Pope Francis meets in Rome Oct. 1-3 with his eight cardinal advisors on Church governance. Voice of the Faithful® would like at least the following six reforms to be on the Pope’s agenda, and as a start, Voice of the Faithful sent a letter to Pope Francis in late August asking that a VOTF proposed for a change in the process of bishop selection be placed on the agenda:
1. Disciplinary action for any bishop who has covered up clergy sexual abuse
- Clerical Culture: Reality & Concerns
- Voice of the Faithful’s Conclusions about the John Jay College Report: The Causes & Contexts of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010
- The Pope’s Real Target: Clericalism
- Clerical Culture Among Roman Catholic Diocesan Clergy
- Voice of the Faithful Urges Pope Francis to “Act Decisively” Regarding Bishops, Clergy Sexual Abuse & His Message to Vatican Congregation
2. The ordination to the priesthood of married Catholic men
- A Petition to the American Bishops for the Ordination to the Priesthood of Married Catholic Men in the United States
- Crisis in the Priesthood: Conversations about Celibacy
- A Brief History of Celibacy
- Mandatory Celibacy: Time to Discuss Its Flaws
3. An expanded role for clergy and laity in selecting local bishops
- VOTF Letter to Pope Francis
- Furthering the New Evangelization: Consulting the Laity on Candidates for the Episcopacy
- Lay Input into Bishop Selection Process
4. The ordination of women to the diaconate
- Women Deacons: How Long Will It Take the Church to Open This Door
- Women in the Church: Suggested Readings
5. Removal of the mandate against the Leadership Conference of Women Religious
- Nun Justice Project: Support the Sisters
- Leadership Conference of Women Religious
- LCWR: ‘Radical Feminism’ or ‘Living the Gospel’
6. Financial accountability and transparency
