We Are Church International

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At this year's IMWAC-Council meeting member groups confirmed their support for Pope Francis’ goals for reformation in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council and encouraged the bishops to increase their backing.

Key issues were the Family Synod and Council 50 meeting in Rome November 2015.

The delegates decided on three priorities that IMWAC believes should be adopted by the Family Synod:

• An open and sensitive handling of those who have remarried, and Catholics in families that don´t follow the narrow standards of the Roman Catholic teaching.
• Respectful and non-discriminatory acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people,
• A fundamentally new understanding of sexuality and major events in human life to guide the development of the Church's moral teaching and pastoral practice. 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Innsbruck-Absam / Munich / Rome, March 11, 2015

[Italian] 

The International Movement We Are Church, in view of the second anniversary of the election of Pope Francis, calls to all the forces of reform to continue to support a consistent course of reform in line with the Second Vatican Council and to counteract the growing resistance within the church. The cardinals and bishops here especially have the duty to ensure that the epochal change, launched 50 years ago by the Council, can succeed in the Roman Catholic Church.

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‘We are Church Ireland’ held an one hour vigil outside the Papal Nunciature on 14 February 2015 to protest against the continuing display on the website of the Vatican-based Pontifical Council for Culture of  a headless and limbless bound figure of a woman which women from over the Catholic world have and continue to find offensive.

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 At the conclusion of the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, celebrated in 2014 to treat the topic, The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization, Pope Francis decided to make public theRelatio Synodi, the document which concluded the synod’s work. At the same time, the Holy Father indicated that this document would be the Lineamenta for the XIV Ordinary General Assembly to take place from 4 to 25 October 2015 to treat the topic, The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World.

The Relatio Synodi, which is sent as the Lineamenta, concludes in the following words: “These proposed reflections, the fruit of the synodal work that took place in great freedom and with a spirit of reciprocal listening, are intended to raise questions and indicate points of view that will later be developed and clarified through reflection in the local Churches in the intervening year leading to the XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops” (Relatio Synodi, n. 62)

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Pope Francis said the theologian is first of all a believer who hears the word of God and who humbly listens to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches. His remarks came in an address on Friday to members of the International Theological Commission. The Pope noted that the Commission’s mission is to study doctrinal problems of great importance, especially those which present new points of view. In his speech, the Pope said he wanted to draw particular attention to the importance of listening. He also noted the significantly greater presence of women on the Commission.

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Noi Siamo Chiesa says "The speeches of Pope Francis in Strasbourg have an importance that the media have not grasped"  [Italian]

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by Christian Weisner

Article in German in the Austrian journal KIRCHE IN:

The Extraordinary Synod of Bishops at the Vatican about the family ("The pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evangelization") that ended October 19, 2014, is the beginning of a synodal path that Pope Francis explicitly desires. What surprises and tensions happened there, reports Christian Weisner from Rome, who was accredited for the magazine KIRCHE IN in the "Sala Stampa", the press service of the Vatican.

Imagine a global corporation in extreme crisis, which also publishes the negative results of its worldwide customer survey, and then lets its regional representatives deliberate new concepts before the eyes of the world in order to develop concrete solutions within eleven months. This is exactly what has happened in recent weeks and months in the Roman Catholic Church.

After years where dialogue within the church has been suppressed, the first remarkable step was to invite the faithful to respond to the usual pre-Synod questionnaire. Francis wanted to get a factual picture of the living reality at the grassroots, not an over optimistic one made by the bishops. The discrepancy between the teachings of the Church and the lived reality – shown by the "Instrumentum laboris" across cultures - is so obvious that it cannot be put swept under the carpet. What the Church calls "irregular” or “not accepted situations" is a common reality in all parts of the world. "The reality is more important than the idea," said Francis in "Evangelii Gaudium" paragraph 231.

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We Are Church groups throughout the world thank Pope Francis for his address, which they consider to be extremely important.

