The "Appeal for a Renewed and Trustworthy Church", was posted on Monday. It is an online petition calling for the en masse resignation of the country's bishops.

"As a sign of hope and renewal, we ask for the collective resignation of all the bishops in office.

"It is the only gesture commensurate with the catastrophe and the loss of confidence in which we find ourselves," says the petition website.

"Faced with this bankruptcy, the resignation of the bishops is the only honourable solution," said Anne Soupa, a theologian and married mother of four adult children who "applied" last year to become Archbishop of Lyon.

Soupa is one of three leading reform-minded Catholics in France behind the drive.

The other two are François Devaux, co-founder of the abuse victims' group "La Parole Libérée", and Christine Pedotti, editorial director of the progressive Catholic magazine Témoignage Chrétien.

During its first 24 hours online, the appeal/petition had gathered nearly 3,200 signatures.

It comes six days after the October 5 publication of the damaging report by the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE).

Also known as the Sauvé Report, the massive document revealed that some 330,000 children and adolescents were victims of sexual violence in the Church in France between 1950 and 2020.

"In any other association or company, resignation would have been demanded even for something 100 times less damaging. All the leaders would have had to resign," said Soupa.

"Undoubtedly, not all French bishops have covered up crimes. But the very structure of the Catholic hierarchy assumes continuity and solidarity between each bishop and his predecessor. As such, though not all are guilty, all are responsible," says the online petition.

To support their demand, the three signatories point to a "precedent" in the Catholic Church.

In 2018, the group resignation of 34 Chilean bishops occurred after they were directly challenged by Pope Francis for mishandling sexual abuse cases. The pope eventually accepted the resignation of seven of them.

Pedotti, Soupa and Devaux have received the support of Reverend Pierre Vignon, an expert on tackling sexual abuse in the Church.

"What would have had panache and would have made an impression would have been to collectively resign immediately," said Vignon. He is a priest who is known to be a straight-shooter and a bit of a maverick.

"They (the bishops) can still do that at their next plenary assembly in Lourdes in November," he said.

Sources

• La Croix International
• The Economist

Recently French theologian, Anne Soupa, gained worldwide attention by applying for the position of Archbishop of Lyon. She has since been followed by other French women making themselves available for senior leadership roles in the Church.

Also, in Switzerland Marianne Pohl-Henzen, a mother and grandmother has been appointed as the Bishop's Delegate and Pope Francis has appointed six laywomen to the committee to oversee Vatican Finances.

As a group committed to working for justice and equity for all the Baptised, especially women in the global and local Catholic Church, we are encouraged by this stirring of the Spirit of change.

We happily added our signatures to the global petition in support of Anne Soupa and we wrote to her pledging our support.

Through her symbolic action, Anne Soupa hopes to "ignite the imagination of Catholics to imagine the church of the future", and she challenges us to ask the question, "How can we in Aotearoa New Zealand work towards greater equality and justice in leadership and ministry, to bring about a more inclusive model of Catholic Church?"

The vacant See of Palmerston North

We are all aware that, like Lyon, the See of Palmerston North is currently vacant.

While such a vacancy exists, it is a prompt for us all to discuss what kind of leadership is needed in our Church today.

What alternative models of leadership are there to fulfil the role of a Bishop of Aotearoa-New Zealand in 2020?

First of all what does the Church see as necessary for candidates?

The Code of Canon Law Can. 378 §1. currently requires that Bishops:

• Be outstanding in solid faith, good morals, piety, zeal for souls, wisdom, prudence and human virtues.
• Are of good reputation, are at least thirty-five years old and have been ordained as priests for at least five years.
• They also need to hold advanced qualifications or hold true expertise in scripture or theology or canon law.

We also add, that they have had real pastoral experience, show an ability to work collegially and have skill in administration.

After a short phone survey of friends and colleagues, we were able to make a list of ten lay people who have all these qualifications with of course the exception of ordination.

We are pretty sure that most Catholics will be able to make their own lists! But ten is a good start.

