We Are Church

This is His Life, Labor and the Holy Eucharist. It is also ours.

2010-02-04T22:03:00.002Z

My dear Catholic friends,

I would like to share a belief with you about the Holy Eucharist. It has to do with our participating in this sacrament as other Christ's, including His priesthood.

Because of all the many parables that Jesus told about vineyards, wheat fields, and shepherds, one cannot help but think that these were the places He worked, learned and participated in life, with the earth, and with people, (like His Father-Creator). This is where "he grew in wisdom", observing and experiencing human nature and elevating it to the Spiritual. When Jesus spoke in parables, truly he was speaking out of his own personal experiences. While he was the "carpenter's son", it is very likely he worked as a carpenter. But was there always work for a carpenter to do? If not, what else might he have done to earn his livelihood?

Remember the time when there was a crowd listening to Jesus teach by Lake Gennesareth? Some fishermen had just disembarked from their boats without catching any fish. Jesus stepped into a boat and sat down to speak to the people. When he finished speaking, he told Simon, "Put out into the deep water and lower your nets." (Luke, chapter five) Simon was skeptical and reminded Jesus that he and his fishermen had worked hard all night but caught nothing, yet at the instructions of Jesus he obeyed. When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, so many that their nets began to tear. Another boat and other fishermen came to help.

Imagine Jesus pulling on the nets helping these fishermen haul in their catch. Jesus knew what it was to labor. I am sure he didn't just stand and watch. Simon Peter and the other fishermen were astonished at the catch of fish. Then Jesus told them that he would make them "fishers of men", and he would be there with them, helping them in their labors as they cast their nets over the earth to catch human souls for him. In the gospels, Jesus speaks of labor and laborers many times and in many ways.

We know about the public life of Jesus as recorded in the gospels, we have to assume things about his life prior to that time. We have to assume that he did work for a living, and that what he experienced as a laborer was many times related in his parables. He taught us about heavenly or spiritual things through human and natural events.

In Matthew, chapter twenty, there is the story of men working all day in a vineyard: they were standing in line for their pay; there were some who received a full days pay when they only worked part of a day. There were complaints from those who did a whole day's work and were not paid more. Do you think Jesus experienced this event? Was he standing in this line waiting for his day's pay? Truly He worked, observed, and then taught the positive side of that situation. He saw the owner of the vineyard as a generous man. Jesus related these human events to the divine, revealing God our Father's goodness in rewarding us for our labors, no matter how long or short we labor.

Jesus and His disciples were walking through a wheat field on the Sabbath. They picked the grains of wheat to eat, as they were hungry. This was considered work by the Pharisees who condemned them, but Jesus defended their right to eat and work, even on the Sabbath. (Matt.12)

Then we have the experience of Jesus watching, perhaps even helping some woman, maybe his mother Mary, when he was a child; it is then that one is taken with curiosity and amazement at watching the making of bread, and the working of leaven and the rising of the dough. Such impressions can last a lifetime .and then a wonderful analogy for the reign of God develops! It is a working, growing, developing experience which he lived and we are called to participate in. (Lk.13)

The power of God bathes the world with energy. There is magnetism in the Light of the Creator, which draws the broken seed out of the earth to produce new life. From roots in the earth grows the vine and the branches, - "I am the vine, you are the branches". The vine and the branches together produce the fruit of the vine, wine which we drink as His Life's blood. We drink our life's blood, - the energy and work of God in His people. That same Light and magnetism draws on the Spirit in every human being to grow and flourish in the Spirit of Christ. We are a work in progress. While we are experiencing this work, this energy which is being spent, we are experiencing God within and around us.

"Blessed are you Lord God of all creation, by your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands; it will become for us our spiritual drink."

By our work, spending our energy, whether it be as the farmer, who does the planting and harvesting or the waitress, office or factory worker at the daily grind, teacher, parent, scientist, writer, artist; -workers in all areas of life spending mental, spiritual or physical energy, by free will, we know that this is the Spirit at work in the Body, - our individual bodies, as well as the World-Body. One can say that it is by the Spirit and or energy of God that we live, move, work and have our Being. It is the Spirit of Christ that is continuously at work in us.

All this spent energy, -this Spirit, - what more can be said of it or done with it? Those of us who believe in God offer it to Him, as a sacrifice, in thanks and praise, and when we do it transforms and sanctifies us, hour by hour, day by day. Spiritual growth happens, we become greater in the person of Christ, and we are brought to a new level in our humanity and divinity.

"I solemnly assure you, unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat, but if it dies it produces much fruit." Again a "work" is in progress, the natural, the human, and the divine. The seed of heaven, Jesus Christ, was planted upon our earth. It is here that he lived, worked and died, produced abundant fruit through his particular labors which have lived and grown for more than two thousand years. We who love him continue to bear the fruit which his labor began. The Spirit of Christ which we have inherited gives us the energy to produce "much fruit" in all we do, - our work, joys or suffering,- in our struggles with living, loving, evolving, developing, becoming.. Christ in us, again, continually.

The efforts from the energy of the Spirit in us build and bind us together in the Body of Christ. What can we suppose might have been on the mind of Christ as He holds the live giving bread from the earth in His hands and says, "Take and eat, for this is my body"? As Christ holds the bread of life in His hands, He holds the elements of the world, for bread comes from the wheat and wheat comes from the seed and the seed comes out of the earth; and we the people of God's creation have come out of the earth too. Our body is his body. At the consecration of these elements Christ is holding the whole world and all his people in his hands. "This is my Body. This is my Blood." Jesus the Christ has spent his life's energy transforming the elements of the earth into His Spirit.

We consume the energy which gives us life. "Blessed are you Lord God of all creation, through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life." The elements of nature, -the elements of life are spirit and become spiritualized in us! His presence lives in us, and we in him. We consume his life, his Spirit, and his energy. As we spend these gifts we too are consumed and offer them to God in Christ. The efforts, energy, and labors of Love are unending.
What is it besides work that captures our energy, our love, our spirit? Who among us has not experienced sorrow and joy? The Eucharist is the Pascal experience . . . a memorial. "Do this in memory of me". Christ has died. When we suffer, in any way, a death of family or friend, sickness, loss of income, and to many in the world, hunger and oppression, lack of the necessities of life; there is a dying that is taking place in the human person, an energy which consumes., This we offer to God as sacrifice. "This is my Body, this is my Blood."