Here, courtesy of Zenit.org, is a translation of the Pope’s address Tuesday to participants in the World Meeting of Popular Movements, organized and promoted by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, in collaboration with the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences and with the Directors of several Movements.

He met with the group in the Old Hall of the Synod.

[Spanish (Original)]  [Italian]  [German]  [Portuguese]  [French]

Again, good morning.

I am happy to be among you; moreover, I will share a confidence with you: this is the first time I have come down here; I had never come here before. As I was saying, I am very happy and I give you a warm welcome.

Thank you for accepting the invitation to discuss so many grave social problems that afflict the world today – you who suffer inequality and exclusion in your own flesh. Thank you to Cardinal Turkson for his hospitality. Thank you, Eminence, for your work and your words.

This meeting of Popular Movements is a sign, it is a great sign: you have come to put in the presence of God, of the Church, of peoples, a reality that is often silenced. The poor not only suffer injustice but they also struggle against it!

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We thank Vatican News for this information

[Italian] [French] [Spanish]

The World Meeting of Popular Movements has issued a statement at the beginning of their three day conference in Rome, which begins on Monday.

The culture of encounter at the service of poor people and poor nations

As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to any problems. Inequality (inequidad) is the root of social ills.1

The thinking of Pope Francis, and how he has constantly accompanied the excluded in their struggles and their efforts to organize, have inspired and motivated us to hold this World Meeting of Popular Movements. We wish to bring to God, to the Church and to the world the voice of the voiceless. Not so that they raise their voice no more, but because they are silenced by those who hold economic power. We wish to practice the culture of encounter in the service of poor persons, of poor peoples and of this poor Church for the poor which, together with the Holy Father, we all long for. We want to listen to one other, to judge and to act on the basis of the lived experience of those sectors most seriously assaulted in their dignity by social injustice, by an economy of exclusion and by an idolatrous system of money. Together we want to discuss the structural causes of so much inequality (inequidad) which robs us of work (labor), housing (domus) and land (terra), which generates violence and destroys nature. We also want to face the challenge Francis himself sets puts to us with courage and intelligence: to seek radical proposals to resolve the problems of the poor.

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Media release                                                                        Rome, October 18, 2014

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

This day at the end of the Extraordinary Synod has initiated a long overdue process of broad and open dialogue for the entire Church. This cannot be stopped.

The International Movement We Are Church supports all efforts to continue this throughout the global Church until the resumption of debate in the October 2015 Synod. Unlike the current synod, the one in 2015 must herald full application of the theological sciences and active participation of the people in the pews. Only then will informed and realistic answers to the many pressing issues be found.

It is high time that the foundations of the Church's sexual teaching are developed in line with modern science. This must and will lead to a relinquishing of incorrect or outdated doctrines and the further development of teaching.

We believe of importance will be:

• A return to the primacy of individual conscience (Cardinal John Henry Newman).
• A new and holistic view of sexuality, which opens up a reasonable approach to questions of homosexuality and homosexual partnerships.
• An inspiring interpretation of the relevant biblical texts and Jesus’ Message.
• Following the Council of Trent a sophisticated understanding of marriage as a sacrament.

The International Movement We Are Church expects the further discussion among the world’s Bishops in 2015 to produce:

• An offer of welcome to divorced and remarried couples, following the example of the Orthodox Churches and as the Bishops of the Upper Rhine made public in 1993.
• An active stand by the Roman Catholic Church against the criminalization of homosexual people who are being persecuted in many countries, even as far as incurring the death penalty.
• A view of marriage and the various forms of family as a lifetime community, which assumes responsibility in love and solidarity.
• Support, especially for those families who have to live, for social or political reasons, in very bad and detrimental conditions.

After years of suppression of dialogue in the local church, Pope Francis took the remarkable step of asking all members of the Church to respond to the pre-Synod questionnaire. The "Instrumentum Laboris" has afforded a global insight, which can no longer be ignored.

