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We Are Church/USA
An Introduction
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We Are Church/USA is a coalition of Catholic groups in the United States united with our sisters and brothers around the world to call for fundamental reforms in the Roman Catholic Church. We seek to build a church that more closely incorporates the values of the gospel.
Pope Paul VI said: "It is to all Christians
that we address a fresh and insistent call to action….it
belongs to the laity, without waiting passively for orders and
directives, to take the initiative freely and to infuse a Christian
spirit into the mentality, customs, laws and structures of the
community in which they live." (Octogesima Adveniens,
1971, #48)
We take that call seriously. We are adult believers who read the
signs of the times in the light of the gospel and take responsibility
for our faith community. As such, we seek to infuse a new Spirit
into this ancient institution, which we love, by working for a
church which is inclusive, egalitarian, affirming and democratic.
In 1996-97, we expressed our beliefs in a Referendum of the People of God which was signed by more than 2.5 million people worldwide. On October 11, 1997, we joined representatives from 16 other countries in St. Peter's Square where we presented those results formally to an official representative of the Vatican. On October 12, we participated in an international meeting that approved a formal Manifesto for the International Movement.
In March 1998, we participated in a planning meeting in Mammolsheim, Germany where we met with Dr. Konrad Raiser, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches. Dr. Raiser urged us to do what we can to improve the ecumenical climate between Christian denominations.
In 1998, we issued an unprecedented international statement, A Pope for the Time to Come: Bishop of Rome and Universal Pastor, which described the type of church and leadership needed in our church as we approach the new century and the new millennium. That statement was endorsed by more than 145 groups in 17 countries on 6 continents. The movement is strong and growing.