Now Christ is raised! He has overcome death and sin. That part of us which has died by our suffering is now risen with Christ, and we have experienced a transformation in His Spirit, grown strong, and live to experience this event over again until we reach the full stature of the Spirit of Christ. And what of our joy? Life's efforts produce its joys too. This is also offered to God. It is the fruit of the vine that we can savor, and no one can take it from us!

-The energy spent, in works, sorrows, joys and growth are spent willingly. We do the duties (labors) that life calls us to because it is none other than the power and Spirit of Love which has possession of us.

There are those today who would deny the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. That is like denying Life, Love, Spirit, and Energy in the human person. But because we know the Spirit of Christ, - that life-giving force of Love, we know his Presence in the world, within us and within the Holy Eucharist. In our participation of this Eucharist, we are also participating in our own salvation and redemption story. Jesus has shown us the Way in which we must live, labor and love with His Spirit.

Copyright by Margaret Barry
This may be shared with credit to the author.
10/21/99 Revised 4/30/02

Experience of Mass today.

2010-02-02T23:06:00.002Z

We break into our account of the Stand Up for Vatican II meeting because today has been one of great joy to We Are Church folk who have been praying that Judith would return to Mass. She writes:

The (Stand Up for Vatican II) meeting gave me great food for thought. Subsequent Prayer and reflection brought forth the conviction that if I truly believe what I believe then the only place to be was in my own parish community rather than leading a nomadic, erratic and privatised Catholic existence.

This morning I phoned my parish and asked the time of Mass. Initially I felt that the reception of my call only served to strengthen my alienation from the Church. But this melted away when my phone rang and the gentleman to whom I had been speaking said he had recalled my number because the Mass time he had given me was not quite correct. I much appreciated this, and said so.

An hour later I got in my car and drove the three miles to the church, admittedly in some anxiety and trepidation. Recent media reporting about the Church and the loud voices of those who proclaim they are Traditionalists made me anticipate a pre-Vatican II scenario with cold piety. In the light of current pressures in the Church I did not think the parish would have grown less conservative than it was 14 years ago.

I parked my car and, gathering my courage together, I walked through the church porch and opened the inner door. The lady on the other side greeted me courteously and then looked closer. The smile broadened on her face and she expressed delight in remembering me. It was lovely to see her too. I walked to a pew and prepared myself for the celebration of Candlemas. There was conversation between some of those around me and I was impressed by the care and concern for each other.

As is usual on this day we were invited to go to the back of the church for the procession. Whereas, in the past, this would have been done in almost sullen silence, there was an easy relaxed atmosphere. After a few moments the Priest joined us and we lit candles to begin the celebration. This easy and comfortable atmosphere continued through the Mass.

One of the ladies read the Readings and another was the Extra-ordinary Minister of the Eucharist. I found myself relaxing and thanking God for guiding me back to my community. To exchange the Sign of Peace with these long lost friends was a truly uplifting experience. Everyone received both the Body and Blood of Our Lord and most received the Host in their hands.

After Communion there was a deep peace as we each made our own thanksgiving and then we were sent out "in peace to love and serve the Lord".

After Mass I was not allowed to creep out of the church. Old friends wanted to speak and say how glad they were to see me back. I was overwhelmed by the warmth and welcome.

Without doubt I shall be back next week and hopefully, in time, I will be able to make some contribution to my parish.

Greetings from the International Movement We Are Church for "Stand up for Vatican II"

2010-01-31T22:05:00.001Z

Thank you very much for this inspiring initiative which, I think, is very much in line with our "Council 50" project.

I will refer to this project when I'm going to Dublin mid February for the We Are Church (Ireland) meeting

Christian Weisner
Media Relations - International Movement We Are Church.

Vision of the Realm of God

2010-01-31T22:01:00.000Z

Stand Up for Vatican II meeting - 26 January 2010

Fr Derek Reeve, a Priest for over 50 years, echoed Frank's welcome, saying that he had not remotely imagined that so many people would turn up and from so widely in the UK.

Blessed Pope John XX111 had been widely regarded as a 'caretaker' Pope. No one, least of all the Cardinals, had expected him to announce a General Council of the Church at Mass on the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul in 1959.

Pope John's vision of Church perceived that it needed urgent renewal. Some Catholics today look back to a blissful time before the Council when myth says that all was well. The Pope knew this was not entirely true and had the courage to do something about it. His aim was to bring the Church into the modern world and enable it to dialogue with modernity to bring about justice and peace.

Fr Derek spoke about the excitement among Catholics on hearing and sharing Pope John's vision. Among his own parishioners, people began looking forward with hope and anticipation. The vision of the Church as the People of God and the Kingdom as a realm which could be worked towards by all in the Church was inspiring.

Vatican II was not an end in itself. It was the beginning of a process. We do not want its renewal and reforms to disappear, like many in previous Councils.

Fr Derek ask everyone to pray, and pray hard, to invoke the Holy Spirit to once more blow through the Church and "enkindle the hearts of the faithful" to go forward in faith, hope and love.

* * * * * * * *

Stand Up for Vatican II

Best wishes from France

2010-01-30T21:39:00.002Z

Thank you, We Are Church (UK). I am forwarding this information to NSAE and also to the various French groups of "Réseaux des Parvis ". As you may know we are preparing a large meeting to be held in November 2010 : "Now's the time"…

Best wishes,

Lucienne, NSAE

29 January 2010

"Change implies Tension"

2010-01-30T21:36:00.000Z

Our account of the meeting of Stand Up for Vatican 2 begins:

Frank Regan, Editor in Chief of 'Renew', opened the meeting (26 January) by welcoming everyone. He professed his deep commitment to all that the Second Vatican Council stood for. From his perspective, chief among these reforms was the commitment to work for Justice and Peace together with lay participation in the Church.

