We Are Church International offers prayers for the repose of the soul of the retired Pope Benedict XVI who died on 31 December 2022.

We Are Church International sees the late Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, former Pope Benedict XVI, as a highly contradictory theologian who shaped the Roman Catholic Church for decades in a backward-looking way like no other post-conciliar church leader. He left his successor Pope Francis and the entire Church a difficult legacy to overcome, leaving a climate of fear and a theological standstill.

While Joseph Ratzinger helped shape the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) as a young theologian and advisor, he later proved to be a theologian driven by mistrust and frozen in fear in his 31 years at the Vatican (1982-2005 as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Pope John Paul II, 2005-2013 as Pope Benedict XVI), who was overwhelmed with his leadership tasks.

Joseph Ratzinger did not develop an understanding of the future dimension of faith. Rather, he tried to limit or even withdraw the reform impulses of the Council. He thus proved to be a relentless reactionary who ultimately failed. During Benedict’s reign, it became more and more obvious that maintaining the Church hierarchical system is totally inconsistent with, if not opposite to, the Gospel’s message. Even as "Papa emeritus" he repeatedly spoke out in a highly problematic manner, despite his promise to the contrary. With his implausible statements on the second Munich abuse report, he himself severely damaged his reputation as a theologian and church leader and as a "co-worker of the truth" (his bishop's motto). He was not prepared to make a personal admission of guilt. In doing so, he did great damage to the episcopal and papal office.

His commendable resignation in 2013 demystified the papal office. It would have been logical, however, if he had also taken off the white cassock.

May he rest in peace.

Colm Holmes
Chair, We Are Church International
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“To live is to change and to have lived well is to have changed often” – Cardinal Newman

We Are Church International strongly supports the work of the German Synodal Path which follows the principle ‘what affects all should be decided by all’.

The German Synodal Path is built on trust. Laity and clerics are working together in a transparent and accountable way. All important issues are on the table (Power; Priesthood; Sexual Morality; Women). It is not an easy process. It is not a perfect process. But it is far ahead of the monarchical and autocratic model of church leadership that operates behind closed doors while claiming divine male privilege.

With the Synodal Process Pope Francis has pointed the way forward towards an inverted pyramid and decentralisation to re-establish a focus on Christ’s one commandment: ‘To love one another as I have loved you.’

We Are Church International calls for the Global Synod in October 2023 & October 2024 to adopt a highly significant part of the proposals from the German Synodal Path. In particular we call for a balanced representation of lay women & men and clerics to fully participate in the synod. ‘Synodality’ does not mean only bishops make all decisions.

[For more information on the German Synodal Path in English follow this link]

Colm Holmes
Chair, We Are Church International
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M +353 86 606 3636

 From the BBC

There are over a billion Catholics around the world. Women have always played a significant role in the life of the Church - but have been excluded from the Catholic hierarchy.

A number of devotees say they feel called upon to serve God as priests, but the Vatican has never allowed female ordination to priesthood. Now, there's a growing movement to change this.

Over 200 women have chosen to take part in secret ordination services, despite knowing they will be excommunicated from the Church. BBC 100 Women follows two women who have been unofficially ordained in the US and Colombia. Is there a future for women priests? And can this change happen in our lifetime?

More from BBC 100 Women here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Produced by: Valeria Perasso and Georgina Pearce
Filmed by: Andrew Blum, Sergio Villa Díaz, Tom Goudsmit, Andrés Giraldo Velásquez and Will Nail
Sound by: Edwin Londoño Serna
Edited by: Álvaro Álvarez and Lucy Hennequin
Executive Producer: Claire Williams.
Commissioning editor: Liz Gibbons
Website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bbcworldservice Facebook:
https://facebook.com/bbcworldservice

See BBC article

We Are Church calls for Equal Numbers of Voices for Laity and Clergy at the October 2023 and October 2024 Synod meetings

The Synodal Process called by Pope Francis has already exceeded expectations.

Laity and clergy have been meeting and listening at many levels:

• Parishes
• Dioceses
• National
• Continental

The Continental (DCS) document presents a good summary of the wide range of issues raised around the world and the Continental meetings in February and March 2023 will have balanced teams of laity and clergy representing each country.

The same balance must be maintained as we approach the two upcoming Synod sessions in Rome.  Synodality means sharing decision making and decision taking. Thus, we urge church leaders to ensure that balanced teams of laity and clergy are present at the October 2023 and October 2024 meetings and that lay members have the same deliberative authority as clerical members.  A Church of equals should be represented in the Synod by having representatives according to the plurality exisiting in the Church with respect to many important issues eg. Women; LGBTQ+ people; Laity in decision taking at all levels.

"No one puts new wine into old wineskins: otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins: but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins" (Mark 2:22)

Colm Holmes
Chair, We Are Church International 
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M  +353 86 606 3636 

Von links nach rechts: Helmut Schüller (Pfarrerinitiative),
Erika Smutny (Laudatio statt Rudolf Mayerhofer-Sebera, der an Corona erkrankt ist),
Lena Pampalk-Lorbeer (Tochter von Preisempfänger Josef Pampalk), Ewald Benes (Laieninitiative),
Martha Heizer (Wir-sind-Kirche AT), Preisempfänger Josef Pampalk,
Esperanca und Prof. Eric Morier-Genoud (Mosambik, bzw. Belfast) 

Josef Pampalk  war als Missionar der „Weißen Väter“ in Mosambik Zeuge, wie sich die dortigen Bischöfe der Kolonialmacht Portugal anpassten und welche Folgen das hatte. Ein Konkordat von 1940 zwischen Salazar und dem Vatikan verfügte, dass die Missionen explizit als eine Agentur im Dienste des portugiesischen Imperiums galten und dass die Kolonialregierung die Bischöfe aussuchte und bezahlte, dafür von ihnen eindeutige Unterstützung bei der Aufrechterhaltung des Kolonialismus erwartete. Wer kritisierte oder für die Rechte der Einheimischen eintrat, wurde bestraft oder des Landes verwiesen. Die „Weißen Väter“ entschlossen sich zu einem öffentlichen und gemeinsamen Protest. Daher wurden sie 1971 aus Mosambik ausgewiesen. Die Haltung des Vatikans im Sinne einer Unterstützung des Kolonialismus führte dazu, dass Pampalk und andere „Weiße Väter“ ihr Priesteramt niederlegten.

Als erstes sollte natürlich die Stagnationsbruderschaft im Vatikan, die dafür verantwortlich ist, ihren Fehler bereuen und nach Wiedergutmachung streben. Aber wer sich Unfehlbarkeit anmaßt, tut sich da naturgemäß schwer.

Als einen Schritt zur Wiedergutmachung für das Unbill und Leid, das die Weißen Väter ertragen mussten, erhielt daher stellvertretend Josef Pampalk von den Kath. Reformorganisationen Österreichs die Trompete von Jericho 2022 überreicht