IMWAC – 15th Anniversary

A press release from WAC Austria

15 years ago, on November 25 1996, groups of “We are Church” from Austria, Germany, Italy, South-Tyrol and France came together in Rome and founded the “International Movement We Are Church” (IMWAC). At that time they represented only a few countries in Western Europe. Today IMWAC is a world-wide organisation. There are active groups in more than 25 countries, in Europe, South- and North-America, Africa, Australia and Asia, and in addition there is a wide-spread church reform network including persons in more than 50 countries.

A press release by We are Church - Germany on the 30th anniversary of the appointment of Joseph Ratzinger as the Prefect of the Roman Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith.

- Call for Ecumenism: „Do what unites us!“
- Pre-modern core of speech to the Bundestag
- Talking about God must not become a distraction

Press Release Berlin / Erfurt / Freiburg / Munich, 25 September 2011

At the end of the visit to Germany by Pope Benedict XVI, the Church People’s Movement We are Church (Wir sind Kirche) is appealing to all Christians to continue decisively along the road of dialogue and to meet the challenges of the times together in Christian hope. The motto “A daring new departure“ of the Catholic Conference in Mannheim next year should be a guideline in view of the current church and social crises, which can only be overcome together.

DECLARATION WITH RESPECT TO THE VISIT OF THE POPE TO THE "WORLD CATHOLIC YOUTH DAY" IN MADRID (AUGUST 2011)

Only a few months after his visits to Santiago de Compostela & Barcelona, Mr Ratzinger - Benedict XVI for Catholics - bent on his idea to "reconquer" a country which he sees is moving away from his moral and religious proposals, is coming back to Madrid.

From a secularist and democratic point of view, there can be no objection for a meeting of a spiritual pastor with his followers.  It is evident, however, that in spite of the calculated ambiguity of the event, the "World Youth Day" of this august in Madrid has the objective of congregating thousands of young Catholics around the Pope's teaching.  This act, whatever its size, can only be seen as having a private character since the beliefs and declarations are private.

However, what is contrary to a democratic State which declares itself as non-confessional is to mix the affairs of the state with religious matters, the general interests with private interests, the institutions which represent all the citizens with events which only concern some, in this case, those who share certain religious convictions.

by Vittorio Bellavite of “Noi Siamo Chiesa” Italy

[French]

Rome, July 2011

Back in 1976, in Detroit, a great Congress of the American Catholic Church took place. Its leader was Cardinal Dearden, bishop of the city and President of the U.S. bishops Conference. At this meeting 1300 were delegates with 1000 observers. It was called "Call to Action" and there were great plans for the renewal of the Church, noting that many statements of the Vatican 2 Council were in line with the rights and obligations of United States (which celebrated its two-hundredth anniversary in the same year). Now the big projects have stalled; the progressive bishops were replaced by others more in line with the thinking of the Magisterium; the shortage of clergy and pedophilia scandal [and many others], have changed the landscape of American Catholicism.

Driven by the difficulties of formal structures, growth of grassroots organizations independent of the hierarchy took place, being explicitly linked to Vatican II Council, similar to organizations that we have in Europe. On the feast of Pentecost in Detroit (10-12 June), these organisations formed the American Catholic Council (ACC) with explicit reference to the original meeting 35 years ago, not only in content but also in the same city, at the same convention center and a similar number of participants (about 1800), from all over the USA.