He reminded us that any form of change implies tension between those who want to move forward and those who are comfortable with the status quo. As the Church, and not mere members of it (Pope Pius XII, 1946), all Catholics need to reflect on its future and ask the question "Where is it going?".

With benign humour he noted the grey-power in the room and reminded us of the lack of young people in the Church. They were not interested in internal political struggle or dead Services when attending church. They wanted something that would inspire them to make the world a better place. The question we, of the senior generation, needed to address was how we were going to hand the Church on to the next generation.

We Are Church's recommendation:
Obtain a copy of "The Basic Sixteen Documents Vatican Council 11" by Austin Flannery OP and read what the Council said. Fr Flannery also published two volumes of all the documents from the Council. They are very readable and you will appreciate the wonderful courage of Blessed Pope John XXIII in council with all the Bishops in fearlessly opening the doors to the modern world.

Also, please visit Stand Up for Vatican II

Cordial congratulations

2010-01-29T22:51:00.000Z

Cordial congratulations for this important and wonderful event to We are Church UK and Stand Up for Vatican 2 from We are Church Austria!
Gotlind
28 January 2010

Mission and Leadership - Stand Up for Vatican II - (part 1)

2010-01-29T20:50:00.001Z

The Stand Up for Vatican 2 meeting held in London on 26 January 2010 attracted supporters from all over the UK and, although the venue had been changed to a much larger room, the order of the day was 'standing room only'. Those present represented a cross-section of the Church in these islands: clergy, religious and laity. They were of one mind, loyal to the Church they loved but also critical of its failure to move forward in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council (1962 - 1966)

The meeting called for the Church to stop messing around with whose 'tassels are the longest' (Matt 23) and to get on with its mission to bring about God's realm in the world, a realm of true justice and peace for everyone.

This cannot happen without good leadership and pastoral care. It was acknowledged that our Bishops are afraid. They have been intimidated into colluding with the bureaucracy that is now crippling and asphyxiating the mission of the Church.

One speaker proposed that the optimum size for a local Catholic community should be about 70. Jesus himself found this number congenial to work with and activate (Luke 10). Leaders and ministers for these congregations are readily available if those in authority realise that "God does not have favourites ..." (Acts 10).

There was resounding applause when there was a call from the floor for those in Holy Orders, Bishops, Priests and Deacons, to 'serve to build up the People of God' (Catechism of the Catholic Church) rather than 'lord it over them'. Speaking afterwards, Valerie Stroud, Co-ordinator of We Are Church (UK) said, "We want leaders who genuinely listen; who are prepared to engage in dialogue; who explain in words the ordinary man and woman understand; who are open and honest with believer and unbeliever alike; who do not indulge in and foster discrimination against sections of the community. If the Bishops heed God when he said "Do not be afraid" they will find they have the support of the vast majority of Catholics and the Church will go from strength to strength."

It was pointed out that Catholics who wanted to stand up for the reforms of Vatican 2 felt very vulnerable at the present time and needed the support of like minds.

E-mail addresses were collected at the end of the evening and We Are Church invites anyone of goodwill to join their electronic group.

Sign up by sending a blank message to wearechurch-subscribe@yahoogroups.com The Moderator will admit you and welcome you to a group of spiritual friends. (The group does not permit verbal abuse or fundamentalist diatribe but welcomes a diversity of opinion.)

See also "Stand Up for Vatican II"

Is this the future?

2010-01-17T21:32:00.001Z

I watched the Midnight Mass at Christmas from Westminster Cathedral on television.

Archbishop Vincent was warm in his welcome but I could not help but notice that the Incarnation was not for women and children.

The choir was to be congratulated. They gave a superb performance which was highly enjoyable.

The TV camera gave me a birds-eye view of the sacred space. The thing that struck me forcefully was the no-mans land between the altar and God's people. The people were huddled at the foot of a flight of steps while the Priests conducted their rites above and at a distance from them. Is this the Church of the future? Is this the Church of Jesus who broke bread at the same table as his disciples?

Why, I ask, was it considered necessary to have a strange mixture of two languages? Presumably the Priests understood Latin but I was very saddened that around half the audience could not join in "the prayer Jesus taught us" because they did not know or understand the language.

It was indeed a wonderful performance, and no doubt convincing to Anglo-Catholics that they will feel at home in the Catholic Church, but to the ordinary man and woman in the street it portrayed a Church that is anachronistic, out of touch with the times and irrelevant to most intelligent people.

How very sad, when the Church actually has a lot on offer to help modern people struggling to cope with the complexities of today's word and to overcome its many stresses and anxieties.

Margaret

Hurray for Subsidiarity!

2009-09-09T21:18:00.000+01:00

Doesn't it touch your heart to read about how many Catholic bishops are advocating the principle of subsidiarity in their opposition to a government coordinated healthcare plan? Subsidiarity means:

"Just as it is wrong to withdraw from the individual and commit to the community at large what private enterprise and endeavor can accomplish, so it is likewise unjust and a gravely harmful disturbance of right order to turn over to a greater society of higher rank functions and services which can be performed by lesser bodies on a lower plane." -Pius XI, Quadragesimo Anno (1931)

Apparently the bishops believe that "private enterprise and endeavor" has provided adequate healthcare for all even though 50 million poor are without it here in the good old U.S. of A. which ranks 37th among nations in healthcare. Are these bishops out-of-touch?

More striking is their blindness to the lack of subsidiarity in their own back yard. Do they truly believe that it is "unjust and a gravely harmful disturbance of right order to turn over to a greater society of higher rank functions and services which can be performed by lesser bodies on a lower plane", when it comes to their own governance, i.e. parish closings, openness and accountability, etc.? Are they not controlled by the Vatican ("a greater society of higher rank") on all matters liturgical, secrecy and rules of administration? Is a parish allowed to deviate from chancery mandates?

Subsidiarity is a truly Christian principle. We call upon our good and well-meaning Catholic bishops to check out the beam in their own eye before trying to help with the healthcare speck in our country's.

