected in documents such as Nostra Aetate, as a significant departure from prior teachings.
Critics also argue that the emphasis on ecumenism has led to a weakening of Catholic missionary activity, shifting the focus from conversion to dialogue, which they see as contradicting the Church's historic evangelistic mission. These concerns have led some Traditionalists to reject certain Vatican II documents and subsequent papal initiatives, viewing them as a rupture with the Church's prior teachings on the necessity of Catholicism for salvation.

Ordination of women

The teaching of the Catholic Church on ordination, as expressed in the Code of Canon Law, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the apostolic letter Ordinatio sacerdotalis, is that "only a baptized man validly receives sacred ordination". According to Roman Catholic thinking, the priest is acting 'in persona Christi'. In 1979, Sister Theresa Kane, then president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, challenged Pope John Paul II from the podium at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., to include women "in all ministries of our Church". In his Apostolic Letter Ordinatio sacerdotalis, Pope John Paul II said the "Priestly ordination, … has in the Catholic Church from the beginning always been reserved to men alone." He cited the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Declaration Inter Insigniores on the question of the Admission of Women to the Ministerial Priesthood, and declared that "the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful." The reasons given included: "the example recorded in the Sacred Scriptures of Christ choosing his Apostles only from among men; the constant practice of the Church, which has imitated Christ in choosing only men; and her living teaching authority which has consistently held that the exclusion of women from the priesthood is in accordance with God's plan for his Church."
Several Catholic groups, nonetheless, say the matter should still be open for discussion, and dissenters do not regard Ordinatio sacerdotalis as definitive church teaching. But in June 2018 Pope Francis said, "We cannot do this with Holy Orders because dogmatically we cannot. Pope John Paul II was clear and closed the door and I'm not going to go back on that. It was serious, it was not a capricious thing." But from the start of his papacy Francis has pointed out that "sacramental power is too closely identified with power in general. It must be remembered that when we speak of sacramental power "we are in the realm of function, not that of dignity or holiness'". Nevertheless, since the Second Vatican Council, women have taken an increased role in the church. In 1994, the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments formally interpreted the 1983 Code of Canon Law, stating that women could assist at Mass as acolytes or altar servers. Women also serve as lectors and extraordinary ministers. Critics see the church's position on the ordination of women as a sign that women are not equal to men in the Catholic Church, though the church rejects this inference. Pope Francis organized a Study Commission on the Women's Diaconate to review and study the history of women's service to the church, such as that of deaconesses. The Commission submitted its report to Pope Francis in January 2019.

Finances

Concerns about usury included the 19th-century Rothschild loans to the Holy See and 16th-century objections over abuse of the zinskauf clause. This was particularly problematic because the charging of interest was a violation of doctrine at the time, such as that reflected in the 1745 encyclical Vix pervenit. As a result, work-arounds were employed. For example, in the 15th century, the Medici Bank lent money to the Vatican which was lax about repayment. Rather than charging interest, "the Medici overcharged the pope on the silks and brocades, the jewels and other commodities they supplied." However, the 1917 Code of Canon Law switched position and allowed church monies to be used to accrue interest.
Italian priest Pino Puglisi refused money from Mafia members when offered it for the traditional feast day celebrations, and also resisted the Mafia in other ways, for which he was martyred in 1993.
In 2014, Pope Francis criticized the practice of charging altarage fees or honorariums for things like baptisms, blessings, and Mass intentions.
In 2018, Pope Francis criticized the selling of Masses for the dead, stating, "the Mass is not paid for, redemption is free, if I want to make an offering, well and good, but Mass is free."

Interfaith

Judaism

In the Middle Ages, religion played a major role in driving antisemitism. Adversus Judaeos are a series of fourth century homilies by John Chrysostom directed to members of the church of Antioch of his time, which continued to observe Jewish feasts and fasts. Critical of this, he cast Judaism and the synagogues in his city in a critical and negative light. The use of hyperbole and other rhetorical devices painted a harsh and negative picture of the Jews. This was largely ignored until the Jewish anti-Christian teachings began to surface in Muslim Andalusia in the 11th and 12th centuries. According to historian William I. Brustein, his sermons against Jews gave further momentum to the idea that Jews are collectively responsible for the death of Jesus. "Over the course of time, Christians began to accept... that the Jewish people as a whole were responsible for killing Jesus. According to this interpretation, both the Jews present at Jesus' death and the Jewish people collectively and for all time, have committed the sin of deicide, or God-killing. For 1900 years of Christian-Jewish history, the charge of deicide has led to hatred, violence against and murder of Jews in Europe and America."
In 1998, Pope John Paul II apologized for the failure of Catholics to help Jews during the Holocaust and acknowledged that Christian antisemitism might have made easier Nazi persecution of the Jews, whom the Pope called "our elder brothers" in the faith.
The 2007 motu proprio ''Summorum Pontificum, allowing a wider use of the Tridentine Mass, raised concerns in the Jewish community regarding the Good Friday liturgy which contained a prayer "For the conversion of the Jews" referring to Jewish "blindness" and prays for them to be "delivered from their darkness." The American Jewish Committee said that this raises "negative implications that some in the Jewish community and beyond have drawn concerning the motu proprio''." Pope Benedict XVI in 2008 replaced the prayer in the 1962 Missal with a newly composed prayer that makes no mention of blindness or darkness.