We did not include in this list members of religious orders, many of whom qualify, to really make the point that there are among all the Baptised, ample numbers of people capable of leadership in the Church.

Models of diocesan leadership

Our own answer to the question ‘What alternative models of diocesan leadership can we imagine?' we offer for your discussion and discernment.

Option 1

A fully inclusive shared leadership model - say four people one of whom is ordained - representing the diversity of the baptised:

• Tangata Whenua
• Women
• Men
• Different age groups
• Other key ethnicities/cultures

Option 2

Separating the management and sacramental roles of the Bishop.

This would enable the former to be filled by one of the Baptised - woman or man - not requiring ordination - but carrying authority in that area. This mirrors Anne Soupa's application.

In a country where the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Chief Justice and the Queen's Representative are all currently women, it is not hard to imagine a woman as a diocesan leader.

Option 3

Following the traditional model, a male ordained priest as Bishop, working closely with an inclusive, diverse team, that reflects gender balance, ethnic diversity and generational demographics. A group committed to shared leadership and without the Bishop having a veto.

Option 4

To offer support and encouragement for women who put their names forward for the position of Bishop of the Palmerston North Diocese

In all these models, the team would also work in a way that reflects the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

In closing

We will continue our discussion and research and invite interested women and men to join with us. Other ideas are:

• Start your own local group and keep the Apostolic Nuncio and your local diocesan leaders informed of your findings and opinions
  Join our group by contacting us on bethechange.aotearoa@gmail.com, and
• Take part in our inclusive prayer gatherings and ongoing ministry of working for equality in the Church
• Keep in touch with what we are doing through our email updates and looking at our website on www.bethechangecatholicchurchaotearoa.wordpress.com/

We offer support and resources to any groups on the journey of discerning new models of leadership in our Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Nga manaakitanga

• Ana Maria de Vos Sanchez, Christina Reymer, Jo Ayers, Louise Shanly - Coordinating Group for Be The Change, Catholic Church, Aotearoa
• The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of CathNews.

Calling themselves ‘Be the Change', the group of men and women say their mission is to promote the inclusion of women in leadership of the Catholic Church.

"As a sign of our support for Soupa, we are delighted to put our names to a global petition supporting Soupa's campaign," Jo Ayers of Be the Change told CathNews.

As well as signing the petition, the group also wrote to Soupa.

"We are delighted to learn that you have applied for the position of Archbishop of Lyon. We think you would be an Archbishop with a fresh approach," ‘Be the Change' wrote.

"If Canon Law does not allow a woman Archbishop, we support changes to canon law."

"We feel you have the knowledge and experience to become Archbishop of Lyon," they wrote.

'Be the Change' was delighted to receive a prompt response from Soupa.

"I have not embarked on this enterprise in a spirit of provocation, but to offer my hand to a Church which is imprisoned in a false sense of loyalty to the past.

"I wish candidates would stand all over the place, to show that women are there, ready and able, with a faith in their hearts that would move mountains," wrote Soupa.

"Would you have any candidates you could suggest?"

Saying they understand that Soupa's bid stands little chance of success, ‘Be the Change' say it, however, sheds light on the issue of gender equality in the Church.

"Having a qualified woman as an applicant for the See of Lyon helps us to imagine what gender equality in the Church will look like," they say.

‘Be the Change' points out that Soupa's initiative raises the possibility of a separation of the roles of governance and priesthood, a question raised by Pope Francis some years ago; in other words, does the head of a Diocese have to be an ordained priest?

"Along with many other people worldwide, we saw this as a great opportunity to encourage the discussion about the ‘invisibility' and lack of participation of women in leadership of the Catholic Church," say ‘Be the Change'.

The New Zealand group say they feel close to Soupa because Bishop Pompallier was born in Lyon and was ordained the first bishop of West Oceania.

They say he was the genesis of the fledgling Catholic Church in New Zealand and like Soupa was a pioneer who shared his faith and skill.

"The founders of 'Be the Change' are a small group of men and women deeply committed to and immersed in the life of the Church, and are theologically informed and are dedicated to the work of justice for women in the liturgy and other Church structures," one of the group's founders, Louise Shanly told CathNews.

