In his recent Newsletter, the Archbishop of Wellington drew attention to an article written by a priest from France, Jean-Pierre Roche, entitled “Stop calling me Father.” In his article, Roche says that priests may be able to make some small changes to overcome clericalism if they gave up expecting to be called “Father.” “In August last Read more
An independent laity run board that would hold bishops accountable for their actions, a national day for Mass or prayers of reparation, and encouragement to parishioners to become more involved in their diocese are among steps suggested by prominent lay Catholics to right the U.S. church as it deals with a new clergy sexual abuse Read more
Lay support could contribute to priests’ “essential human formation” and provide their lives with the “necessary spiritual solidarity,” Cardinal Beniamino Stella says. Stella, who is the prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, believes if the laity were more involved in priestly formation, the crisis facing the church would not be so grave. In his view, Read more
The laity is an “indispensable” part of Church governance, says the International Theological Commission. The Commission, which helps establish official Catholic teaching, says canon law should be updated to make it compulsory for parishes to have councils that consult the laity. An article called “Synodality in the Life of the Church” published on the Commission’s Read more
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 Read more
The Catholic Church in Ireland is “very lacking” in people of intellect who, educated in faith, can address issues of our times, the Archbishop of Dublin says. The Church needs “competent lay men and women educated in their faith”, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said, according to a report in the Irish Times. The archbishop referred to Read more
Pope Francis has signed the statutes for a new “mega-dicastery” in the Vatican for laity, family and life. The Pontifical Councils for Laity and for the Family will become one dicastery, also a pontifical council. The new body should begin its work on September 1, but it is still unknown who will head it. Francis Read more
Some lay workers at the Vatican think Pope Francis should put his own house in order in terms of employment justice before slagging off other bosses. Last week, Francis condemned employers who exploit workers through temporary contracts or by not offering health insurance. He called such employers “blood suckers” who turn people into “slaves of Read more
Pope Francis has said that lay people are not second class members of the Church at the service of the hierarchy. Instead they participate in Christ’s priestly role through their own work in the world. The Pope said this in a message marking the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Apostolate Read more
Sharron Cole, president of Parents Centres New Zealand, says Synod bishops lacked understanding in a host of areas affecting Catholic people’s lives. Cole was a New Zealand observer at the 2015 Synod on Families. She is calling on the church to listen “with deep empathy” to lay people and to “re-examine its teaching on marriage and Read more