Dr. Birgit Weiler, MMS, is a German missionary and theology professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. A scholar of synodality and the Catholic Church in Latin America and in the Amazon region, Professor Weiler is a member of the Congregation of the Medical Missionary Sisters. She has lived for more than 35 years in Peru, where she works with the Episcopal Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA) and the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network (REPAM).
We Are Church International congratulate Pope Leo XlV
on his inauguration as successor to Pope Francis on 18 May 2025! We share Pope
Leo’s message for our world of peace and justice for those living in poverty
and suffering in wars, as well as care for our environment.
We Are Church welcomes the fact that Pope Leo immediately promised to continue the
synodal reform process initiated by Pope Francis on the basis of the Second
Vatican Council. The 2023 and 2024 World Synods have made it very clear how
great the need for reform within the Church is in order to make our faith
community credible and missionary again. This includes, among other things:
· Shared Decision Taking at
all levels: Parish, Diocese and Synod
· Equality for Women, LGBTQ+
and Married people in ordained ministries
· Zero tolerance for sexual abuse
in the appointment of bishops
· Respect unity in diversity
in different cultures
We very much hope that with Pope Leo and with the support of the Roman
Curia and the cardinals who elected him by a large majority, it will now be
possible to tackle these globally discussed issues in a synodal manner at all
levels. Expectations for concrete results by the 2028 global church assembly
are high.
In the current global political climate, we welcome Pope Leo's
commitment to freedom of the press. This should then also apply to theology and
a liberal rethinking of traditional theological doctrine so that theology does
not lose touch with the world.
We are Church International and its national members
worldwide are willing to support Pope Leo XlV in prayer and in action on
this path.
Press contacts:
Colm
Holmes,
Chair We are Church International
Email:
Dr
Martha Heizer,
Vice-Chair We are Church International
Email:
International Coordinating team:
Valerie Stroud (England & Wales), Mary Morrissey (Ireland), Jean-Pierre
Schmitz (France), Ashik Naz Khokhar (Pakistan), Christiane Bascou (France), Martin
Schockenhoff (Germany), Kathleen Gibbons Schuck (USA), Gemma Lamarra
(Scotland), Elza Ferrario (Italy), Virginia Saldanha (India)