ARCC is a co-sponsor of THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC COUNCIL (ACC) Please consider joining this effort to bring about much-needed organizational restructuring in the Church

Feel free to pass this on without change. Thank you for support of ARCC..
Send comments to rschutz1@prodigy.net or 1-877-700-ARCC (2722)

Announcing Cardinal Mahony, a bold new novel by Robert Blair Kaiser

2009-08-30T17:01:00.001+01:00

An American bishop gets kidnapped outside his cabin in the High Sierras one snowy morning in November 2008 by three liberation theologians who look like terrorists. They take him off to southern Mexico in his own helicopter and put him on trial for his sins in front of an international television audience. A jury of his peers, six retired Latin American bishops, ﬁnd him guilty, and give him a surprising sentence. The bishop falls in love with his kidnappers and leads the American Catholic Church into a radical new way of being, still Catholic but aggressively accountable to the people, which is to say, aggressively American.
This work pushes the envelope. It is both “ﬁction” and “non-ﬁction,” set in the reality of the current priest-sex-abuse scandal

and projecting ahead in time to tell the story of a colorful crew--and a new Cardinal Mahony--working to give Catholics a voice, a vote, and citizenship in their Church. Utopian? Yes! Why not dream?
Click on to read the exciting first chapter.

from Robert Blair Kaiser's website

Bishop Philip Pargeter’s resignation accepted by Pope Benedict XVI

2009-08-23T17:01:00.000+01:00

31 July 2009 from the Catholic Communications Network

Bishop Philip Pargeter’s resignation accepted by Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Bishop Philip Pargeter as Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham in accordance with canons 411 and 401§1.

The announcement was made in Rome at 12pm (11am UK time).

Bishop Pargeter was ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham, and titular Bishop of Valentiniana, by Archbishop Couve de Murville on 21 February 1990.

Notes

Canon Law references and links:

Can. 411 The prescripts of cann. 401 and 402, §2 on resignation from office apply to a coadjutor and auxiliary bishop.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P1F.HTM#KC

Can. 401 §1. A diocesan bishop who has completed the seventy-fifth year of age is requested to present his resignation from office to the Supreme Pontiff, who will make provision after he has examined all the circumstances.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P1E.HTM#2.2.2.1.2.2.401

Pope Benedict XVI announces new Catholic Bishop of the Forces

2009-08-23T16:49:00.002+01:00

25 July 2009

From the Catholic Communications Network

Pope Benedict XVI announces new Catholic Bishop of the Forces

Pope Benedict XVI has announced that Monsignor Richard Moth, currently Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Southwark, will be the next Catholic Bishop of the Forces.

Richard Moth served for five years as a Territorial Army chaplain attached to 217 General Hospital RAMC (V).

Bishop-elect Richard will be ordained bishop on Tuesday 29 September 2009.

The Administrator of the Bishopric of the Forces, Monsignor John Walsh said: “We are delighted at the news that Monsignor Richard is to become our next bishop. On behalf of clergy, servicemen and women and their families, I bid him welcome. We are looking forward to his leadership and to working with him in the years to come. He has our congratulations, our very best wishes and most of all, our prayers”.

Bishop Tom Burns, Bishop of Menevia who was the previous Bishop of the Forces said: “This is great news for the Bishopric. I wish Bishop-elect Richard every happiness as he takes on my former role. He is very experienced and his service as a Territorial Army chaplain will give him a good idea of what lies ahead. He has my best wishes and prayers”.

Notes to editors

The Bishopric of the Forces is a diocese without geographical boundaries, consisting of Service personnel and their dependants, served by over 40 full-time Catholic Chaplains and a number of TA and Officiating Chaplains. The Chaplains are drawn from dioceses in England and Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Gibraltar and from religious orders. They are seconded to the Bishopric during their military service.

Chaplains are currently serving in the UK including Northern Ireland, Germany, Cyprus as well as Afghanistan and Iraq. Chaplains are also serving at sea with the Royal Navy.

In addition to his responsibility for service chaplaincy, the Bishop-elect will also become Apostolic Visitor for the Prefecture of the Falkland Islands, which also includes St Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Ascension Island, and South Georgia.

Bishop-elect Richard Moth

Bishop-elect Moth was born on 8th July 1958 in Chingola, Zambia, the son of Charles and Barbara Moth. The family moved to England in 1960 and settled in Edenbridge, Kent. He was educated at St. Andrew’s Convent, Edenbridge and Holmewood House Prep School, Langton Green before going to The Judd School, Tonbridge. After leaving school in 1976, he began formation at St. John’s Seminary, Wonersh and was ordained for the Diocese of Southwark on 3rd June 1982.

His first appointment was as assistant priest, St. Bede’s, Clapham Park. While at the seminary, he had developed an interest in Canon Law and, in 1985, left St. Bede’s to study Canon Law at St. Paul University, Ottawa. Having completed the course there, he returned to the Diocese in 1987, and was appointed assistant priest at. St. Saviour and Ss. John the Baptist and Evangelist, Lewisham. While there he also worked at Archbishop’s House, Southwark, with the Marriage Tribunal. It was at this time that he served as a Territorial Army Chaplain with 217 General Hospital RAMC (V).

In 1992, Archbishop Michael Bowen appointed him as his Private Secretary. During the years that were to follow he served also as President of the Interdiocesan Tribunal of Second Instance of Southwark and Vocations Director. In 2001 he was appointed Vicar General and Chancellor of the Diocese.

He was appointed Ecclesiastical MC to the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in 1993 and has been involved as Spiritual Director for the Order’s pilgrimages for some years. He has been a Benedictine Oblate for 30 years.

For relaxation, he enjoys horse riding and walking.

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE BISHOPRIC OF THE FORCES BY

BARRY HUDD Tel: 07770 538693

50709

The Retreat Society

2009-08-23T16:28:00.001+01:00

Dear Friends,

UK members of We are Church might well be interested in the work of our The Retreat Society – www.retreatsociety.org.uk Like you, we believe that much has to change if the Church is to be anything like what Our Lord intended it to be. But, while having enormous sympathy with the work you are doing and the courageous forays you mount against the Institutional Church, we believe that in one - all important - matter you efforts are misguided.

