We Are Church Intl.

Collegiality, pastoral wisdom, justice and the hopes of the people of God featured in presentations made at the Monastero delle Suore camaldolesi all'Aventino on Thursday evening (7 March 2013)

Noi Siamo Chiesa and the International Movement We Are Church arranged the meeting to offer analysis and reflection at this important moment in the the life of the Church.

Journalists, church workers and representatives of various organisations and movements heard brief presentations by Catholic speakers from three continents.  More information may found by clicking on their names

• Martha Heizer (Austria), Chair and co-founder of the We Are Church movement.
• Vittorio Bellavite (Italy), Coordinator of Noi Siamo Chiesa
• Michael Walsh (United Kingdom), Church historian, writer and commentator on Roman Catholic matters.
• Marylin Hatton (Australia), represents her country to Womens Ordination Worldwide
• Anthony Padovano (USA), theologian, writer and Professor at the University of New Jersey.
• Paul Collins (Australia), broadcaster, writer and historian of the Papacy

Following the presentations the speakers were pleased to receive and answer many questions.

Collegiality, Justice and Pastoral Wisdom

[French] - [Portuguese] - [German] - [Spanish] - [Italian]

The opening day of the Conclave has not yet been decided; but today as in 2005, there are great expectations that this might mark a turning point in the Church and make the gospel of Jesus more and more heard in ourworld. The problems experienced during the pontificate of John Paul II are still unresolved, or have worsened.  Nonetheless the conviction remains that the situation can change for the Word of salvation is powerful.

It is the duty of the College of Cardinals to recognise the seriousness of the situation, to read the signs of times. The Cardinals have in their hands both the book of the Gospel and the documents of the Second Vatican Council. They must read them, and meditate on them. Within them are the directions, sometimes implicit but often very explicit, for the road the Church must travel. The expectations of those who appeal to the Council have already often been voiced. “We are Church” has contributed to raising issues about the Church as a whole, but with especial emphasis on the reform of the Papacy, because that is the key to the entire structure of what is the modern Catholic Church. We shall briefly recall four main issues.

Today we got confirmation from Stampa Estera, the Foreign Press Association here in Rome, that we are invited to give a press conference in their office. This is a unique chance for us to get close contact to the international journalist in Rome. The press conference was planned for 11 a.m. but was postponed to the afternoon 14:30 p.m. because of two reasons: The Cardinals will have a prayer in San Pietro basilica at 10 a.m. and a "pink smoke" activity of women fighting for women's ordination will take place at 11 a.m. at Piazza Garibaldi. Vittorio has written a new draft for a press release and I work all day with sending and receiving emails, trying to coordinate the next days of the Conclave.

When I gave a short interview this morning to the Spanish TV-channel La Sexta near San Pietro I met just by chance an Auxiliary Bishop from Germany who was also in Rome for an interview. He is one of the open minded Bishops in Germany you can see quite often in the media. He told me: Now it's time for a new start, a break-up in church. I hope the Cardinals would listen to him if they don't listen to us. Reform certainly is needed in the centre of the church, in the Roman Curia. But will it be only a little bit of reform to keep the present system alive ? Or will we see substantial reforms as we and so many are asking for? I'm thinking of Hans Kueng (who will celebrate his 85th birthday on March 19) and of so many other theologians all over the world.

While I'm writing this diary Martha Heizer, IMWAC's chair, is on the night train from Austria to Rome to join our team again. Good night, Martha! Good night to all of you.
 

 Christian Weisner continues his diary from Rome

Yesterday I walked through sunny Rome and visited Santa Sabina all'Aventino (one of the oldest and probably the most beautiful church in Rome), San Allessio and Sant'Anselmo (Benedictine University and College in Rome). But this was the only free time I had here in Rome since I came here on Monday. Even at the churches I got phone calls and met a journalist I know from Germany. More and more journalists are now coming to Rome and want to talk to someone from We are Church. At today's breakfast I met three of them in the hotel where I am staying.

With the beginnig of the Conclave fixed by the Cardinals for Tuesday afternoon time is too short for Stampa Estera to invite us for a press conference and too short to organise a press conference of our own. So we will send out a press release on Monday morning telling the Cardinals how they should vote. I am joking, of course!   I'm sure some of them are in favour of some reforms. But are they strong enough to find a common candidate? And are they strong enough to stop the group connected to "Opus Dei" and "Movimento di Comunione e Liberazione"?

From Christian Weisner in Rome

Today is the International Women's Day. In the morning Martha and I had the last briefing together. Change.org might start an international campaign with us about the main tasks of the next pope. Then Martha left for her home in Austria. At the moment I'm the last of IMWAC's team in Rome. I read in the news what the journalists wrote about our event yesterday evening and answered requests from other journalist who will come to Rome in the next few days.

 It is still raining in Rome. At St. Peters Basilica a discovered that the pilgrims and tourists walk over the plaque which commemorates Pope John XXIII and the date of the opening of the Second Vatican Council.

At noon I went to the Vatican's press office Sala Stampa. I'm not an accredated journalist but I wanted to meet there some friendly journalists who I know. Just by chance the German television recognised me and asked me what we, the People of God, would want the next Pope to do first. I said the usual arguments. In the afternoon I just dropped in into an Orthodox liturgy - and enjoyed the richness of Chistian liturgies with a nice Choir, candles, and incense.

Tonight the Vatican announced that the Cardinals will start the Conclave on Tuesday. Now the date is fixed we have to plan for our second presentation which unfortunately will be without Anthony Padovano and Michael Walsh who already had to leave for home, but Martha will come back. Could it be seen as a slight sign of change that the Cardinals announced the date for the Conclave on the International Women's Day???

 Elfriede Harth comments:

 "It is indeed an additional good omen to announce the opening of the Conclave on International Women's Day. I am sure that things will continue changing. If you look back you will realize how many things have changed! We are at a cross roads and the current crisis bears lots of chances. So our presence (visibility) in Rome and elsewhere and our voices now are particularly important. I am further convinced that many diverging voices are better than one single strong voice. The Catholic faith community is like an orchestra that has largely learned to play on their own interpreting the symphony of the Good News. A large variety of instruments play different roles in that symphony. We are expecting a new director for this orchestra to be appointed soon - and hopefully he (no she possible for the moment! - unless...... a miracle would happen! -) he will be able to play this marvellous instrument that an Orchestra constitutes.... But a director without the orchestra.... is nobody!"