Press Statement by Prof. Hans Küng

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General discontent and frustration over the delay of inner-church reforms dominated both the alternative and the official Katholikentag (bi-annual Catholic Congress) at Mannheim. In sharp contrast, Pope Benedict XVI is obviously preparing for the definite reconciliation between the Catholic Church and the traditionalist Society of St Pius X and its bishops and priests. This is even to take place if the SSPX, which continues to reject decisive Council texts, should have to be reincorporated with the help of canonical artistic devices. The Pope should be warned in the strongest terms against doing this, not least by the bishops, because:

1.    The Pope would be taking invalidly ordained bishops and priests definitely back into the Church. According to Pope Paul VI’s Apostolic Constitution Pontificalis Romani recognito of 18 July 1968, the ordinations of bishops and priests undertaken by Archbishop Lefebvre were not only illicit but also invalid. This is also the view taken by Karl Josef Becker SJ, an authoritative member of the “Reconciliation Commission” and now a cardinal, among others.

2.    With such a scandalous decision, Pope Benedict, in his already much bewailed aloofness, would further distance himself from the People of God. The classical teaching on schism should be a warning to him. According to the teaching, a schism occurs if one separates oneself from the Church but also if one separates oneself from the body of the Church. “Thus the Pope could also become a schismatic if he did not wish to maintain the union and affinity he owes to the whole body of the Church” (Francisco Suarez, authoritative 16th/17th century Spanish theologian).

3.    According to the same church teaching, a schismatic Pope loses his office. At the very least, he can no longer reckon with obedience. Pope Benedict would thus further promote the already growing movement of “disobedience” to a hierarchy which is disobeying the Gospels. He alone would be responsible for the serious rift and strife which he would thus promulgate in the Church.  

Instead of seeking reconciliation with the ultra-conservative, anti-democratic and anti-Semitic Society of St Pius X, the Pope should rather attend to the interests of the majority of Catholics and seek reconciliation with the Reformation Churches and with the whole of ecumenical Christianity. In that way he would not divide minds.

May 22, 2012                        Prof. Dr. Hans Küng

Translation: Christa Pongratz-Lippitt, Vienna

Press Release — May 19th, 1012

Other languages: [Portuguese] [Swedish]

The International Movement of We are Church (IMWAC) extends their strongest solidarity with Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in the face of the unjust treatment by the Vatican’s Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.

Women religious throughout the world, but especially in the U.S.A., have been in the forefront in incarnating the life of Jesus in their lives. And they continue to be an inspiration to the rest of the Church, except to those in the Vatican who consider them a threat to their male autocracy.

All who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ must resist this latest attempt by the Vatican to control the prophetic life of the Spirit in the Catholic Church in America . We encourage all members of our movement, all who adhere to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, to do all in their power to resist this clampdown on our sisters in America.  Otherwise, if the centralised, dominating control of the Vatican succeeds in silencing and suppressing our American sisters then we have failed in our response to the prophetic role we have received from the Holy Spirit.

IMWAC sees this attempted silencing of the LCWR by the Vatican as yet another attempt to enforce its creeping infallibility and absolutism on the prophetic people of God. IMWAC stands in full solidarity with all who have been and continue to be unjustly treated by a Vatican elite which instead of being the servant of the servants of God has become an oppressive force in our Church.

Representatives of national We Are Church groups attending the European Network meeting in Freising, Germany - 3 to 6 May 2012 held an informal Council meeting.   They send greetings to all sisters and brothers in the Church.

A Poem by Ted Millichap

The lungs expanded and drew in fresh air

(The limbs cried out for oxygen

and withered for lack of fresh blood.)

The heart had closed the pulmonary veins

and simply recycled blood

last oxygenated by the first inspiration

at the birth of the body.

(The limbs cried out for oxygen

and withered for lack of fresh blood.)

The stomach took in sustenance

in the form of wine and bread

to enrich the blood with refreshed red

cells to feed and protect the weary body

(The limbs cried out for oxygen

and withered for lack of fresh blood.)

The hardened arteries of the heart

blocked the flow and failed

to distribute the riches anew.

(The limbs cried out for oxygen

and withered for lack of fresh blood.)

Press release, April 19, 2012.

‘Dialogue within the church is the only way to overcome the present deep and global crisis in the Roman-Catholic Church’, the International Movement We are Church has stated.

It declares its solidarity with the Austrian ‘Pfarrer-initiative’ and with the many recognized and respected theologians who have been silenced by the Vatican, the latest being in Spain Juan José Tamayo and Andres Torres Qeiruga and in Ireland Tony Flannery, Sean Fagan, Owen O'Sullivan and Gerry Moloney.

These theologians have been unjustly silenced without due process and in utter secrecy by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome. (For a more comprehensive account cf links at the end).

At the 7th anniversary of the election of Pope Benedict We are church invites all faithful to start an open dialogue about the points contained in the appeal published by the ‘Pfarrer-initiative’ and which has seen already so much positive response from all parts of the world.

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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.