Our emphasis is, therefore, somewhat different – we want to use our heads to think rather than as battering rams. We really do believe that, as members of the Body of Christ, we are his Church, and it is, in our view, pointless appealing to the Institutional Church to change in our favour. The problem or rather the host of problems confronting sincere, thinking Christians today stem from the Institutional Church’s belief that its institutional structure represents the will of Christ and symbolises its catholicity.

We believe the time has come for this hoary view of Church to be abandoned. Some four hundred years ago, Ignatius of Loyola formed a Company of Jesus - an army, under the pope, ready and willing to fight for the 'Church' wherever sent. The early Jesuits embraced poverty but this poverty was, like their ideals, of its age - it did not entail that radical poverty of being, like Christ, an outsider.

Today, as we know, many thousands of men and women are, so far as the Institutional Church is concerned, outsiders. This should be seen, we believe, as an opportunity - not only to seek solidarity with the one who had 'nowhere to lay his head', but a huge creative opportunity to move forward, away from the concerns of institutionalised Christianity, into the modern arena where we – the followers of Christ – can, in the freedom of God, form intimate communities for spiritual work, inner and outer. Such communities can resonate with the understanding of contemporary men and women and meet them where they are most at need.

The Christian is someone who has moved beyond mere individuality into personhood and community! Institutions cater almost exclusively for individuals. Christ, on the other hand, is the supreme Person who calls us, his followers, to be one with him – something we, as mere individuals (objectified, countable entities), cannot achieve. The Church is a community of persons, or would-be persons. It is the leaven in the world, witnessing for Christ to the world’s potential transformation. In short, we believe, it is time that members of Christ’s Body stop paying tribute to an institution in hock to structures designed by Caesar and, as mature adults, get on with the job of being church. The Fathers teach that catholicity has nothing whatsoever to do with geography or numbers and that were the Church to be reduced to a single person it would still be fully catholic!

It, of course, goes without saying that truly catholic communities are, naturally and without ostentation, open communities in which the faithful, whatever their colour, gender, sexual orientation or social status, can play a full and active part. To continue defining one's life, and more especially one's spiritual life, in terms of opposing those who reject or fail to comprehend such a development is a waste of precious time and energy (grace) and means, furthermore, that we continually fall short of our vocation! We have, courageously and with trust, to follow Our Lord’s mandate and, shaking the dust from our feet (and minds), move on!

With good wishes and blessings,

John Hardy
Spiritual Director
The Retreat Society

Petition: "For the full recognition of the decrees of the Second Vatican Council"

2009-02-05T22:39:00.002Z

A group of theologians and Christians in Germany, Austria and Switzerland have launched a petition for the full recognition and implementation of the decrees of the Second Vatican Council. They have been spurred to action by the controversial annulment of the excommunication of bishops belonging to The Society of St Pius X.

In due course the list of signatures will be handed over to the Vatican, national Bishops' Conferences and official lay organisations. The press will be informed about the outcome.

We Are Church (UK) asks you to read and reflect upon this petition and support it with your signature (link at the end)

Czech, German, French, Italian and Portuguese translations are available on the petition website. We understand that Dutch and Spanish translations will be available soon

Please use the e-mail icon beside the title to send this Petition to your friends and colleagues. Many thanks to all supporters.

The Petition

The papal cancellation of the excommunication of bishops from The Society of St. Pius X signifies the reception into full communion with the See of Rome those who have consistently opposed the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

Regarding the anti-Semitic remarks and the denial of the German national-socialist persecution of the Jews by Bishop Richard Williamson and his followers, we share the indignation of our Jewish sisters and brothers. Moreover, we state that the SSPX?s attitude towards Judaism does not correspond to the Council?s understanding of and commitment to Jewish-Christian dialogue. We support the recent statements of Bishops? Conferences, and others, all over the world, on this issue. We also welcome the recent statements made on these matters by Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican?s Secretariate of State.

We believe that the close correlation between the excommunication?s cancellation and the 50th anniversary of the calling of a General Council of the Church by Blessed Pope John XXIII gives a clear indication of the direction which the present Papacy wishes to take. We sense a desire to return to a pre Vatican II Church with its fear of openness to the breath of the Holy Spirit, a positive appreciation of ?the signs of the times?, and the values of democratic institutions.

We are very concerned that this act of rehabilitation heralds a turn-around on important documents of Vatican II, for example, the decree on ecumenism ?Unitatis Redintegratio?, the declaration on non-Christian religions ?Nostra Aetate?, the declaration on religious liberty ?Dignitatis Humanae? and the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, ?Gaudium et Spes?. Such an act will have a disastrous effect on the credibility of the Roman-Catholic Church. For Catholics who love their Church, the price is too high!

The Pope hopes this act will help unify the Church. However we think it is particularly outrageous that the Vatican?s renewed overtures to a schismatic traditionalist movement have been undertaken without the imposition of any conditions whatsoever. In June 2008, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Levebvre?s excommunication, the SSPX rejected the invitation of the Holy See towards theological reconciliation. Likewise, the fraternity rejected the invitation to sign a five-topic declaration containing conditions for its re-integration in the Roman Church.

A return to full communion with the Catholic Church can only be made possible if the documents and teachings of the Second Vatican Council are fully accepted without any reservations, as requested by the motu proprio ?Summorum Pontificum? on the topic of the Tridentine rite. It is also imperative that the papal ministries of Blessed Pope John XXIII, Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul I, Pope John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI are recognised and accepted.

The Church of Rome, perceived as the Barque of St Peter, lists heavily as long as the Vatican:

only rehabilitates the 'lost sheep' at the traditionalist edge of the Church, and makes no similar offer to other excommunicated or marginalised Catholics
persists in preventing progressive theologians from teaching
refuses dialogue with all movements in the Church

We Are Church UK 5 February 2009

(Based upon an original text by Prof. Dr. Norbert Scholl, Angelhofweg 24b, D-69259 Wilhelmsfeld published in Essen on 28 January 2009)

Please add your signature

Never in my diocese!

