The problem is that they are pursuing their initiatives in constant opposition to the priests and bishops who oversee them, which limits their success. As long as this continues to be the case, the Church will never be as effective an agent for positive change as it could be. With a constituency that comprises 70 percent of the entire region, the Catholic Church has the potential to exert a powerful positive influence on the lives of the Catholic masses. The mechanisms are all in place, waiting to be put into full use. But it remains to be seen whether the Catholic Church will have the insight to adjust to the 21st century and modernize its policies in accordance with its members’ social and economic needs. Failure to do so will leave the region exactly where it is, and could even exacerbate some of the major problems it faces, such as disease, poverty, and hunger. However, a successful modernization process would allow the Catholic Church to make full use of its power, influence, and resources to promote widespread positive change and alleviate the suffering of millions of its impoverished members.