I can't get the article to come up but I see a lot of personal judgment in the posts here. I agree with most of them, in principle, and can find little in history to indicate any degree of great (meaning 'good') leadership by the Catholic church. The world could easily do without most of their history.
On the other hand, as a religious organizaton in the US, they do have the right to believe in what they want to. As long as they don't cross the line to take control of civil action in a manner that amounts to persecution of anyone. (or break other laws)Lobbying, advertisement, etc are permissable.
I think, at least here, they do themselves more harm than good with the stance. That ain't such a bad thing in my opinion. There is a reason they are having to beg for Catholics to return and hope they can attract new believers.
We have the right to criticize them, and if that's what the article is about, then it is a whine. If it's about legal pressure to make them change, then their complaint is legit.
They are being persecuted when we try to control their beliefs and/or punish them if they don't come around. That's more than slightly unconstitutional in the US. I don't know about the constitutions in the rest of the world.
As in any other religion, members have the option to change the church from within or leave it if it doesn't serve their needs. It is not that the church has changed it's beliefs and controls the only gate to heaven. It is more that world and the membership have drifted (sped away) from their traditional doctorine.