Dear Mark,

Your question seems to be "am I being brainwashed".  I can't really answer that but I can address your specific concerns.  If the Holy Father did kiss the Koran, you can be assured that it was NOT because he rejects the truth of the Trinity and Jesus Christ, and NOT because he endorses any other errors.  Any respect he would have shown would have been respect only for the truths that are contained within the book.

As for ethnic "problems" I'm afraid you must realize that Christianity is MUCH larger than the American Catholic Church.  Yes there are ethnic differences in the Liturgy and there pretty much always were once the Church began to spread.  The SPPX people really can't or shouldn't believe that the Tridentine Mass is the only rite that should be celebrated, in Latin, with all the Latin traditions and customs, worldwide.  It certainly never has been before.

For women taking over priestly roles:  the more serious of these incidents really  are abuses and are not endorsed or authorized by the Church or the Holy Father.

The Tridentine Mass:  Well the Tridentine Mass is not widely available because the rites were revised by order of the Second Vatican Council.  the Tridentine Mass no longer is the "principal" rite in which the Mass is celebrated, that is simply why it isn't widely available.  The Church saw a need for a change.  The problem seems to be that many liberal thinkers have misinterpreted the new instructions and felt they had the authority to make other changes that the church officially never authorized.  (such as the virtual abandonment of Latin) By the way, when the new Mass is celebrated properly and reverently, and in Latin, it can resemble the old Mass and is very beautiful.  In my opinion THIS Mass is what needs to be made widely available.

I understand how cheated a lot of younger Catholics feel once they discover much of the beauty of the Church that seems to have been discarded before they were born.  I am one of these Catholics.  However I really can't see how straying from the Church and the Holy Father is the answer to the problem.  It is my hope that you will be able to find an indult Tridentine Mass celebrated with permission from the bishop in a community in union with the Holy Father.

Mr. Slavek