[Written by Michael Sean Winters – Published by the NCR Online – October 1, 2021]

Nine days from now, Pope Francis will officially open a synodal process. As my colleague Brian Fraga reported on Wednesday, you wouldn’t know much about it if you relied on the U.S. bishops’ conference. They have sent no directives to the nation’s bishops, no historical or theological reflections, no guidance, nada, niente. They have not amended their strategic priorities to reflect the start of this synodal process. And their last meeting was dedicated to figuring out how to justify a document on eucharistic coherence that no one needs and that Rome has indicated it does not want.

Pope Francis has initiated a 3-step process over the next two years with the first step opening avenues for all the people to come together and make our voices heard. We are especially encouraged to learn that he wants to have the widest participation possible:...

Next month, each diocese will be receiving a questionnaire from the Office of the Synod of Bishops inviting the people to voice their opinions and concerns about the future of the institutional Church. From October 2021 through April 2022, Pope Francis has called upon every diocese throughout the world for bishops and the people to engage in dialogue. The pope wants to hear from all the people – not only those who are engaged in regular Mass attendance but even those who’ve walked away from the institutional Church valuing their personal faith over so called “Church laws” and prescripts.

 Read why so many others are signing the petition:

You may appreciate reading just a few of the comments from the hundreds of responses from the People of God explaining why so many are signing this petition to bishops and are contacting their bishops to ensure that there will be a synod held in their region of the world:

 “I’m signing because I can no longer accept the Catholic Church as it has evolved. I now pray to Christ who began our Faith but did not include the manner in which it has evolved. I have learned that the Church that we know began to evolve at least 1,000 years later and was totally delivered by men who did not marry and did not include women.” Dublin, Ireland

 “The Church has strayed and needs to get back on mission and reflect its true role. We also owe it to those who have left and are leaving the Church in droves, particularly young people, and again become relevant to the times we live in, the needs we have, and the new understandings we have gained.” John, Melbourne, Australia

 “I believe all that is written in this petition from the depths of my being! We have lost so much that Vatican II enabled – and we desperately need to get it back before this patriarchal hierarchy smothers us all. We need to pray for those who stand in the way of Pope Francis’ efforts to bring us back much more closely to what Jesus had envisioned!” Mary, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

 “I am deeply committed to the Catholic Church because this is how I came to know God. Most of my heroes have been and are here. I love the Mass and Sacraments, but I think that we have to move beyond the present clericalism and learn to better hear Jesus and live the Gospels.” Kathryn, Raleigh, N. Carolina

 “I am signing because I believe in an evolutionary Church; that Jesus expects and guides us to change in order to grow. I believe our young people are underscoring this understanding.”

Harry, St Paul, Minnesota, USA

 Sign the petition to Bishops in your own language

Sign this petition in your own language

Firme esta petición en su propio idioma

Unterschreibe diese Petition in deiner eigenen Sprache

Signez cette pétition dans votre langue

Assine esta petição em seu próprio idioma

귀하의 언어로 이 청원서에 서명하십시오

あなたの母国語でこの請願書に署名してください

Saini ombi hili kwa lugha yako mwenyewe

To ensure that there will be a synod in your region of the world, send a letter to your bishop, pastor, or priest also in your own language.

Pope Francis has called for a diocesan synod to be held in every diocese throughout the world beginning this coming October. This first step is scheduled to conclude by April 2022. Without encouragement from the People, some bishops will choose not to hold this synod in their diocese.

Below you will find a model letter in your own language that you are encouraged to use to help you formulate your own letter to your bishop, pastor, or priest. The purpose is to let the clergy know how important it is for the People of God to be included and listened to in these forthcoming diocesan synods.

model letter in English

model letter in Spanish

model letter in German

model letter in French

model letter in Portuguese

model letter in Korean

model letter in Japanese

model letter in Swahili / Kiswahili

For years, many of us have been working and praying for the reform of our Church. For the first time, there appears to be a real opportunity to bring about needed changes. Pope Francis has opened the door as wide as he possibly can inviting the people to speak out...

To Bishops and Pastors in the Catholic Church: Pope Francis has called for engagement of the whole People of God in walking, discerning, governing, and evangelizing together to make fruitful the Synod on Synodality soon to begin on the local level this fall. It is our...

INTERNATIONAL REFORM NETWORK SUPPORTS LGBT+ COMMUNITY IN WAKE OF VATICAN DENOUNCING CHURCH BLESSINGS FOR SAME SEX COUPLES 19 March 2021 Catholic Church Reform International (CCRI), joins with the outrage of millions of people from around the world disgusted by the...

