We Are Church Intl.

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IMWAC Press Release - Apr 8, 2012

The homily delivered by Benedict XVI on April 5, in the traditional Chrism Mass of Holy Thursday, was particularly important. It seems necessary to express some critical reflections on it.

The Pope spoke indirectly of the text of the June 19, 2011, signed to date by about 400 Austrian priests, known as the Pfarrer-Initiative. It has been followed by other important appeals in northern Europe of similar content. These priests say they are obliged to follow, especially in relation to the shortage of clergy, "their conscience" and to "take action independently" as regards the organization of their ministry. They include active participation by the Laity and pose questions about opening up the Eucharist to the divorced and remarried, and the ordination of women and married people. But Benedict XVI, like Pope Wojtyla, will not discuss the matter, never. Ever since the international movement "We Are Church", born in Austria seventeen years ago, first raised these issues, there has been no rapport, no dialogue with the Vatican. The Archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Schönborn, seems to have tried but was unable to carry the debate to Rome. In his homily Benedict XVI has addressed these issues only in terms of due obedience to the Magisterium. But is obedience still a virtue? The Pope touched, in particular, on the issue of the ordination of women, repeating the line taken by Pope Wojtyla. It is not available for discussion. But, within the Church, many argue that there are no truly valid theological objections against going in this direction, and this opinion is spreading.

Benedict XVI then said that in the post-conciliar history, true renewal "has taken shape in unexpected movements full of life." The indeterminate words of the Pope did not clarify what these movements are. We would like to propose at least the base Christian communities and all those that have sprung up, inspired by the theology of liberation. We are sure that the Pope did not wish to refer only to movements like Communion and Liberation, charismatics, etc...

Finally Benedict XVI asserted his full authority when he confirmed the "Note with pastoral guidelines for the year of the faith" of January 6, signed by Cardinal Levada where he asserts that "the texts of the Second Vatican Council and the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church  are the essential tools that show us in an authentic way what the Church believes, regarding the Word of God ".. We refute in toto this equivalence between the authority of the Council and that of the Catechism, two qualitatively different sources, as we have long said. The Year of the faith should be the time to resort to the spirit of Vatican II and its texts to release the Church from its stagnation and to evangelize from the beginning of the third millenium. "
 

Please contact / Póngase en contacto con / Contatti / Contacter /Kontakt/ Por favor contacte:

Austria: Hans Peter Hurka +43-650-315 42 00 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Belgium: Pierre Collet This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Brazil: Alder Calado This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Canada: Jean Trudeau +1-450-670-9635 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Chile: Enrique Orellana +56-696 4491 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Denmark: Kaare Rübner Jorgensen +45-367 81 804 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Finland: Giovanni Politi  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
France: Didier Vanhoutte This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Germany: Christian Weisner +49-172-518 40 82 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Hungary: Dr. Marcell Mártonffy +36-1 2190621 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ireland: Brendan Butler This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Italy: Vittorio Bellavite +39-02-70602370 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Netherlands: Henk Baars +31-20 6370221 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Norway: Aasmund Vik +47-47269148 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Peru: Franz Wieser +51-1-4492716 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Portugal: Maria Joao Sande Lemos +351-91 460 2336 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
South Africa: Brian Robertson +27-21-7945527   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Spain: Raquel Mallavibarrena +34-649332654 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sweden: Krister Janzon +46-86620802 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Switzerland: Brigitte Durrer +41-819212725 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
United Kingdom: Valerie Stroud +44-(0)7904 332201 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
United States: Anthony Padovano +1-973-539-8732 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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