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One of Pope Francis’s top advisers says a new relationship between lay people and clergy is needed in the Church’s institutions and organisations.
German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, a member of the Pope’s council of cardinals, spoke at a conference in Dublin, Ireland.
The cardinal later told CNS, “When you see the institutions and the organisation of the Church, there must be a new relationship between laypeople and clerics.”
Cardinal Marx said he had told Pope Francis on a several occasions, “We have to de-clericalise the curia and bring in more competent laymen and women and make the Church professional”.
In his conference speech, the cardinal said he believes the Christian faith is “the religion of the future”.
It is not a religion dealing in “magic” things, he said.
“It is instrument for a better world and that must be shown, and so it is very important that the Church has a positive view of the modern world,” he said.
Cardinal Marx said the Church must provide formation to its members to deal with the complex issues in pluralist societies.
But this must be “without forgetting” their faith sources and principles.
In his speech, Cardinal Marx admitted there were episodes in history “when the Christian faith wasn’t on the right side”.
But he stressed that “in the future we want to be there in the development of a society which is based on values and responsible freedoms” based on the Church’s social doctrine and Christian anthropology.
He said that Church teaching could help the economic world “think beyond capitalism” and challenge an outlook which assesses results only in economic terms.
After his speech, Cardinal Marx suggested the Church should not oppose civil unions.
But he said “marriage is another point”.
He said that the “history of homosexuals in our society is a very bad history because we have done a lot to marginalise them, and so as Church and as society we have to say, ‘Sorry.’”
On Sunday, Pope Francis was asked about Cardinal Marx’s comments about an apology to homosexual people.
The Pope said there are plenty of other groups who probably also deserve a Church apology.
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