Media release                                                                        Rome, October 18, 2014

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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 This must and will lead to a relinquishing of incorrect or outdated doctrines and the further development of teaching.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: 

El Movimiento Internacional Somos Iglesia acoge con satisfacción el hecho de que el Papa Francisco haya lanzado hoy un nuevo proceso valiente de diálogo amplio y abierto en la Iglesia Católica. Con el comienzo del Sínodo estamos seguros de que el proceso estará acompañado por el Espíritu Santo y no se podrá detener.

Somos Iglesia pide a los cardenales y obispos que participan en el Sínodo que  no pierdan el tiempo con discusiones fundamentalistas sino que busquen honestamente y de forma conjunta soluciones pastorales a las muchas preguntas apremiantes. La doctrina teológica y las necesidades pastorales no deben ir una en contra de las otras.

Después de años de opresión de todo diálogo dentro de la iglesia, fue un notable desarrollo que el Papa Francisco invitase  a todos los creyentes, al "pueblo de Dios",  para responder a un cuestionario de preparación para el Sínodo. Los resultados procedentes de todo el mundo que el documento "Instrumentum laboris" claramente muestra no pueden ser ignorados: La enseñanza tradicional de la Iglesia ha perdido el contacto con la vida real y con los diferentes tipos de vida familiar de nuestro tiempo. Lo que ellos llaman "situaciones irregulares o no aceptadas" es una realidad generalizada en todas las partes del mundo. "La realidad es más importante que la idea" (Evangelii Gaudium 231).

·         Es hora de que la base teológica de la enseñanza sexual de la iglesia se desarrolle de nuevo teniendo en cuenta las los planteamientos de las ciencias humanas modernas. Incluso el cuestionario cuyas respuestas resume el  "Instrumentum laboris" encuentra la comprensión tradicional de la ley natural "muy problemática, si no totalmente incomprensible". 

·         Es hora de que el " sensus fidelium " (el "sentido de los fieles"), así como la primacía de la conciencia individual (Cardenal John Henry Newman) sean re-descubiertos como el punto clave de la vida y la enseñanza cristianas. 

·         Es hora de que los líderes de la iglesia se abran a un nuevo enfoque para las parejas homosexuales y las parejas divorciadas y vueltas a casar - no sólo por misericordia, sino por justicia. ¿Por qué no seguir el ejemplo de las Iglesias ortodoxas con las parejas formadas por personas que han vuelto a casarse? 

·         Ya es hora de que la iglesia apoye a todas las familias que viven en situaciones muy pobres y duras debidas a los sistemas económicos neoliberales,  de manera auténtica y creíble.

Esta primera reunión del Sínodo cuenta entre sus participantes con una abrumadora mayoría de cardenales y obispos que fueron nombrados por los dos papas anteriores. Hay muy pocas mujeres, expertos y auditores en el Sínodo. Hasta ahora, los miembros de los grupos de reforma no han sido invitados al sínodo , aunque Somos Iglesia propuso una serie de expertos al cardenal Lorenzo Baldisseri . Por lo tanto el proceso del Sínodo no puede y no debe limitarse al aula sinodal. El Movimiento Internacional Somos Iglesia apoyará los procesos de diálogo abierto que haya en los distintos  países hasta la segunda reunión del Sínodo en octubre de 2015.

Dr. Martha Heizer (Coordinadora), el teléfono celular en Roma: +43 650 4168500, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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

Pressemitteilung                                                                                                                             Rom, 5. Oktober 2014

Die Internationale Bewegung Wir sind Kirche begrüßt, dass Papst Franziskus mit der heute beginnenden Synode einen mutigen neuen Prozess des breiten und offenen Dialoges in der katholischen Kirche eingeleitet hat, der vom Heiligen Geist begleitet sein wird und nicht mehr gestoppt werden kann.

Wir sind Kirche erwartet jetzt von der Kardinälen und Bischöfen, die Zeit nicht mit fundamentalistischen Diskussionen zu vergeuden, sondern sich redlich und gemeinsam um pastorale Lösungen für die vielen drängenden Fragen zu bemühen. Theologische Lehren und pastorale Erfordernisse dürfen nicht mehr gegeneinander ausgespielt werden.

Nach der jahrelangen Unterdrückung jedes innerkirchlichen Dialogs war es ein bemerkenswerter Schritt, dass Papst Franziskus auch das Kirchenvolk direkt bei der Beantwortung des Fragebogens zur Synode hat zu Wort kommen lassen. Das zusammenfassende „Instrumentum laboris“ hat weltweit Erkenntnisse gebracht, die nicht mehr ignoriert werden können: Die traditionelle Lehre der Kirche hat den Kontakt zum realen Leben und zu den verschiedenen Arten von Familienleben in unserer Zeit verloren. Was die Kirche „irreguläre oder nicht akzeptierte Situationen“ nennt, ist eine weit verbreitete Realität in allen Teilen der Welt. „Die Wirklichkeit ist wichtiger als die Idee“ (Evangelii Gaudium 231).

• Es ist höchste Zeit, dass die theologischen Grundlagen für die Sexuallehre der Kirche im Einklang mit den Erkenntnissen der modernen Humanwissenschaften neu entwickelt werden. Selbst das „Instrumentum laboris“ bezeichnet das traditionelle Verständnis von „Naturrecht“ als „höchst problematisch, wenn nicht völlig unverständlich“.
  