2009-02-01T22:41:00.002Z

Catholics committed to the Church envisaged in Vatican II will be pleased to hear the words of one UK Bishop on visitation today:

'I must speak to you. You have heard of these four men who have been released from excomunication. I find that the antisemitism they exhibit in denying the murder of Jews intolerable in the Church to which you and I belong. They have also refused to recant their refusal to accept the teaching of the 2nd Vatican Council and that it is a clear insult to the work that my predecessors did amongst you in their years as they engaged in reconciliation and healing, in the light of that same Council.
Those men will never be permitted to celebrate Mass in this diocese whilst I am Bishop.'

ARCC speaks for millions of Catholics

2009-01-26T20:51:00.001Z

To Pope Benedict: Be Catholic!

The latest move by Pope Benedict XVI to reinstate four schismatic bishops of the St. Pius X Society-which rejects the liberalizing decrees of Vatican Council II (1962-65)-is shocking as it negatively highlights the millions of Catholics he apparently is not interested in reaching out to, including the millions deprived of the Eucharist because of the medieval law requiring that only celibate males can be priests.

Last spring the Pew Foundation found that there are currently 65 million American Catholics-and 30 million former American Catholics! These latter are not Vatican II rejectionists like the Traditionalists, but most likely are either Catholics who are deeply disappointed at the anti-Vatican II Restorationism of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, or never really learned about the Freedom Spirit of Vatican II in the parched years after the appointment of Cardinal Wotyla as Pope in late 1978.

We of the Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC, founded in 1980 in the wake of the Vatican repression of Catholic thinkers in 1979) welcome the reaching out to the few million Traditionalist Catholics.

We also cry out for a reaching out to the 30 million alienated former American Catholics! (How many more millions of former Catholics are there elsewhere in the world!?) We also look for a reaching out to the untold millions of the 65 million current American Catholics who are barely holding on to their church membership by their fingernails, threatening to swell the ranks of the 30 missing millions.

Personally, I also plead with my former colleague on the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Tübingen, Professor Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict, to reach out not only to the right, but also to the left. Make our Church truly catholic, universal!

Professor Leonard Swidler, Ph.D., S.T.L.

President, Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church

Web:

What Every Roman Catholic Should Know about Self-Excommunication

2009-01-03T12:26:00.005Z

This comes from ARCC Spot Light

Ed, a We Are Church (UK) supporter and members of the discussion group, comments, "Based on what we were taught by a wonderful Jesuit priest during a school retreat, I firmly believe that laughter is the best weapon. Whether the writer was in any way serious, this is so funny that it should be included on the blog, perhaps with a comment that "Satire can sometimes strain too hard to make its point.""

Most Catholics are familiar with Excommunication. It is a penalty imposed by Church authorities for having done serious things like abortions, heresies, schisms, and other crimes. The purpose is to seek repentance and protect the faithful. In days gone by it could be deadly as now-canonized saints like St. Joan of Arc, learned the hard way.

The two general types are
a) AUTOMATIC - the kind that happens just by doing the deed,

and

b) IMPOSED - the kind that needs to be issued, publically or secretly, by some Church official.

New on the Excommunication scene is the concept of Self-Excommunication (SEx)whereby one excommunicates oneself. There are apparently two different types of SEx:

a) Self Excommunication in the External Forum (SEx-EF) which occurs when a Church official declares that you have excommunicated yourself (even without your knowledge) or after a certain time period (30 days),

and

b) Self Excommunication in the Internal Forum (SEx-IF) whereby one excommunicates oneself by doing or believing the same thing as those who have been self excommunicated in the External Forum (SEx-EF). This latter category, (SEx-IF), can be further divided into:

ACTIVE (SEx-IF-Active) which includes those Catholics who are still active in the Church but support such things as the ordination of women, birth control, same sex unions, stemcell research, in-vitro fertilization, Obama for President, shared control of Church property, and more recently, active support for child sex-abuse victims (others to be added later),

and

PASSIVE (SEx-IF-Passive) which includes those Catholics who have just passively left the Church and moved on. (The third largest group of Christians in the US).

The above is offered as an observed description of this phenomenon and is not in any way official. A preliminary search finds no official reference in Church Law nor in past documents that deal directly with this, a gap soon to be filled no doubt by the Catholic media. Practically speaking, there is not much defense against the SEx-EF except to repent quickly if possible.

Those who fall into the SEx-IF-Active category would be well advise to keep a low profile and avoid going public, until such time as the Spirit calls you to be a more prophetic Christian.

It is obvious to many that our Church is in serious trouble, and that such machinations are only attempts to avoid the inevitable need for reform through accountability, openness, and participation of all. Please pray that the loving Spirit of God who dwells amongst us will prevail and help our poor Church.

Disciples of the Divine Word

2009-01-01T17:53:00.003Z

My name is Chris Gidden. I am a Christian with experiences of various Christian 'paths'.

In the 50's I was confirmed by Mervyn Stockwood, Bishop of Southwark, a truly courageous person whose inspiration has set me on a trail of unknown consequences. I have believed in a Comedian who has landed me in, and taken me out of many situations.

In the 80s, through a good Irish parish priest, with whom I had many interesting conversations, I was received into the Catholic Church and confirmed by Bp Roger Michael Mahony. At the turn of the century I joined the Iona Community, and recently also became a member of the Metropolitan Community Church.

I am a Christian, the longer I live, the more I see myself as a Christian, the more I speak to others about faith the more I am aware most just have a rule book and follow it without thought, contemplation or personal discernment. From conversations with Catholics I have learned that many PP's operate a 'myway' or 'noway' approach: "you align with my way of thinking or go somewhere else". Some PP's are totally obedient to the hierarchy - the organisation.

On a recent visit to my local church, a leading member of the English Catholic Hierarchy was on a pastoral visit. His attempt at a sermon with a local bent was utterly miserable to say the least. I compared it to the off the cuff reflection by the Anglican Bishop at my confirmation. This was crisp and to the point, relevant and knowledgeable. I concede that the comparison may not be magnanimous to either as both have their good and weak points. The point I make is that the Church is the people living their lives in their local circumstances, not grand and glorious buildings or institutional edifices. The latter are there to serve the People of God not to be their masters.