The beatification of Pope Paul VI taking place on the last day of the Synod recognises his great work in opening the Church to the world and continuing the work of the Second Vatican Council convened by his predecessor. However he also determined teaching on marriage and sexual matters exploiting Church politics where he ignored the vast majority of the votes of the Birth Control Commission convened by him. The 1968 Encyclical “Humanae Vitae” resulted in much loss of credibility for the Church as an institution and for its teaching on human sexuality.  This must not continue after this Synod.

CONTACT IN ROME:

Christian Weisner, cell phone: + 49-172-5 18 40 82, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CONTACT IN AUSTRIA:
Dr. Martha Heizer, Chair of International Movement We are Church
cell phone: +43 650 4168500, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CONTACTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES: 

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Media release                                                                          Rome, October 5, 2014

[German] [Italian]  [Spanish]

The International Movement We Are Church welcomes the fact that Pope Francis has today launched a bold new process of broad and open dialogue in the Catholic Church. With the beginning of the Synod we are sure it will be accompanied by the Holy Spirit and cannot be stopped.

We are Church asks the Cardinals and Bishops at the Synod not to waste time with fundamentalistic discussions but honestly and jointly pursue pastoral solutions to the many pressing questions. Theological doctrine and pastoral needs should not be played off against each other.

After years of oppression of all dialogue within the church, it was a remarkable development when Pope Francis invited all believers, the “people of God” to answer a questionnaire in preparation for the synod. The worldwide results that the survey “Instrumentum laboris“ clearly shows cannot be ignored: The traditional teaching of the Church has lost contact with real life and with the different types of family life in our time. What they call “irregular or not accepted situations“ is a widespread reality in all parts of the world. „The reality is more important than the idea“ (Evangelii Gaudium 231).

·         It is high time that the theological basis for the sexual teaching of the church are re-developed in line with the findings of modern human sciences. Even the survey „Instrumentum laboris” finds the traditional understanding of natural law “highly problematic, if not completely incomprehensible”.

·         It is high time that the “sensus fidelium” (the „sense of the faithful”) as well as the primacy of individual conscience (Cardinal John Henry Newman) is re-discovered as the key point of Christian life and teaching.

·         It is high time that church leaders open up a new approach to homosexual partners and divorced and remarried couples - not only out of mercy but of justice. Why don’t they follow the example of the Orthodox Churches with remarried couples?

·         It is high time that the church supports all families who live in very poor and hard situations because of the neoliberal economic systems in an authentic and credible way.

This first meeting of the Synod has an overwhelming majority of Cardinals and Bishops who were appointed by the two previous Popes. There are very few women, experts and auditors in the Synod. Until now, people from reform groups are not invited to the synod, although We Are Church proposed a number of experts to Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri. Therefore the process of the Synod can not and must not be limited to the Synod Hall. The International Movement We Are Church will support processes of open dialogue in many countries in the period up to the second Synod meeting in October 2015.

Dr. Martha Heizer (Chair), cell phone in Rome:+43 650 4168500, martha.heizer@inode.at

Christian Weisner, cell phone in Rome:+ 49-172-5 18 40 82, media@we-are-church.org

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1/9 

   

We thank FutureChurch for this commentary

Along with Synod participants, thousands filled St. Peter’s Square this evening for a prayer service to open the Synod. Several couples gave testimonies about their lives. One couple told the story of their separation and reunion during a difficult period of their marriage.

Prelates lined up in chairs and appearing later in the service Pope Francis offered hopeful words prioritizing mercy over rigid adherence to unbending rules.

He asked for three things.

1.  The gift of listening for the synod fathers: to listen in the manner of God, so that they may hear, with him, the cry of the people; to listen to the people, until they breathe the will to which God calls us.

2.  Openness toward a sincere discussion and a spirit of fraternity

3.  A willingness to be able to overcome situations of difficulty with persistence, patience and creativity

As he ended he prayed, “The wind of Pentecost blow upon the Synod’s work, on the Church and on all of humanity….Undo the knots which prevent people from encountering one another, heal the wounds that bleed, rekindle hope.”