  
• Es ist höchste Zeit, dass der „sensus fidelium“ (der „Glaubenssinn der Gläubigen“) sowie der Vorrang des individuellen Gewissens (Kardinal John Henry Newman) als Kernpunkte christlicher Lehre und christlichen Lebens neu entdeckt werden.
  
  
• Es ist höchste Zeit, dass die Kirchenführer neue Möglichkeiten für homosexuelle Partner und für geschiedene und wiederverheiratete Paare eröffnen - nicht nur aus Barmherzigkeit, sondern aus Gründen der Gerechtigkeit. Warum wird bei wiederverheirateten Paaren nicht dem Beispiel der orthodoxen Kirchen gefolgt?
  
  
• Es ist höchste Zeit, dass Kirche in einer authentischen und glaubwürdigen Art und Weise sich all jenen Familien zuwendet, die aufgrund des neoliberalen Weltwirtschaftssystems in äußerst schlechten Bedingungen leben müssen.

Die erste Versammlung der Synode besteht in der überwältigenden Mehrheit noch aus Kardinälen und Bischöfen, die durch die beiden Vorgänger Päpste ernannt wurden. In der Synode gibt es nur sehr wenige Frauen, ExpertInnen und Gäste. Menschen aus Reformgruppen sind bis jetzt nicht zur Synode eingeladen, obwohl Wir sind Kirche Kardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri eine Reihe von Vorschlägen unterbreitet hat. Deshalb kann und darf der jetzt eingeleitete Prozess der Synode nicht nur auf die Synoden-Halle beschränkt bleiben. Die Internationale Bewegung Wir sind Kirche wird in der Zeit bis zur zweiten Synoden-Sitzung im Oktober 2015 offene Dialogprozesse in den einzelnen Ländern unterstützen.

Dr. Martha Heizer (Vorsitzende), Tel. in Rom: +43 650 4168500, martha.heizer@inode.at

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

Media release                                                                          Rome, October 5, 2014

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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

Comunicato stampa                                                                                      Roma, 5 ottobre 2014

Il Movimento Internazionale Noi Siamo Chiesa accoglie il fatto che Papa Francesco ha promosso oggi un nuovo intenso processo per un dialogo vasto e aperto nella Chiesa Cattolica. Con l’inizio del Sinodo siamo certi che ciò sarà accompagnato dallo Spirito Santo e non potrà essere fermato.

Noi Siamo Chiesa chiede ai Cardinali e ai Vescovi del Sinodo di non perdere tempo con discussioni fondamentalistiche, ma piùttosto cercare onestamente e congiuntamente delle soluzioni pastorali alle diverse questioni più urgenti. La dottrina teologica e le necessità pastorali non dovrebbero essere contrastanti tra loro.

Dopo anni di oppressione di ogni tipo di dialogo all’interno della chiesa, l’invito di Papa Francesco ai credenti, al “Popolo di Dio”, di rispondere ad un questionario di preparazione al Sinodo è stato un evento molto importante. I risultati a livello mondiale che l’inchiesta “Instrumentum laboris” ha prodotto chiaramente non possono essere ignorati: L’insegnamento tradizionale della Chiesa ha perso il contatto con la vita reale e con i diversi tipi di vita familiare che esistono oggi. Quelle che vengono chiamate “situazioni irregolari o non accettate” rappresentano una realtà molto diffusa in tutto il mondo. “La realtà è più importante rispetto all’idea” (Evangelii Gaudium 231).

•  È giunto il momento che la base dell’insegnamento sessuale della chiesa sia riformata in linea con le scoperte delle moderne scienze umane.Anche l’indagine “Instrumentum laboris” rileva che la comprensione tradizionale della legge naturale sia “altamente problematica, se non totalmente incomprensibile”
  
  
• È giunto il momento che il "sensus fidelium” (il "senso della fede”) così come il primato della coscienza individuale (Cardinale John Henry Newman) siano riscoperti in qualità di punti chiave della vita e dell'insegnamento Cristiano.
  
  
• È giunto il momento che i leader della chiesa siano aperti ad un nuovo approccio alle coppie omosessuali e alle coppie divorziate e risposate - non solo senza misericordia ma anche senza giustizia.Perché non seguono l’esempio della Chiesa Ortodossa nei confronti delle coppie risposate
  
  
• È giunto il momento che la chiesa sostenga tutte le famiglie che vivono nella povertà e in situazioni difficili a causa di sistemi economici neoliberali, in maniera autentica e credibile.

Questo primo incontro del Sinodo prevede la presenza di una buona maggioranza di Cardinali e Vescovi ordinati dai due precedenti Papi. Ci sono pochissime donne, esperti e revisori nel Sinodo. Finora, non sono mai stati invitati gli appartenenti ai gruppi riformisti, sebbene Noi Siamo Chiesa abbia proposto alcuni esperti al Cardinale Lorenzo Baldisseri. Dunque il processo del Sinodo non può e non deve limitarsi solo all’Aula del Sinodo. Il Movimento Internazionale Noi Siamo Chiesa sosterrà il processo per un dialogo aperto in diversi paesi fino al secondo incontro del Sinodo di ottobre 2015.

Dr. Martha Heizer (Presidente), numero di cellulare a Roma:+43 650 4168500, martha.heizer@inode.at

Christian Weisner, numero di cellulare a Roma:+49-172-5 18 40 82, media@we-are-church.org