We are slowly realising the truth that the history of the church was written by men for men, and, as such, deals with 'the other' in passing. Women were and still are second class members, secondary to the running and decision making by dominant males. The purpose of women is to produce children and nurture them. Sometimes they may be allowed to help the men who are on the front line.

I am fortunate to have been able to live on both sides, not by choice but by the way I have been put together as a human being. I hope I can bring to the table of the understanding of both sides and show the errors of the line of thought the previous paragraph outlines.

I would add too that the Roman Catholic Church is not the only route up the mountain, nor for that matter is any other faith, division, sect or whatever. Oh dear! What is? We each have to discern for ourselves how we love God, ourselves and each other. If we do not get to the stage of love for each other as we love ourselves there is no hope for us. All of us are the disciples of God through whatever means we are given. Apostles and disciples were not merely a first century phenomenon but are those who hear the call of God and embark on God's task throughout time.

Does your sex or gender really determine what you can do for God? From the pages of the Gospels one can see that both women and men were valid in the eyes of Jesus, but the customs of the time limited the expression of that equality before God. It was a women who pointed out the mission of Jesus was to the Gentiles. The parables were certainly put in a way to be construed throughout time, through change of culture and circumstance.

In this country the pressing problem of a lack of ordained priesthood, both in Catholic and other denominations is the lack of suitable single men in sufficient quantity. The problem is getting worse over time. The ban on the use of artificial means of contraception is steadily being reinforced. One wonders whether this is to try to increase the pool of candidates for the Priesthood. That the clergy are bound to celibacy is also a limiting factor as they are not supposed to produce offspring. What a situation! What a doctrine!

I cannot accept a view that gives more rules and regulations than the succinct ones in the Gospel: Matt 22:34-40 and again in Lk 10:25-28. The judgement for each one of us is whether what we do is in agreement or not with these two statements and that judgement alone.

I am called as others to be a witness for my Lord,
- to try and bring a joining and working together for the Kingdom to come,
- to bring healing through justice and for peace to follow.
- to question diligently those who have an "I am right, I have the only right view".
- to challenge those who say only people like themselves can do this or that.

We are called to be disciples of the Divine Word. We may not have at this time what it takes "to be" but be sure we will get that which is needed. The present time is surely a good time to reflect on what we actually need, discarding that we do not need: discard with discretion though - it maybe someone else's need.

Just a few thoughts as we struggle on for the Kingdom in 2009

Heartfelt blessings to you all
Chris

WARNING – Deadly Self-Excommunication Virus

2008-12-30T12:27:00.003Z

With thanks to ARCC Spot Light:

"Self-Excommunication Virus" attack defense

Beware a recently identified virus. Once activated, you have 30 days to live as a Roman Catholic. Other Christians are not affected. Apparently any Roman Catholic who has openly supported women's ordination, stemcell research, homosexual civil rights, even Obama for President, (and others yet to be identified) are susceptible and considered a potentially dangerous carrier.

If Susceptible: (You have supported or sent opinions on these topics)

1. Avoid thinking about these topics.
2. Purge your Deleted and Waste Basket files
3. Do not open materials you might be tempted to respond to as idiotic
4. Never allow the truth as you know it to confuse any issue.

If Already Targeted:

1. IMMEDIATELY purge your intellectual hard drive - there is no known cure.
2. Closing your connection will not stop the automatic excommunication.
3. A Malware Repair kit is available, but the cost is too high.

Long Term Prognosis:

The good news is that the effects of this virus wears off eventually. You will function normally, and in the process learn that most of your fellow Catholics are carriers as well. Fortunately, you will have had an Adam and Eve experience - and now know better the difference between good and evil, - called a "Happy Fault" by St. Thomas.

More about ARCC can be found at http://arcc-catholic-rights.org/

Not Counting the Women and Children

2008-12-30T12:03:00.002Z

In this Christmas season I have been rereading Megan McKenna's book "Not Counting Women and Children". There is much food for thought in it and some eye and mind-opening insights.

On the Amazon website a customer sums it up thus, "This is a marvel to read. If you have ever wondered about the importance and the role of women within the Bible I thoroughly recommend this book. It is very insightful and scripture based. It is well written and challenged me to reconsider the role of women within scripture. It brings familiar passages out in a brand new light. It is an affirmation that women, and others that are not always counted as important by society, really do have a special place in God's heart."

Judith

Advent - Archbishop Oscar Romero

2008-12-20T17:28:00.000Z

Advent should admonish us to discover in each brother or sister that we greet, in each friend whose hand we shake, in each beggar who asks for bread, in each worker who wants to use the right to join a union, in each peasant who looks for work in the coffee groves, the face of Christ. Then it would not be possible to rob them, to cheat them, to deny them their rights. They are Christ, and whatever is done to them Christ will take as done to himself. This is what Advent is: Christ living among us.

** Archbishop Oscar Romero ** December 3, 1978

From darkness to light

2008-12-16T23:38:00.003Z

Hello everyone,

As a newcomer to the WAC discussion group I did promise to let you all know my background, my life experience, particularly as it relates to the Church, and my hopes for the future. I apologise in advance for its length, and I have tried to keep it as concise and focussed as possible. However, hopefully, it shouldn't be necessary to repeat this exercise anytime soon. I also apologise to anyone who finds the ruthless baring of one's soul embarrassing in any way. I know some people do. However, I feel it is important that you know where I am coming from if we are going to work together, and I believe that honesty is never a bad thing.

best wishes
C

Read C's story

Excommunicate the parish

2008-12-15T22:13:00.002Z

JUST as Mary MacKillop for many years was rejected by the church for daring to question the authority of her bishop, Brisbane's St Mary's church is reflecting the true face of a caring society.

Why shouldn't the Vatican close the Roman Catholic parish of St Mary's and excommunicate its priests?

Visit http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24745541-27197,00.html

Alison Cotes -December 03, 2008 - Courier Mail, Australia

Keep hope in your hearts

2008-12-14T21:57:00.002Z

Dear WAC workers,

There are so many reasons to be despondent about the state of the world, and the state of the Church today.