Let’s hope that Pope Francis gets at least a little of what he wants. We know Catholics stand with him in hoping for the same.

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From Christian Weisner

At breakfast we welcomed Miriam Duignan from the London based Wijngaards Catholic Institute for Research.

In the morning, Martha attended the second day of CCRI’s seminar in the Oratory of S. Francesco Saverio del Caravita and had lunch with Rene Reid.

I was busy too preparing the press pack and my statement for tomorrow’s press conference.

In the afternoon Martha Heizer, Miriam Duignan, Deborah Rose-Milavec and I were at the International Conference "The ways of love" of the European Christian LGBT Forum in the Faculty of the Waldenses. It was the same room where we had our Shadow Synod in autumn 2001. The forum was chaired by the Vatican expert Marco Politi. The Australian Bishop Geoffrey Robinson was one of the speakers. Here I met him for the first time. I thanked him deeply for his clear analysis he made in his book "Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church: Reclaiming the Spirit of Jesus". Five years ago I had helped to organize the German translation of his book.

Later this evening Raquel arrived from Spain.

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 The video is in Italian but below is information in English

Vatican City, 3 October 2014 (VIS) – A press conference was held this morning in the Holy See Press Office during which Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, outlined the structure of the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Family, to be inaugurated by the Pope during a solemn mass in St. Peter's Basilica next Sunday.

The Cardinal explained that among the 191 Synod Fathers there will be 61 Cardinals, one Cardinal Patriarch, 7 Patriarchs, one major archbishop, 67 metropolitan archbishops, 47 bishops, one auxiliary bishop, 1 priest and 6 religious. There will also be 16 experts, 38 auditors and 8 fraternal delegates. He also remarked that since this assembly will consider the theme of the family, special emphasis has been given to married couples, parents and family heads, a total of 12 persons; there is also one married couple within the group of experts.

Read more

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2 October 2014

from Christian Weisner in Rome

Martha Heizer and I have arrived with a train in Rome this evening. Our Hotel is only 150 meter away from the Vatican. In the local „Trattoria“ I met four journalists I know quite well from Germany. Martha, Deborah (Future Church) and myself enjoyed the simple but very good food and discussed the recent deveopements in the Church. Everybody is curious if the Synod will bring any hope and results.

German speaking Pfarrer-Initiatives: www.kipa-apic.ch/index.php?na=0,0,0,0,d&ki=259179

Pfarrer-Initiative Munich: gemeindeinitiative.org/index.php/aktuell-test/196-eine-stimme-fuer-die-laien

Central Comittee of German Catholics: www.zdk.de/veroeffentlichungen/pressemeldungen/detail/Synode-soll-Verkuendigung-zu-Fragen-von-Ehe-und-Sexualitaet-grundlegend-neu-bedenken-897y/

You will find the latest interview with Cardinal Kasper in the German newspaper ZEIT as an attachment.

Catholic Church Reform had its first seminar today: http://ncronline.org/blogs/where-i-stand/catholic-church-reforms-alternate-gathering-family-highlights-lay-vocation

There is still a lot do for IMWAC’s press conference on Saturday. Mariella Laera (Silver&Cherry) from Rome is very, very helpful in many ways: Sending out our invitation to the media, printing the press-pack and posters, signposting, organizing a translator and translation equipment. Tomorrow I will have to finalize our statement and our press pack.

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A number of We Are Church groups support the work of Kairos Palestine and agree with their statement concerning the situation in Gaza.

Diplomatic pressure for Peace: A call for Sanctions

"So now, you kings, come to your senses, You earthly rulers, learn your lesson”.

Psalms 2:10

What is going on these days in Gaza is not war. It is a massacre of civilians, men, women and children. More than 650 people killed and over 4000 injured, the majority being civilians; this cannot be justified as an act of self-defense! What is going on in Gaza is blind evil striking out through a wrong vision of security, self-defense and peace.