Inviting thinking Catholics and Christians to dialogue

These events will be held online Saturdays: August 8, 15, 22 and 29

A message from the American Catholic Council:

After decades of research and communication with some in the hierarchy of our Church and trusted People of God, it’s become obvious that as we are “victims” of our global culture and context swirling to remake itself and us. In many cases, it is succeeding—on both fronts. We ask the burning question: Where is our faith in such times? Do we choose to remain impotent as the culture re-forms us or do we choose the converse?

Clearly, we have chosen the latter. We are engaging in an experiment to test the hypothesis that Christians are ready now, willing now, and able now to live the common values of our faith intentionally with the same courage Jesus had. We developed the Peoples Synod to give voice to the People of God, just as synods provide the hierarchy with dialogue on issues that internally concern the institutional Church. We, however, live in a bigger world, an external reality, often beaten to submission by a secular hierarchy that tells us what to think, who to believe, and what to do about it.

We are challenging Christians to think, to be creative, to see new frontiers that match our reality. We already share a common perspective that all lives matter and relationships, primary deep relationships, are the cornerstone of our faith. After all, Scripture is all about relationships, the good, the bad and the ugly, and stories are there to teach us about lives with purpose and those, without.

Come join us for four consecutive Saturdays in August (beginning August 8) for either the morning or afternoon session that will stimulate us to think bigger, to see the potential we have and to create the possibilities we long for. We live in a context of cynicism that keeps many of us mute to speak out on the problems of the day. What would our world be like with thinking Catholics and Christians? Now, there is a dangerous thought to explore.

Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!

Today the Church’s proclamation echoes throughout the world: “Jesus Christ is risen!” – “He is truly risen!”.

Like a new flame this Good News springs up in the night: the night of a world already faced with epochal challenges and now oppressed by a pandemic severely testing our whole human family. In this night, the Church’s voice rings out: “Christ, my hope, has arisen!” (Easter Sequence).

James has created 'Praying Eucharistically', a website enabling celebration of the Eucharist in these times of isolation. He says Many Christians of all denominations are not going to be able to attend Church services over the next weeks, and maybe even months. Rather...

Press Release – 27 February 2019

[ Swedish ]

The Abuse Summit (21-24 Feb 2019) was a disappointment and a missed opportunity.

For over 3 decades clerical child sex abuse scandals have been prominent in several countries (Austria, Germany, USA, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Chile) who have introduced safeguarding measures. These measures have been refined through experience and audits. More recently clerical child sex abuse scandals have surfaced in many other countries (France, Spain, India, etc) and continue to be reported where previously such abuse was kept secret.

The Abuse Summit was therefore an opportunity to share the knowledge and expertise that has been built up so that children in Delhi or Dar es Salaam are as safe as children in Dallas or Dublin. But this did not happen. There was an absence of concrete actions to safeguard children:  

All Nice things were said about the responsibility  to victims – listen, take on the journey and responsibility to respond.

We tried to provide listening to victims, heard the cry of young,  have guidelines to stimulate discussions which include financial responsibility, relationship between Bishops and Superiors of Religious Congregations, ensuring health community life of priests, etc.

Pope gave a short speech he emphasized listening, Spirit of solidarity and what he expects to happen, a conversion and purification.  We need to obtain concrete results.  He has prepared a handout of 21 points which will be made into a booklet.  Collaboration with all people of goodwill.  He will raise marriage age (and change Canon Law), from 14 to 16  (is this progress??? Which century are we living in??)

Sign the petition

Contact: Marianne Duddy-Burke, +1 617=669-7810, media@we-are-church-international.org Contact: Raquel Mallavibarrena Martinez de Castro, +34 649332654, rmallavi@gmail.com We Are Church International (WAC) and European Network Church on the Move (EN) strongly oppose...

Recent statements from Vatican officials, including Pope Francis, that women and lay people should be more fully represented in Church structure are undercut by the announcement of who will have voting authority at the upcoming Synod on Youth, say leaders of We Are Church International, a group in the forefront of global church reform. The list of those with the right to vote includes cardinals, bishops, ordained Vatican officials, priests, and even a few brothers. Women and the young adult lay representatives who are the focus of the Synod are described as “collaborators” and “observers,” and they are specifically banned from voting.

“Once again, the Vatican is demonstrating its total unwillingness to share power and authority with those of us who make up the vast majority of the Catholic church,” said Colm Holmes of Dublin, Ireland, Chair of We Are Church International. “It is a shame that those with the real expertise on the experience, gifts, hopes, and needs of young people are sidelined as observers as decisions that will shape their futures are made. And, of course, women, whom Pope Francis has repeatedly said should have more authority in the church, are excluded from the vote, as well. How long can this institution continue being so deaf to the cries for equality that are coming from every part of the church?”