Church change must come from the base

The image that surfaces when Sr Teresa Forcades speaks is evocative of spiraling energy, bubbling in spirit, and of being on the ground with the needs of the people of God.

Forcades — a Benedictine nun, activist, feminist theologian and physician from Catalonia in Spain — and Francis — a Jesuit pope from Argentina — share a kindred vision of empowering the poor through nonviolence.

Both understand the relationship between capitalism and poverty.

Francis has denounced the “idolatry of money” and implored world leaders to assure all people “dignified work, education and healthcare.”

In a way, Forcades takes it further by advocating that the state must be challenged from the bottom up. The people must be the agents of change.

“When I talk about church, we talk about how the Gospel inspired us. There are many kinds of church, and I identify with the people at the bottom, at the base.

“Many people have a hope that the Catholic church might change because of the pope, but if you look at history, change comes from bottom up, not from top down,” Forcades said to a room overflowing with “local radical activists” Continue reading.

Source: National Catholic Reporter

Image: psalmboxkey.com

 

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