We implore God Almighty who told us: “Ask and it will be given to you, search and you will find,, knock and the door will be open to you.” ( Mt.7;7) O lord we have asked, and we have knocked, and we have been seeking justice and peace for years. But no doors have been opened and we have been treated very unjustly. Lord, open the hearts and minds of all, those who are afraid and insecure, those who kill, and the people of Gaza who, despite a 7 year-old siege and three consecutive assaults believed that they were secure in their rebuilt homes, but their homes are demolished and their lives taken.

It is time for a radical change of concepts and positions. Israelis and Palestinians can live together in peace and mutual love if the root causes of injustice are removed. Education given to the people was negative in past years. A new education must start: love is possible, coexistence is possible. The concept of fear and insecurity should change. The concept of killing so easily hundreds of men, women and children must change. Lords of war, you are on the wrong path. All the killings, all your violence, all your weapons will not bring you security and will not take away your fear.

The ways of peace are ways of peace. Only these can lead to security and peace. Israel and all Israel's friends must understand that after sixty years of killing and violence, the salvation and the survival of Israel will never be achieved by the present violence.. Israel's friends must help Israel understand, if their love for Israel is sincere and if they truly care for the human being, whether Israeli or Palestinian, things must change. The present Palestinian Authority has chosen this path of peace, and maintains its right and constant position, even if it has lost its popularity among its own people, who see that these ways of peace facing Israeli violence are fruitless.

The same conversion should happen in the hearts of Israeli Authorities. All their armies, weapons and reprisals are useless and fruitless. Seeking peace can only be achieved through peaceful means.

We call upon all who care for human dignity, and human life to act now without any further delay. We call upon the international community, governments, churches and civil society to exert pressure on Israel to abide by international law and to lift the siege on Gaza and put an end to its military occupation of the Palestinian Territories in accordance with UN resolutions. And to overcome and remove all the obstacles that have hindered the long awaited peace. It takes wisdom and compassion over and above being fair to both parties of this conflict – especially when one is an occupier and the other is occupied. There needs to be an exerted effort and resolve to bring about peace for all: Israelis and Palestinians whereby everybody feels secure and enjoying freedom and equal rights in a democratic sovereign state. No more repetition of invasions and massacres and senseless killing, whether individual or collective as it is happening now in Gaza.

We call on the Churches to assume their responsibilities towards the Holy Land, the land of their roots, if they truly care for their roots, and for the Holy Land and its people. Many churches seem to be indifferent or intimidated to take action. Churches need to put pressure on Israel and also on their governments to end Israeli impunity and hold her accountable.Such Diplomatic pressure is needed now more than ever. It is a question of saving lives but also imposing accountability for criminal acts. As in similar International situations, now is the time for Economic and Military Sanctions .

Almighty God, heavenly Father, hear our prayers. Help us work together towards freedom, justice and peace Fill our heart with love and compassion and help us achieve just peace without which no security can be guaranteed for anybody. Remind us that we are all created in your image, and that we can all triumph over every evil and live in your peace, and not only by human treaties and agreements.

National Coalition of Christian Organizations in Palestine

Kairos Palestine

Kairos in

Britain

Canada

South Africa

We Are Church in

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We Are Church groups congratulate LCWR on a successful conference and applaud their commitment to action 2015 through 2022.

We followed the reports from the conference and applaud the patience and dignity with which the affairs were conducted.  We are very happy that Sr Elizabeth Johnson was honoured for her contribution to the people of God through her theological reflection.

We wish Sr Sharon Holland every blessing in her new role as leader of LCWR.

Rest assured we are in solidarity with you all as you discern the way forward for hopeful new outpourings of the Spirit on our Church and the full involvement of all in ministries in the Church.

We Are Church in:

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What has been going on in Iraq recently against our Christian sisters and brothers and the Yazidi people is terrible and is a cause of pain and indignation for all the Christian community and for any "person of good will".

