[wendybeth]

GD- you might find a parish that is a bit more liberal than others, but at the end of the day the Vatican sets church dogma and policy. The Catholic church isn't like the reformed or Protestant churches- it's their way or the highway. You may attend a church where the priest might look the other way on some things, but you are very much aware that you are not following church doctrine. If you truly believe the Catholic doctrine, then you have to follow the church's teachings or you are not in good standing. Many have tried over the centuries to change things, and some success has happened, but most end up getting excommunicated or leaving on their own.