Posts Tagged catholic laity
A bishop’s plea for Synod on the Family and reaction to Pope’s sex abuse appointments
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Clergy Sexual Abuse, Pope Francis, Synod of Bishops, Synod on the Family, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on September 11, 2014
Here are two news stories following up on two we posted yesterday. The first is on a diocesan bishop’s plea for the Synod on the Family and the second is about reaction to the Pope’s new appointment to his sex-abuse commission and new chief sex-abuse prosecutor.
Belgian bishop urges real dialogue at Synod
Antwerp Bishop Johan Bonny has published a long letter on the upcoming Synod of Bishops urging the assembly to have the courage to bring the Church’s moral teachings more in line with the lived experience of the laity. ‘The Church must step away from its defensive, antithetical stance and seek anew the path of dialogue’ on moral issues, he wrote in the 22-page letter posted on his diocese’s website in five languages.” By Tom Heneghan, The Tablet — Click here to read the bishop’s entire letter, “Synod on the Family–Expectations of a diocesan bishop.”
Sex abuse survivors slam Pope Francis’ picks for crisis panels
Pope Francis’ decision to appoint two U.S. priests to key positions aimed at tackling the Vatican’s sex abuse crisis drew an angry response from abuse victims. In the shake-up the Rev. Robert Geisinger, a canon lawyer previously based in Chicago, was named chief prosecutor responsible for abuse cases. He replaces his U.S. colleague, the Rev. Robert Oliver, who was named to the Vatican’s anti-abuse commission, created by Francis last year.” By Josephine McKenna, Religion News Service
The makeup of Synod of Bishops on the Family is disappointing / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in church reform, Future of the Church, Pope Francis, Vatican on September 10, 2014
The list of those attending the Synod of Bishops on the family is a disappointment to those hoping for reform of the Curia and for those who hope that the laity will be heard at the synod.
“The appointment of 25 curial officials to the synod on the family is a sign that Pope Francis still does not understand what real reform of the Roman Curia requires. It makes me fear that when all is said and done, he may close or merge some offices, rearrange some responsibilities, but not really shake things up.”
By Thomas Reese, National Catholic Reporter — Click here to read the rest of this article.
Francis’ Cardinal Council Focusing on Financial Reform, Laity / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Church Finances, Pope Francis, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on February 18, 2014
While the deliberations of the select group of eight cardinals advising Pope Francis on reforming the governance of the Catholic church remain secret, Tuesday gave several peeks into the shape and contour of the discussions.
“Financial reform is topping the agenda, but laity and family life are also points of discussion.
“The chief concern in this round of meetings, according to the Vatican: how to make sure the financial structures of the church are ‘at the service … of the world and not at the operational service of the Vatican itself’ …
“In his interview, (Honduran Cardinal Oscar) Rodríguez (Maradiaga) also raised an idea he has spoken of previously: that the pope create a congregation at the Vatican dedicated solely to the laity.”
By Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter — Click here to read the rest of this article.
Dissident Catholic Priest Network Pushes for Grassroots Church Reforms / Reuters
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Dissent, church reform, Voice of the Faithful on October 17, 2013
A new international network of reformist Roman Catholic priests is pushing to give lay people a bigger role in a Church that Pope Francis wants to bring closer to grassroots members. Speaking as dissidents from six countries met in Austria Oct. 11 for the first time, clergyman Helmut Schueller said the Church should draw on people in local parishes that are under threat of vanishing as the ranks of the priesthood dwindle.” By Michael Shields, Reuters
Read the rest of Shields’ story by clicking here.
Update on Voice of the Faithful’s Bishop Selection Project
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Voice of the Faithful on September 5, 2013
Last week, Voice of the Faithful® sent a letter and proposal to Pope Francis outlining a demonstration project for restoring wider lay participation in the selection of a diocesan bishop. The effort would have national bishop conferences conduct demonstrations, report on the results, and then submit them to the Vatican for development of “best practices.”
The VOTF proposal, prepared by our Bishop Selection Committee, details the mechanism for collecting lay input via projects the national bishop councils would conduct within their own countries.
The method retains papal assignment of local bishops (thus avoiding what could easily become a decades-long revision of canon law) and shows how broad, local lay and clergy input can be incorporated in the recommendations sent to the pope for such assignments.
Here are the documents VOTF mailed to Rome:
Furthering the New Evangelization: Consulting the Laity on Candidates for the Episcopacy
Voice of the Faithful
A lay movement for governance reform in the Roman Catholic Church, responding to the clergy sexual abuse scandal and supporting survivors.
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