The facts are described in the Declaration of Pontifical Council of Interreligious Dialogue (12th August).

Once again, as all too often in history, violence and massacres are perpetuated in the name of God.

We think that every religious leader must speak out and invite responsible political leaders to act in order to solve the situation.

All around the world, the Christians must, above all, pray and put in place concrete forms of solidarity. Moreover every existing good relationship and dialogue between Christians and Muslims must continue unabated.

We call on our Muslim friends, our brothers and sisters, to honour their responsibilities and recognise the situation; at the same time we Christians must recognise that the situation in Iraq and in the Middle East has the roots in actions and interventions of different types over many years by the "Christian"  West.

We strongly pray to God that people of all religions, but especially those of the Book, strive and work urgently for peace, dialogue, human rights and an ethical world.

We Are Church in

Austria - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 

Brazil - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - +43 650 4168500

Chile - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - +56-2-26979575

Denmark - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - +45-367 81 804

France - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Germany - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - +49 172 5184082

Italy - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +39-3331309765

The Netherlands - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - +031 6 41170229

Portugal - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - +351-91 460 2336

UK - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. -

Muslim Scholars Release Open Letter To Islamic State Meticulously Blasting Its Ideology 

More than 120 Muslim scholars from around the world joined an open letter to the “fighters and followers” of the Islamic State, denouncing them as un-Islamic by using the most Islamic of terms.

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From Women's Ordination Conference (USA)

On Tuesday, Cardinal Gerhard Müller, head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith told L'Osservatore Romano newspaper"above all we have to clarify that we are not misogynists, we don't want to gobble up a woman a day!"

The Vatican is not misogynistic???

We beg to differ.  And we have proof.

Introducing our newest video project: Vatican: It's A Man's World. Throughout this video you will hear just a small sampling of misogynistic quotes from the hierarchy. Please watch, share, and help us raise awareness about sexism in the Roman Catholic Church.

 What you have just heard are quotes from: 

Pope Francis, July 20, 2013
Pope Francis, May 12, 2014
Canon Law 1024
Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium 2013
Signed by Pope Benedict XVI, Normae de gravioribus delictis 2010
Pope Francis, La Stampa December 14, 2013
Pope Francis, Big Open Heart to God September 30, 2013
Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, May 29, 2008
Pope Francis, On Heaven and Earth 2010

"It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” Performed by James Brown
Courtesy of Polydor Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises

Women's Ordination Conference
www.womensordination.org
www.facebook.com/OrdainWomen
www.twitter.com/OrdainWomen

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See also Iglesia Descalza for article in English

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Dr Martha Heizer and her husband, Gerd, will no longer be able to receive Communion at Mass in the Roman Catholic Church because they and their group celebrated the Eucharist together without a Ministerial Priest being present.  

There are a variety of opinions within the We Are Church movement about this and so response has been left to individual national groups.

Many We Are Church groups agreed with the press release of Noi Siamo Chiesa which was translated into English, German, French, Spanish

Statements by We Are Church groups

Wir sind Kirche Austria - Vertrauen für Martha Heizer grosse Richtungsdiskussion angesagt 

Wir sind Kirche Deutschland - Zur Exkommunikation durch Bischof Scheuer

Wir sind Kirche Austria - Martha remains in the Chair

We Are Church Ireland - Support for Martha Heizer

0gså vi er kirken, Norway - Sad News

We Are Church - France - Soutien à Martha et Gert Heizer suite à la décision d’excommunication

Vi är kyrka - Sweden - FÖR VÄKS HEMSIDA

Katolsk Vision - Sweden - Excommunication clarifies the differences of opinion within Wir sind Kirche movements

Vi Er 0gså Kirken, Denmark   -  A commentary on excommunication of Martha Heizer

Nous Sommes aussi l'Eglise, France - La présidente du mouvement international Nous Sommes Eglise excommuniée 

We Are Also Church, South Africa - Statement regarding the excommunication of Martha Heizer.

