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.

Address to the First National Council of the American Catholic Council (ACC), Detroit, June 10-12, 2011

by Christian Weisner

I would like to thank you very much for the opportunity to address you here in Detroit at this very important and inspiring American Catholic Council. I’m doing this on behalf of the “International Movement We are Church” and on behalf of the “European Network Church on the Move”. And I bring you the personal greetings of professor Hans Kueng who supports us very much. 

Very dear Bishop Bill Morris,

The International Movement We Are Church would like to express its complete solidarity with you regarding the recent position taken by the Vatican in forcing you to resign.

We are aware that this matter has been protracted for a number of years with your endeavours to resolve this tense relationship with the Vatican. We see this action as a move to simply overide your good conscience and resolve the matter to their own benefit.

We believe these actions of the Vatican are inconsistent with the Gospel and they do not conform to the wishes of the majority of those in your diocese.  We understand that the Australian Conference of Bishops have been supportive of you as well as the Council of Priests - all those who know you personally and the calibre of leadership you have shown.

We stand with you, in the peace of God.

Pedro Freitas
IMWAC Coordinator

We invite you to sign this petition in support of Bishop Morris, and to share it with your friends.

The International Movement We Are Church (IMWAC, Catholic reform movement) sends their best regards to the sisters and brothers gathered in Kingston, from May 17 to 25 for the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation "Glory to God and Peace on Earth".

We are aware that in our day, peace in the world is threatened by conflicts old and new, and that it is poor people who are affected most intensely by these conflicts.

Commitment to peace and justice is not limited to churches, but they have the particular task of proclaiming the Gospel of peace, and to live a life that is consistent with this message. No Church reform would make sense if, in the end, it did not impel the disciples of Jesus Christ to work for peace and more solidarity with all those working every day to make the gift of peace a reality.

We offer our prayers so that all of you gathered in Kingston are guided by the Holy Spirit, who offers the Christians and the Churches, today just as before, words of peace and salvation, which must be announced to the world.