Upon returning from his visit to Portugal, Pope Benedict was greeted by an estimated 150,000-plus supporters at St. Peter’s Square on Sunday. The gathering, which the Vatican’s defenders intended as a show of solidarity with the pontiff during his efforts to address the clergy sex abuse scandal, seemed to boost his spirits.

But then yesterday, Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva announced he will sign a law legalizing gay marriage, which Benedict had just preached against during his visit. (On a related subject, there’s still plenty of confusion in America over whether children of same-sex couples should be allowed to attend Catholic schools, with the latest story coming out of Boston.)

You win some, you lose some, right?

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