Statements and Comments by others

For All Eternity - Statement by Dr Thomas Plankensteiner, founding Chairman of We Are Church in Austria.

Commentary by Dr Paul Collins (Catholica)

Statement by the Austrian Priests' Initiative  [German] [English] [Spanish]

Excomunión a la responsable del movimiento «Somos Iglesia»

Excomulgados por celebrar sin cura la Cena del Señor

Excommuniés pour avoir célébré la messe sans prêtre

¿Celebrar la Eucaristía sin un sacerdote? 

CDF Excommunicates Head of Austrian Reform Group: Charge of celebrating illicit "private Eucharists"

The Excommunication (?) of Martha Heizer: an illegal and senseless act in the opinion of a Canon Lawyer

„Wir sind Kirche“: Martha Heizer bleibt Vorsitzende | Tiroler Tageszeitung Online 

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Press Statement 

Rome, 22 May 2014

The International Movement We are Church (IMWAC), on the 20^th Anniversary of the Apostolic Letter of Pope John Paul II, ‘Ordinatio Sacerdotalis’, entitled ’Reserving Priestly Ordination to Men Only‘ calls on Pope Francis to recognise that this Magisterial teaching is not supported by the vast proportion of the Catholic Faithful and ought to be changed.

We believe that the call to Priesthood is a Charism of God, based on Baptism and confining it to ‘men only’ limits the power of God. This continued ban on women from priestly ordination is an injustice in the Church which must be confronted by the Catholic Faithful as a matter of conscience. Accordingly Canon Law 1024 which states that only a male can be validly ordained is an unjust law and should be withdrawn as a matter of urgency.

What Pope Francis wrote in his recent letter ‘Evangelii Gaudium’ regarding the ordination of women - ‘The reservation of the Priesthood to males , as a sign of Christ the spouse who gives himself in the Eucharist ,is not a question open to discussion’ - does not represent the Sensus Fidelium of the convictions of not only the Catholic faithful but of very many clergy and some hierarchy as well.

In this letter  Pope Francis is reiterating what Pope John Paul II wrote in his Apostolic letter 20 years ago condemning women’s priestly ordination - ‘we declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer Priestly ordination on women and that this judgement is to be definitely held by all the Church’s faithful – ‘ . Even at that time this magisterial teaching banning women from Priestly Ordination was disputed  by Bishops and Faithful alike within the Catholic Community.

In April 1976 the Pontifical Commission concluded unanimously that ‘It does not seem that the New Testament by itself alone will permit us to settle in any clear way and once and for all the problem of the possible access of women to the Priesthood‘ and by a significant majority it concluded that ‘The church could ordain women to the Priesthood without going against Christ’s wishes‘.

This magisterium of these Biblical theologians has been rejected by successive Popes including Pope Francis. Equally the magisterium of the ’Sensus Fidelium’ has been rejected  by successive Popes.

It is now the right time that the Papal magisterium should allow free and open discussion of Women’s ordination within the Catholic Church without  fear of excommunication . It is also right that those within our Catholic Community who have been unjustly excommunicated because they publicly articulated that reserving priestly ordination to men only has no basis in scripture or human reason should be  fully accepted back within our Communion.

Banning women from Priestly Ordination is a continuing  injustice which has no basis in the New Testament, is a continued stain on the fabric of the Catholic Communion and  most importantly the younger generation find this ban a stumbling block to their Faith in the Risen Lord.

Read more: "Correct an injustice: Ordain women“, National Catholic Reporter, December 2012:

Contacts

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[German] [French] [Portuguese] [Italian]

‘The International Movement We are Church wishes to express its solidarity with your sisters as you continue to negotiate with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the faith and Archbishop Sartain over the issues arising from the Doctrinal Assessment .

We take heart from the  positive comments of Cardinal Kasper and his emphasis that  dialogue not condemnation  is the  Christian way to overcome all difficulties.

