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Catholic Church Reform International is a global network of committed Catholic organizations and individuals seeking a deeply-rooted reform of our Church. It is crucial that we all stay involved in the synodal process!
News and Updates
Nice Words, but Still No Votes… Women, Young People Have No Power at Vatican’s Synod on Youth
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?”
Newsletter – 11 September 2018
To all concerned about the future of the Roman Catholic Church:
Conversations are going on in all parts of the world about the most recent reports of clergy sexual abuse of children that have been covered up by Bishops under the pretext of “protecting the image and reputation of the Church.” The truth is they are only protecting themselves and their clerical status.
We can be silent no longer. It is past time for the baptized Faithful, who are the Church, to take action. We invite you to join with us on our Facebook page and share your views on how we the People of God can move responsibly forward to be the Church as intended by Jesus.
Pope Francis has outlined his vision for a church that is “synodal” at every level, with everyone listening to one another, learning from one another and taking responsibility for proclaiming the Gospel. We at CCRI feel that all of us in the reform movement have spent far too many years trying to communicate with the hierarchy and convince them of the necessity of reform and restructuring within the Church. But are convinced beyond any doubt that our trying to change them is fruitless. Consequently, our strategy is no longer to put our energy into “reforming” the institutional church which seems beyond repair but rather to focus on “re-founding” the Church in the spirit of the early Christians. The Vatican is not the Church. By virtue of our baptism, we are the Church and we believe that we have the responsibility to enrich the future leadership and management of our church. But how? What IS within our power to do is to join or start small faith communities by whatever name they are called in various parts of the world: Intentional Eucharistic Communities (IECs), Base Christian Communities (CEBs), or Small Christian Communities (SCCs). Scroll to the end of this newsletter to learn what you personally can do.
The World Meeting of Families (WMoF) and the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland in August 2018
Background re WMoF: There were two requests from countries to host the WMoF in 2018 in their countries. Neither request was from Ireland. But Pope Francis decided that the 2018 WMoF should be held in Ireland and this was announced at the 2015 WMoF in Philadelphia, the same year that Ireland had voted by Referendum to approve Marriage Equality (62% in favour). In January 2018 WAC Ireland spotted that images of same sex couples had been edited out of the WMoF preparatory Booklet. And shortly afterwards WAC Ireland noted an online video of a Bishop speaking about different family configurations was edited to remove all references to other family configurations. Both WAC Ireland and Global Network for Rainbow Catholics (GNRC) applied for stands at the WMoF. Neither was given a stand and a large number of stands were left empty at WMoF.
Letter to Pope Francis – Demand for a Council of God’s People
From: Francophone Baptized Catholics Conference, 76 rue de la Verrerie, Paris 75004
31st August 2018,
Dear Very Holy Father,
Following the massive disclosures of a large number of scandals of the Church concerning the sexual abuse of minors by priests, you have addressed a letter to God’s People, in which you condemn clericalism as one of the causes of this evil and you have appealed to the baptized persons to help you resolve the problem. We want to respond to your appeal.
Newsletter – 31 August 2018
August 31, 2018 Along with We Are Church Int'l, CCRI is asking for your support for young LGBT people attending the Youth Synod (October 2018). Pope Francis has called a Synod on Youth Damage is done when a child or young person is made to feel that being LGBT would...
To all who are outraged about the abuse within our Church:
August 25, 2018 We have remained silent too long. It is time for us, the People of God, regardless of where we are - active Catholic, former Catholic, Christian, and all faiths - to speak out and take an active leadership in bringing us all into the one Body of...
Transparent policies and accountability needed if the Vatican is serious about bringing more women to meaningful leadership at the Curia
Recent statements by Pope Francis and top Vatican officials support the need to bring more lay women to top leadership positions at the Roman Curia. However, Voices of Faith is concerned about the apparent difficulties and lack of transparency in regard to how those women are chosen and the process undertaken to appoint them. In an extensively quoted interview with Reuters on June 17th 2018, Pope Francis is reported saying, “I don’t have any problem naming a woman as the head of a dicastery.” At the same time, he talks about difficulties in finding the right candidates and convincing curial officials to accept women for leadership positions. The Prefect of the Dicastery of Laity, Family and Life, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, stated that the Vatican is “overloaded with clerics” and that “administrative functions within the church can be done by anybody” including laity.
Announcing The Peoples Synod – Dallas, Texas, USA
All global indicators point to CHANGE. Science tells us about the Big Bang and the ongoing history of the cosmos. A living faith tells us that God’s creation continues to emerge toward a peace and oneness for which we all yearn. We as people of God can contribute to...
Join We Are Church Ireland in supporting the LGBT community
11 June 2018 Pope Francis has said about gay people "Who am I to judge?" But the Catholic Catechism still refers to the LGBT community as "objectively disordered." Would Jesus use these words? Pope Francis is to visit Ireland 25-26 August 2018 and we are calling on...
PETITION TO POPE FRANCIS: CHANGE CHURCH LGBTQI LANGUAGE
Today, Thursday 7th June We Are Church Ireland is launching a petition calling on Pope Francis to change Vatican theological language that is gravely insulting to LGBTQI people. Words like 'objectively disordered ' and ' intrinsically evil' to describe any human being...
Open Letter to Pope Francis
To all Catholic Women, Catholic Women Speak and Voices of Faith have collaborated to write an open letter to Pope Francis appealing for greater participation of and dialogue with women in the worldwide Church. They have asked for our support of this effort to open a...
We Are Church International Calls for Separate Dicastery on Women’s Equality, Calls Current Vatican Direction “Ineffective”
May 17, 2018. [ Italian ] Leaders of We Are Church International today expressed serious concerns about the expansion of the Vatican Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life to include deepened reflection on the role of women. The broadening of the mission, headed by...
The Synod on Synodality
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