Message from Colm Holmes, Chair of We Are Church International

This is certainly a time of turmoil in our hierarchical church with cardinals and bishops openly attacking Pope Francis and each other.

I am writing to invite you to consider taking part in a worldwide campaign leading up to the meeting of Pope Francis and the Heads of Bishops Conferences in Rome in February 2019.

Your WAC Co-ordinating team has agreed that WAC International join US Reform Groups campaign “Time’s Up: Catholics Demand Truth”

A large number of U.S. Reform Groups (including DignityUSA; Call To Action; WOC; FutureChurch) launched this campaign in September 2018. They are organizing prayer vigils on the first Sunday of November, December, January and February – leading up to the February 2019 meeting in Rome of all the Heads of Bishop’s Conferences. The call for truth covers 4 main areas (see Appendix 1 below for full details):

i. Survivor Justice and Civil Recourse

ii. Church Transparency and Accountability

iii. Patriarchy Dismantled in all its forms

iv. Clericalism Dismantled in all its forms

You will find more details at this website http://catholictoo.org/.

Contact: Marianne Duddy-Burke, +1 617=669-7810, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Contact: Raquel Mallavibarrena Martinez de Castro, +34 649332654, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

[ Italian ]

We Are Church International (WAC) and European Network Church on the Move (EN) strongly oppose the canonization of Pope Paul VI, and the recent trend to quickly canonize many who serve as Popes. The rush to canonize Popes soon after their death which began late in the twentieth century contrasts strongly with prior Catholic tradition, which wisely allowed the passage of decades or even centuries to reveal both the personal character and impact of the papacy of each individual who served in that position. It also seems to be creating an idolatry of the papacy, again in violation of Catholic tradition and values. Many of our colleagues from other Christian denominations note that the trend also frustrates efforts to increase ecumenical collegiality. This concern must be taken seriously.

Considering these concerns, WAC and EN call for a reexamination of the entire process of canonization. We believe that the process must be conducted with transparency, that Popes should not be considered for sainthood until at least 100 years following their deaths, and that every member of the Church should have the opportunity to voice their support for or concerns about any candidate for sainthood.

On the specific case of Pope Paul VI, WAC and EN believe that his early work advocating for peace, increasing globalization, expanding interfaith collaboration, making liturgy more engaging of the laity, and raising up the voices of members of the church in Latin America must be balanced with the centralization of Vatican power, the damage done to the church by his promulgation of Humanae Vitae, and his insistence on obedience to ecclesial authority. It will take more time, we believe, for the church to understand whether his papacy advanced the Gospel agenda in our church and our world. In addition, the church must be able to consider archival records and testimonials that address his personal characteristics and determine if he truly embodies the qualities that deserve to be honored by the bestowal of sainthood.

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We Are Church International (WAC) founded in Rome in 1996, is a global coalition of national church reform groups. It is committed to the renewal of the Roman Catholic Church based on the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and the theological spirit developed from it.

The European Network Church on the Move (EN-RE) is a spontaneous convergence of organizations – associations, communities, informal groups and networks – of European Christians who are in majority Catholic, sharing

(1) the vision of a Church prophetic, ecumenical, liberating, supporting, loving, which neither excludes nor discriminates and which follows on the steps of Jesus the liberator

and

(2) the will to work, respecting cultural and religious diversity, for peace, justice, freedom, human rights and democracy, including in the Catholic Church (Cf Declaration of rights and freedoms in the Catholic Church, European Network 1994)

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 Italy:  I tanti dubbi di Noi Siamo Chiesa sulla canonizzazione di Paolo VI

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?”

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.

Please visit the website www.EqualFuture2018.com and support Young LGBT people at the Youth Synod

We Are Church is asking all our members and supporters to visit the website www.EqualFuture2018.com and give your support to young LGBT people at the Youth synod.

You do not have to be LGBT yourself to support this global initiative: just tell your personal story about the LGBT people in your life. The stories collected with this global initiative will be forwarded to our delegate bishops who will be representing us at the Youth synod in October 2018.

This initiative was launched during the World Meeting of Families in Dublin, Ireland on 22 August 2018 by Emily Dever, Xorje Olivares, Carlos Velasquez, Tiernan Brady and Ursula Halligan.

We Are Church is supporting this global initiative.

Please share this Call to Action on your websites and social media.

Colm Holmes,
We are Church International, Chair
30 August 2018
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.