 The work of the LCWR is an invaluable contribution to the life of the American Church and indeed to  the universal Church which takes great heart from your patient and courageous negotiations with the CDF .

The theological concept and the pastoral approach of the CDF has to be redefined according to the teachings of  the Second Vatican Council and of the guidelines Pope Francis has given so far.

We offer you all our prayerful support.  Rest assured that the Spirit of our God is as active today in our midst and yours as on the day of Pentecost.’

Response from LWCR (10 May 2014)

Dear Friends

Thank you for this very strong expression of support. Please continue to pray for us that what will emerge from these conversations will be healing and strengthening for the Church.

Blessings,

Janet
for LWCR

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El prelado, defensor de los indígenas, falleció a los 91 años de edad en Goainia

El obispo brasileño Tomás Balduíno, conocido por su defensa de la reforma agraria en favor de los derechos de los "pobres de la tierra" y de los indígenas, ha fallecido en Goiania, capital del estado de Goiás, informó hoy la Comisión Pastoral de la Tierra (CPT), de la que fue fundador.

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“The whole system of canonizations is now questionable and its democratization is essential”, says Dr. Martha Heizer, chair of the International Movement We are Church (IMWAC). “The reform of the canonisation process should now be added to the other reforms of governance, transparency and accountability Pope Francis has started and that are essential if the Catholic Church is to become the ‘Light of the World’.”

IMWAC believes the process of canonisation needs to be democratised and become less a politicised instrument of Vatican policy. The canonisation of both Popes, with most of the rest of recently deceased Popes already on the canonisation ladder, glorifies the absolute nature and infallibility of the Papacy at the expense of the rest of the People of God.

The Church has a tradition of celebrating the lives of Christian people who have lived lives of outstanding virtue and of martyrdom by adding them publicly to the calendar of the Saints. However there has been a disproportionate emphasis in this tradition in the canonisation of catholic clergy and nuns.

We Are Church recalls from the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) the universal call to holiness of all the People of God as proclaimed in Lumen Gentium: “each in her /his own way is called by the Lord to that perfect holiness whereby the Father Himself is perfect” (Lumen Gentium, Chapter 11).

Reservations about the hasty canonisation

While we praise and rejoice in the human and holy lives of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II, the undue haste in the canonisation of the latter is a cause of concern. IMWAC believes that the reforms of Vatican 2 were almost abandoned in the pontificate of Pope John Paul II (see the annexed IMWAC statement of 16.1.2011).

The Apostolic Constitution “Divinus Perfectionis Magister” of 25 January 1983 by Pope John Paul II introduced changes to the canonisation process which reduced the traditional time frame from fifty to five years or less between the death of a person and her/ his nomination for Sainthood whilst it also abolished the ‘Devil’s Advocate’. Both radical changes resulted not only in the increase of canonisations but also less attention being given to contra-indications against a person being speedily canonised. These changes allowed Pope John Paul II to be canonized in record time with no Devil’s Advocate to argue against his inaction against clerical sex abuse and his public support for the sex abuser Fr. Maciel, founder of the Legionaires of Christ.

Does it mean that once a cleric is elected Pope that sainthood becomes a corollary of the role or is it the case that only saints are elected Popes? This situation is against the spirit of the Second Vatican Council.

Moreover, we must continue to examine the relationship between popular piety and the radical Gospel message of Jesus. The glittering pomp and glory of the medieval Catholic Church will again appear in St Peter’s Square next Sunday and will be in contradiction to the lives of the majority of the people of God who live in poverty, marginalization and rejection. This Church of the poor is espoused by Pope Francis and we offer him our support as he attempts to reform this Church of pomp into one of solidarity with the poor, a church that will reflect the reign of God where the last shall be first.  

Rome, April 23, 2014

International Movement We Are Church (IMWAC)

Beatification of a controversial, contradictory Pope

We Are Church press release, January 16, 2011