Who We Are

Catholic Church Reform International is a global network of committed Catholic organizations and individuals seeking a deeply-rooted reform of our Church through online interaction and collaboration.

We embraced Vatican II for its vision for a Church of love rather than a Church of laws. We applauded the Council for striking a new attitude toward “the world” – no longer seen as evil, but good, because Christ made it his own in a new way, and challenged us, his followers, to help make the world a better place.

After the Council, we were scandalized by the efforts of some to turn the clock back on Vatican II, even to set the Church against the world that Jesus loved, and to deepen the divide between priests and people. Clerical sex abuse and its cover up further shocked the Catholic faithful and exposed a non-accountable system of governance that does not listen to the faithful. As a result, millions of good Catholics left the Church.

Imagine our joy, then, when a new pope was elected, imbued with the spirit of the Council, who could remind us that we are the Church – all of us, not just the pope and the bishops, but all of us. We set to work immediately in cyberspace, inviting thinking Catholics (and other believers in God) to help our Church complete the promise of Vatican II, that we, the people could grow and change as the world itself was growing and changing.

We gave the people of God a space where they could speak frankly about anything and everything that affects the common good. When Pope Francis said he wanted all of us to help rebuild the Church, we found further encouragement to seek a voice, a vote and citizenship for everyone in our Church. That included encouragement for our theologians to re-think the message of Jesus in language ordinary people can understand. That included encouragement for our bishops to walk with us, and listen to us, as servant bishops, not lords. That included encouragement for all us to exercise our right and our duty to help govern our Church.

We have an idea – that we can create a just, welcoming, inclusive community of loving men and women sensitive to the needs of a world that is good because God came to “take flesh and dwell among us.” For us, then, Jesus is more than an idea. He lives today in millions of human hearts. 

See our Board of Advisors who are developing our actions and strategies and guiding our direction.

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Speaking Out with One Unified Global Voice

"...Until we raise a common voice, we will not only not be heard, we will not even be listened to....   

My hope is that by speaking out together - a strong chorus of calls for reform - we can provide a common, a clear, a strong and ongoing voice for the yet incomplete vision of Vatican II.

In common cause, let us band together across the world. By our desire to be heard on particular issues - all of them important - let us not lose the strength of our common voice by reducing it to a whisper.

In light of this, we invite individuals and organizations to join together in making known our opinions for the good of our Church. By uniting our voices, it is not about abandoning the unique work of your organization but rather about how your work can enhance global reform."

Sr. Joan Chittister, CCRI Special advisor

"We have to join our forces in order to reach a real breakthrough in this window of opportunity." Hans Kung, CCRI Consultor


"When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion." [Ethiopian proverb]


"Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable." [Kenyan proverb]

"(The Christian faithful) have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful." (Canon 212 §3)

CCRI is also interested in helping support various causes in regions of the world by garnering the support of our entire global community for those who need support beyond their parish, organization, or locale. Send us (1) your name and affiliation, or (2) the name of your group with some description of your goals, membership, and numbers. Click here to see those organizations who have already joined together speaking out for reform of our Church.



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