As a sign of international solidarity, 'Be the Change' has joined the 'Australasian Coalition for Catholic Church Reform' (ACCCR).

ACCCR is a coalition of about 20 groups who are working for reform of the Church in Australia and now New Zealand.

The main focus as a group is the upcoming Plenary Council in Australia where they are lobbying hard for more just and inclusive membership of this Council and to also get items added to the agenda.

Be the Change invites new members. Those interested are invited to get in touch at: bethechange.aotearoa@gmail.com

Source: Supplied

This is the latest push to give women a significant place in the Catholic hierarchy.

After submitting their candidacies for various leadership roles, including deacon, priest and bishop, the women attended a mass at the Madeleine church in central Paris to mark the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene.

French Catholic woman Anne Soupa, who in May declared herself a candidate to lead the archdiocese of Lyon, accompanied the seven women to Paris.

The post in Lyon has been vacant since Cardinal Philippe Barbarin stepped down last year as a result of a paedophilia scandal involving a priest in the diocese.

"The Church is experiencing a deep crisis, and we need to open up its doors," says Soupa.

"Women are rendered invisible in the Catholic Church."

"In this age of equality, when women's abilities are recognised by all, we can't continue like this."

"This isn't a move against the Church, but for it," Soupa says.

Scores of paedophilia and sexual abuse charges have been laid before the Church throughout the world in recent years.

These charges have prompted calls for a major shakeup of the Church, which critics say has failed to adapt its traditions to the demands of the modern world.

Although Pope Francis backs many progressive causes such as allowing priests to marry, to date he has refused to allow women to be ordained or to open certain roles in the Church for them.

As an example, last year he declined to allow women become deacons, an ordained position just below that of priest. Proponents say allowing women to become deacons could help fill the gap in countries were priest numbers are dwindling.

Source

• rfi
• Image: France 24

Anne Soupa, who is A 73-year-old journalist and biblical scholar, is one of France's best known activists for a greater role for women in the Catholic Church.

Her request to the pope included a detailed cover letter and her curriculum vitae.

Soupa's letter is being described as "a communication coup."

Her candidacy has already received support from France's most prominent advocacy group for clergy sex abuse victims, la Parole Libérée.

Although Soupa admits she will never be ordained a bishop, she says she wants it to be possible for us to imagine "a woman becoming an archbishop without it being a joke."

Soupa hopes her initiative will further help fight against "the way women are kept invisible within the Catholic Church."

The Archdiocese of Lyon is one of the most important sees in France. It is usually headed by a cardinal, but has been without a spiritual leader since Cardinal Philippe Barbarin resigned in March.

He had lost the confidence of many in the archdiocese and Pope Francis allowed him to step down.

Soupa says the "Lyon context" was not what prompted her to launch her candidacy to be archbishop.

"I see that we are continuing as before for this next appointment, following the same models."

Soupa says there is an "intellectual laziness" in the way bishops are chosen.

"As the pope invites us to do, it is appropriate to dissociate governance from ordained ministry," she says.

"Above all, I want to raise awareness."

Despite its "internal problems", Soupa says she's never been tempted to leave the Church. Her current goal is to address all Catholics.

She will meet the nuncio, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, "with pleasure" and explain her candidacy to him, if necessary.

"Some will tell me that I have a lot of nerve to do this," the theologian admitted.

"All right, but I feel like asking them, after this first reaction, what do they really think about it? In the end, I hope they say to themselves: a lay person at the head of a diocese, why not?" she said.

Officials in the Archdiocese of Lyon pointed out that the appointment of the next archbishop depends solely on the pope.

The archdiocese does not want to dismiss the "symbolic" character of Soupa's initiative, which is aimed at promoting the place of women in the Church, however.

Officials say the archdiocese is continuing to look for ways to do promote women's roles. In this respect, they pointed out that a woman has been the archdiocese's chief financial officer, its "number two" position, since November 2018.

Source

• La Xrpix
• Image: Archyde