News and Media Releases

“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 church in Germany is fortunate to have a structure which allows lay women and men to work with the clerics how best to follow Christ today.

Gamaliel cautioned the Sanhedrin against killing Jesus' disciples: If their ideas are of human origin, they would "come to nought"; but if they are from God, their ideas would be impossible to overthrow. Similarly some church prelates today want to crush the German Synodal Path out of fear for losing their power and privileges.

Yet over a period of many decades a small clique of men have built a Canon Law fortress to protect and perpetuate their power and privileges. 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 hopes that the Global Synod in October 2023 will adopt a highly significant part of the proposals from the German Synodal Path. In particular we would like to see a much more balanced representation of lay women & men and clerics to have voting powers at this synod. ‘Synodality’ can not mean only bishops make all decisions. At this time it is essential for the Vatican to be in direct contact with the German Synodal Path.

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

Adopted by ICRN in Warsaw September 2019

The Principles for a Charter of fundamental rights and responsibilities for Catholics were articulated by the Ordinary Synod of Bishops in 1971. Its final document was entitled “Justice in the World.” Importantly, the document preserves the remaining core of a larger project commissioned by Paul VI at the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council. It came to be known as the Lex Ecclesiae Fundamentalis (The Basic Law of the Church) and was meant to stand alongside of Paul’s Credo of the People of God. Together they were intended to capture Vatican II’s evangelical vision and mission of the Church and function as the moral principles that would inform the interpretation of Canon Law as well as provide a guide for the life and governance of the Church. Most importantly, the moral foundations of right relationship in the Christian community are grounded in the teaching of Jesus: So, whatever you wish that others do to you, do to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Mt 7: 12).

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International Church Reform Network

Meeting of the Commissions of the General Secretariat of the Synod

Rome, Casa La Salle, 25-29 April 2022

 As, in different parts of the world, the listening sessions of the People of God draw to a close and the various ecclesial instances begin to pull the strings of their communal discernment, the members (about 60) of the four commissions (Theological, Spirituality, Methodological, Communication) of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops met in Rome to deepen some aspects of the reference document of the synodal journey: the 2018 Apostolic Constitution, Episcopalis Communio.
 
"I ask you to harmonise Episcopalis Communio with the synodal process that has begun. Not to harmonise the ongoing process with the Apostolic Constitution. We must have the courage to imagine, to follow the Spirit that guides the Church in the rediscovery of its synodal dimension," said Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, opening the meeting.
 
During the five days of work, the participants discussed some of the key points that have emerged during the journey so far: the sensus fidei fidelium, i.e. the contribution of the faith of the People of God to the ecclesial magisterium; episcopal collegiality and the Petrine (Papal) primacy in relation to ecclesial synodality; the relationship between discernment and ecclesial consensus; and the consultative or deliberative nature of synodal assemblies.
Particular attention was also given to the missionary dimension of the Church and its synodal structures.
 
The work, carried out in an atmosphere of fraternity and sharing, was marked by moments of prayer, plenary sessions and group work.
 
The content of the various working sessions will be published in due course in order to share the reflections carried out with the Church as a whole.

We are Church on the occasion of Joseph Ratzinger's 95th birthday 16 April 2022

15 April 2022 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, former Pope Benedict XVI, has had a greater influence on the teaching and actions of the post-conciliar Church as a theologian and Church leader than any other theologian or Pope. His influence in Rome spanned 31 years (1982-2005 as Prefect of the Faith under Pope John Paul II, 2005-2013 as Pope Benedict XVI).

While as a young adviser he helped shape the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), he later proved to be a theologian frozen by fear and mistrust, limiting and partly blocking the ambivalent reform impulses of the Council.

Even after his surprising but admirable resignation in 2013, he spoke out several times and in a problematic way, contrary to his own earlier assurances. With his recent statements on the second Munich abuse report, he has damaged his own reputation as a theologian and church leader of integrity. It is to be hoped that even now, in his old age, he would be able to make a personal apology for his actions or inactions as Archbishop of Munich (1977-1982).

On the theology of Joseph Ratzinger:

Hermann Häring: "In the Name of the Lord. Where the Pope leads the Church" (Gütersloh 2009)", 192 pages, ISBN-13: 978-3579064932

Colm Holmes
Chair, We Are Church International
E This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
M +353 86 606 3636

We need a new Church Constitution for the People of God

Despite Pope Francis’ best efforts, the new rules for the curia “Praedicate Evangelium” (PE) confirm the tight grip the curia have on power.

We welcome the clear statement in PE that lay women or men can now be appointed to lead most dicasteries, even the powerful Secretariat of State. But the main problem with PE is that the curia continues to undermine Pope Francis’ efforts at reform.

As one commentator noted new laws by Pope Francis are regarded as Press Releases which can be ignored:

Example: In December 2020 Pope Francis ordered all financial affairs to come under the control of the Secretariat of the Economy; but this has not happened. The Secretariat of State is holding on to its financial assets.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (CDF) now becomes a Dicastery (DDF) but retains its powers:

Example: The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors now comes under the full control of the DDF, thus losing all semblance of independence as Marie Collins points out.

What is needed is a new Constitution for the People of God to take charge of governance - a Charter of Fundamental Rights and Responsibilities in the church. Pope Paul VI started work on such a fundamental paper but the work was never completed.

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An opinion from Noi Siamo Chiesa: Riforma della Curia: dopo nove anni una riforma nella linea della continuità. Testo inglese e , di seguito, testo italiano