We Are Church International & European Network
Church on the Move
Joint Press Release
Five
Years of Pope Francis: Hope has been Raised, Dramatic Action Awaited
Five
years after the election of Pope Francis (13 March 2018) We Are Church
International (WAC-I) and European Network Church on the Move (EN) appeal to
Pope Francis to continue the reform process of the Roman Catholic Church and to
intensify it with dramatic action. The election of the first South American
Pope, who began his Papacy by asking the people of the world to pray for him,
stirred great hopes in the hearts of many Catholics, especially many who had
been frustrated by the failure of our Church to realize the promises of the
Second Vatican Council, which was seen as having great potential to be more
faithful to the Gospel and for modernizing aspects of the Church.
Today,
delegates and representatives of the international Catholic Church Reform and
Social Justice movements give Pope Francis decidedly mixed reviews. WAC-I and
EN praise Francis for modelling a life in solidarity with the poor, encouraging
dialogue within and beyond the Church, attempting to rein in hierarchical abuse
of the Church’s wealth and power, and speaking in ways that are accessible to
many. Yet, many of his reforms have been resisted by Church officials appointed
by the previous Popes, John Paull II and Benedict XVI. WAC-I and EN call on the
Cardinals, bishops, and all Catholics to embrace Francis’ vision of the Church
as servant and steward.
WAC-I
and EN leaders commend Pope Francis for his relentless advocacy on behalf of
refugees and migrants, for his strong engagement for peace founded on justice
in the world, for his proposal of nonviolence in every conflict, his visible
presence among communities typically marginalized, and opting for simplicity in
his personal life. They applaud the stewardship of the Earth promoted in
Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si. They recognize his courage in chastising and
demoting bishops and cardinals who flaunted wealth and instructing church
leaders to focus on pastoral care rather than bureaucracy. They appreciate that
the Pope has focused on under-represented areas of the globe in the appointment
of new Cardinals and has emphasized pastoral skills in designating bishops.
They support the Pope’s attempts to open dialogue on issues of importance to
families and youth and inviting input from members of the church in preparing
for these Synods.
The
groups celebrated Pope Francis’ efforts to increase the accountability in
financial matters, and his respectful engagement with leaders and members of
other faiths.
The
groups also expressed significant disappointment with the lack of substantive
changes in some areas of Church policy and dogma, and about the opposition the
Pope’s attempts at reforms have met within the Curia. They noted that the
People of God remain excluded from decision making at all levels of the Church
and Pope Francis call for dialogue has not been heeded at all levels. They also
noted that there has been no significant movement on the inequality of women in
the Church, despite the appointment of a study commission to consider the
questions of women in the diaconate. The Pope has maintained the Church’s
emphasis on complementarity, which prescribes roles for women and men based on
gender, and on recognizing only the permanent, exclusive marriage of a man and
woman open to the procreation and nurture of children. This means that
divorced, remarried, cohabiting, LGBTI people, and those who use
contraceptives, build families through assisted reproductive technologies, or
have abortions are often excluded from full participation in the church. The
Pope did appoint a commission to deal with the issue of clerical abuse in the
Church, but opposition to its work among Curial members led to it being unable
to accomplish its mission. A strong advocate and survivor of abuse resigned in
protest, the Commission’s authority was allowed to expire, and when
recommissioned, it was with members many characterize as weaker and less likely
to challenge Church leadership. The Church should give up the procedures of
condemnation and excommunication and show more respect for pluralism,
especially in theology. Christian unity remains blocked by our Church refusing
to accept shared communion. WAC-I and EN also noted that, despite several
invitations, the Pope has failed to meet with leaders of Church reform and
renewal networks to address areas of common concern.
We
Are Church International and European Network Church on the Move call on Pope
Francis to renew his commitment to the comprehensive reforms needed to free the
Catholic Church from rigid hierarchical tradition, engage more of the laity and
especially women, and ensure that the Church truly lives the Gospel of Jesus in
a world that is in deep conflict and turmoil. We pray that this fifth
anniversary marks a time of radical renewal for our Church.
8 March 2018
Contact: Marianne Duddy-Burke,
U.S.A., media@we-are-church.org,
+1 617 669 7810
Contact: Raquel Mallavibarrena,
Spain, rmallavi@gmail.com, +34 649 332
654
*********
The European Network Church on the
Move (EN) is a spontaneous convergence of organizations – associations,
communities, informal groups and networks – of European Christians who are in
majority Catholic, sharing
(1) the vision of a Church
prophetic, ecumenical, liberating, supporting, loving, which neither excludes
nor discriminates and which follows on the steps of Jesus the liberator and
(2) the will to work, respecting cultural
and religious diversity, for peace, justice, freedom, human rights and
democracy, including in the Catholic Church (Cf Declaration of rights and
freedoms in the Catholic Church, European Network 1994)
**********
We Are Church International (WAC-I)
founded in Rome in 1996, is a global coalition of national church reform
groups. It is committed to the renewal of the Roman Catholic Church based on
the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and the theological spirit developed from
it.
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