Austrian priests call for reforms; cardinal plans dialogue with group

**Dale_M** · #1 Jul 12, '11, 5:55 pm

I'm not happy with the headline, but since it ran in the Sydney Morning Herald, I suppose it merits attention.

I'm not happy with the headline because it refers to an online letter/petition from a newly founded group with an unknown number of members. Perhaps our friends in Australia could tell us more?

Quote:

A Catholic lobby group has railed at bishops to be more accountable, reject discrimination and do more listening to their flock.

In a scathing open letter to the Pope and Australian bishops sent to parishes across the country, Catholics for Renewal says that the church no longer adequately inspires people.

Quote:

Originally Posted by letter/petition from the group

"It has become disconnected from, and irrelevant to, the lives of too many of our children ... it appears as an institution focussed on centralism, legalism and control, with few effective structures for listening and dialogue, and often more concerned with its institutional image and interests than the spirit of Christ." It says the church "has been tainted by injustice and blemished by bad decisions".

http://www.smh.com.au/national/churc...ml?from=smh_sb

You can read the full text of the letter/petition, along with the press release, here:
http://www.catholica.com.au/forum/index.php?id=79069

Neil_Anthony · #2 Jul 12, '11, 6:02 pm

It sounds like they want "listening and dialog". And that this would inspire them? I don't think they're genuine. I think they just want the church to give them permission to have loose morals.

JerryS · #3 Jul 12, '11, 6:36 pm

They are probably right. Best bet is to return the church to the way it was when it was relevant and inspiring. Get rid of the NO, scrap the vernacular, turn the priest back towards Jesus, etc.

Pieman333272 · #4 Jul 12, '11, 7:07 pm

It doesn't matter if the Church is "inspiring"; it matters if the Church is RIGHT. I'm sorry, but liking or disliking the Spirituality, Law, etc. of the Church (or lack of thereof) does not give you the right to force it to change. Unless these guys can find some objective Biblical, scientific or historical evidence that the Church is going in the wrong direction, this is just their opinion, and will remain such.

Fink · #5 Jul 12, '11, 11:36 pm

Don`t take any notice of `em. And don`t take any notice of any "Catholic" material in "The Sydney Morning Herald".
"Catholica" is just a forum for dissenters and heretics and outright apostates. It reported in glowing terms on the old folks` fantasy fest in Detroit a month or so back, and has an on-line petition for the reinstating of the recently-removed Bishop of Toowoomba in Queensland. It also supports a totally off-the-rails priest in Brisbane who was removed from his parish church, after more than 20 years of running amok. He changed the words of Baptism so that it was no longer valid. At a Christmas day "Mass", one of the readings was "from the writings of John Selby Spong."!

People like Sr. Joan Chittister and Fr. Hans Kung are very highly regarded.
Etc. Etc. Etc.

Their "open letter" will be treated by Rome with the same contempt as was a letter authored by a group of dissidents in 2005, accusing Cardinal Pell of Sydney of heresy.

Just a futile rearguard action. Poor folks!

1holycatholic · #6 Jul 13, '11, 5:05 am

Austrian priests call for reforms; cardinal plans dialogue with group

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Austrian bishops have criticized an effort by a group of priests calling for reforms in church practice, including opening the priesthood to women and married men, but the bishops have not taken or threatened disciplinary action.

Michael Pruller, spokesman for Cardinal Christoph Schonborn of Vienna, said the cardinal plans to meet in late August or September with the Viennese priests who are among the leaders of the "Initiative of Parish Priests," which launched a "Call to Disobedience" in June.

The initiative, which says it has just more than 300 members, suggested saying a public prayer at every Mass for church reform; giving Communion to everyone who approaches the altar in good faith, including divorced Catholics who have remarried without an annulment; allowing women to preach at Mass; and supporting the ordination of women and married men.
...

Fink · #7 Jul 13, '11, 5:19 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1holycatholic

...... including divorced Catholics who have remarried without an annulment; allowing women to preach at Mass; and supporting the ordination of women and married men.

If these priests honestly believe in those "initiatives", they should be given a choice:
1. Go back to the Seminary; and learn the Church`s infallible teachings on those "issues", or:
2. The sack!

vsedriver · #8 Jul 13, '11, 5:40 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1holycatholic

[url="http://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=13540"]
The initiative, which says it has just more than 300 members, suggested saying a public prayer at every Mass for church reform; giving Communion to everyone who approaches the altar in good faith, including divorced Catholics who have remarried without an annulment; allowing women to preach at Mass; and supporting the ordination of women and married men.
...[/indent]

so in essence they think the protestant churches got it right. So why do they bother staying in the Catholic Church of the Latin Rite when all they wish for can be granted in other denominations?

**Dale_M** · #9 Jul 13, '11, 5:43 am

Cardinal Schonborn sounds serious:

Quote:

Originally Posted by the article

Cardinal Schonborn issued a statement June 22 and said he waited three days to respond because he did not want to react "out of the anger and sorrow" the priests' initiative caused him.

"The open call to disobedience shocked me," he said.

The cardinal said none of the priests was ordained by force and all of them vowed obedience as they strive to do God's will.

Cardinal Schonborn said righteous human beings must follow their conscience, and if the priests really believe they have such an extreme conflict of conscience with the church, they probably should consider whether they still belong in the church.

agnes therese · #10 Jul 13, '11, 6:08 am

Everybody write this group and tell them "you don't speak for me."

wisdomseeker · #11 Jul 13, '11, 6:20 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerryS

They are probably right. Best bet is to return the church to the way it was when it was relevant and inspiring. Get rid of the NO, scrap the vernacular, turn the priest back towards Jesus, etc.

Good answer. Perhaps they want to be in charge.

wisdomseeker · #12 Jul 13, '11, 6:23 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale_M

I'm not happy with the headline, but since it ran in the Sydney Morning Herald, I suppose it merits attention.

I'm not happy with the headline because it refers to an online letter/petition from a newly founded group with an unknown number of members. Perhaps our friends in Australia could tell us more?

http://www.smh.com.au/national/churc...ml?from=smh_sb

You can read the full text of the letter/petition, along with the press release, here:
http://www.catholica.com.au/forum/index.php?id=79069

And they mention the Name of Jesus. Jesus Himself never said go and dialogue with the people. He said, go and teach all I that I commanded you. Someone tell this group to go and bother somebody else with their nonsense.

wisdomseeker · #13 Jul 13, '11, 6:26 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale_M

Cardinal Schonborn sounds serious:

The Cardinal is a man of great wisdom. I am sure he is going to sit there and let the dissenters ramble away until they realize their nonsense.

ConstantineTG · #14 Jul 13, '11, 7:08 am

I agree with one thing they say, the Church should reconsider ordination of married men. They can throw the rest of the proposal out.

hudson · #15 Jul 13, '11, 7:44 am

Laicize them all would be the correct thing to do. Then allow a path for them to come back for all that repent, learn the correct teachings, and want to be obedient. The Cardinal is also not orthodox himself. It would help if he led these men by example. If these liberals ever get their way in the Catholic Church it will cease to exist. It will then be no different then any mainline protestant church.