Pope Francis Confronts a Philippine Church Losing its Hold

Pope Francis is expected to touch down in the Philippines on Jan. 15 for a three-day visit to what is by far the most solidly Catholic country in Asia if not the world, one which claims that 82.9 percent of its 100 million population are Roman Catholic.

The reception is likely to be tumultuous, with an estimated 6 million people expected to stampede to s…