I can't offer solutions to the problems we face.

All I can do is share with you my own way of coping, and living my faith.

I don't know most of you, I haven't been involved in the work We Are Church has done over the last few years, but I know some of you feel rather disillusioned with the lack of change, lack of response to the things you have said, in the areas you feel are important.

Perhaps, however, we have been looking for hope and light in the wrong places.

We know, from the Gospels, that the one thing that we are asked to do is love - love God, love each other, love ourselves. For me, that has, over the years, translated itself into service, love through service of those most in need of God's love, most in need of the message that love is there for the giving, there for the asking. I live this out in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the largest lay-led organisation in the church, the largest voluntary organisation in the world meeting the poor where they are. In a quiet way, the SVP has, since its inception over 150 years ago, penetrated 159 countries, with almost 1 million members, carrying out at least 50 million individual loving actions every year (one a week each, it's our rule). Add that to all the other loving actions that individual human beings, people of faith or none, carry out every year, every day, and you have an awful lot of loving, giving us an awful lot of hope. Ignore the headlines, look at what people like you are doing.

This is not happy, clappy, cuddly spirituality. This is down there, in the dirt, practical help - giving food, material goods, financial support, practical advice, looking after the elderly, orphans, victims of disaster, the lonely, the addicted, the homeless. It happens here in in the seaside town where I live and in thousands of other towns and parishes all over the world, literally, even in war zones, in the former communist bloc, in the Australian desert and the cold of Alaska, you will find Vincentians and all those who give of their time, their resources and themselves for their neighbour. Never mind the pomp and circumstance of the clerics, the carping of traditionalists or the constant, miserable criticism of the anti-religious secularists. This is where Christ is present, and he is never miserable.

I am not suggesting that you all go out and join the SVP. Nor am I suggesting that we should give up and stop campaigning for the justice we know is missing in our Church and in our world. But the poor are always with us, and so is injustice, and so is human frailty and error. I suggest we continue to write, and speak out and witness to the truth. But I also suggest we experience the joy of the Spirit in our lives by living the Gospel of love daily, as I am sure you all do, adopting a rule of life for ourselves, offering our own pain for the world, in a very traditional Catholic way.

Use Matt. 19:21, and 25:31, for reflection, and especially James, 1: 2-3, 1:17, and above all 2:14-17. Show the begrudgers that the open, loving, liberal-minded, generous love of Jesus is alive and active in the world, in all you say and do, above all do, act, love.

My prayers, good wishes and love to you all,
J

Rebellion in the ranks?

2008-12-14T12:32:00.001Z

T shares with us how his community reacted when instructions rather than catechesis was handed down from the Bishop. The Bishop was acting in good faith, seeking only to lend dignity to the celebration of the Mass. However, instead of entering into dialogue with the community in order to bring about change he just issued an instruction. This is a story of a community who were prepared to fight back.

"Some months back the Bishop's office decided to teach us how to read, and how to compose our bidding prayers. We had been doing this for years and everyone was happy about the way it was done.

The instruction about reading was straightforward, just read the bits in red in the standard Lectionary, not the peripheral bits, so that "The first reading is taken from the First Book of Samuel" becomes "from the first book of Samuel", and the Response to the psalm is simply read out loud with no introduction, the congregation repeat and then read the first verse etc.

No doubt everyone else is doing the same, or will do when their Bishop gets round to issuing his instructions.

We were also told to show more respect to the altar. You need to know that we gather for Mass in a chapel in which consecrated hosts are not normally reserved. We have never been in the practice of genuflecting to the empty tabernacle. Now Readers and Special Ministers are required to execute an almost Japanese bow of respect to the altar.

Next we were reminded that one need only bless oneself with holy water from the stoop on entering the church. This is symbolic of washing off the dirt from the outside world, so we should not wash off the sanctity of the church before we go back out.

Then came the Bidding prayers. It has always been our custom to include a Hail Mary or Hail Holy Queen at the end of the Bidding prayers, and I personally have always included a reference to England as Mary's dowry.

We were given strict instructions that such Marian practices were to stop. Not out of any disrespect to the BVM, but so as not to detract from the Mass.

There was no explanation and no attempt to hear how we felt about the changes. Most of us could not see why any change had to take place when we had asked Our Lady to join her prayers with ours for years.

We have about nine regular Ministers of the Word, and eight weeks after the ban, the Hail Mary was back. Our PP had reminded each reader in the first round of readings not to include it, but he wasn't happy with enforcing this instruction, and seemed to be glad when we just went back to our old ways.

A very small triumph, I know, but it made us comfortable with our prayers, and that is the reason that we all go to Mass in our parish, not because Mother Church tells us to, but because it is an opportunity to join with friends and family and like-minded folk in an act of worship that we all enjoy.

For much the same reason, we have a sung Mass on the first Sunday of each month, with all the major public prayers being sung in Latin. This is the choice of the community. My gift is not the ministry of music but we have a magnificent choir who do full justice to the wonderful acoustics. To be present at this Mass is a joy for all generations.

The average age of the congregation, and the average level of education among us, are such that most of us have fond memories of the Tridentine mass, and get an extra buzz out of the use of Latin."

2008-12-14T12:24:00.001Z

Judith writes

My hope for We Are Church is that we can speak about moderate Catholicism.

We need to ferment a faith that is relevant to the 21st century. A belief system that bring joy to the heart and drives away fear.

The important thing, to my mind, is to be part of a community that cares about me. A community to which I can contribute, not in money alone. A community that welcomes the gifts and talents that God has given me.

Faith and Action

2008-12-10T20:49:00.000Z

My Catholic faith inspires me to do my best to treat others as I would like them to treat me, to love tenderly, act justly and walk humbly with my God. In this I follow the teaching of Jesus Christ and the exhortation given to the Prophet Micah.

The We Are Church movement in the Catholic Church is full of similarly minded people who are deeply committed to the Catholic Christian tradition. They want nothing more than the emergence of a healthy community of faith that respects the dignity and worth of all its members, welcomes all unconditionally and acts with care for others and authenticity.