1. 1 Christian Weisner Januar 2010 Wir sind Kirche stellt sich vor: Eine innerkichliche Reformbewegung im Geiste des Konzils und der darauf aufbauenden theologischen Forschung und pastoralen Praxis We are Church – a World-Wide Reform Movement in Line with the Second Vatican Council Perspectives of Church Reform under Pope Benedict XVI Christian Weisner, February 2010

2. 2 Christian Weisner Januar 2010 Wir sind Kirche stellt sich vor: Eine innerkichliche Reformbewegung im Geiste des Konzils und der darauf aufbauenden theologischen Forschung und pastoralen Praxis How to change a 2000 year-old world-wide organisation Is it necessary? Yes Is it legitimate? Yes Is it possible? I hope ? Perspectives of Church Reform under Pope Benedict XVI

3. 3 Christian Weisner Januar 2010 Wir sind Kirche stellt sich vor: Eine innerkichliche Reformbewegung im Geiste des Konzils und der darauf aufbauenden theologischen Forschung und pastoralen Praxis Perspectives of Church Reform under Pope Benedict XVI 1The Council and the Laity 2. We are Church Referendum 1995 3. We are Church in Germany 4. International Movement We are Church 5. Present Situation 6. What can we do now 5. Present Situation 6. What can we do now

4. 4 Pius XII. 1946: being the Church The Faithful, more precisely the lay faithful, find themselves on the front lines of the Churchs life; for them the Church is the animating principle for human society. Therefore, they in particular, ought to have an ever- clearer consciousness not only of belonging to the Church, but of being the Church.... These are the Church. Address to New Cardinals, February 20, 1946

5. 5 2nd Vatican Council 1962-65 Communio Dialogue Tolerance Ecumenism Reform of Liturgy aggiornamento

6. 6 People of God People of God And if by the will of Christ some are made teachers, pastors and dispensers of mysteries on behalf of others, yet all share a true equality with regard to the dignity and to the activity common to all the faithful for the building up of the Body of Christ. Lumen gentium 32

7. 7 Unsolved contradictions Primacy of the Pope – Collegiality with Bishops Magisterium – Freedom of theological research Centralism – Local Church (oath of loyalty) Celibacy and womens question No Reform of the Roman Curia Ambiguity of Council documents

8. 8 Conflicts after Vatican II 1968 Encylical Humanae Vitae 1979Dismissal of Hans Kueng 1983new Codex Iuris Canonici 1985 Silencing of Leonardo Boff / Liberation Theology 1988 Excommunication of Archbishop Lefèbvre 1993Catechism of the Roman-Catholic Church 2000anti-ecumenical Dominus Jesus 2007 Reinstatement of the old Tridentine Rite 2009 Cancellation of the Excommunication of Bishops from the Society of St. Pius ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Upholding the pinciples of the Council only in words, in reality deliberately restoring the pre-Council Church

9. 9 Can. 212 Codex Juris Canonici § 2. The Christian faithful are free to make known to the pastors of the Church their needs, especially spiritual ones, and their desires. § 3. According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.

10. 10 We are Church-Referendum 1995 Conflicts in Austria: - paedophile scandal Vienna's Cardinal Groer - Controversial Bishops appointments Kirchenvolks-Begehren initiated by Dr. Thomas (& Isabella) Plankensteiner Dr. Martha Heizer Mag. Bernadette Wagnleithner

11. 11 505.154 signatures in Austria 1.845.141 signatures in Germany ~ 2,5 mio signatures We are Church-Referendum 1995

12. 12 5 Goals and Demands of WAC 1.The creation of a Church of brothers and sisters 2.Full participation of women in all aspects of Church life 3.Removal of the obligation of clerical celibacy 4.A positive attitude towards sexuality and recognition of the primacy of an informed moral conscience 5.A message of joy and not threat or discrimination

13. 13 Catholics in favour of Church reform The Laity and Reform in the Church: a six nation study Prof. Andrew Greeley / Prof. Michael Hout, 1996 Figures for Germany by Zentrum für Umfragen, Methoden und Analysen

14. 14 Semi-annual national meetings (Spiritual) Workshops Dialogue with Bishops, if possible Holy Services Vigils Seminars Participation in Church Conventions We are Church Germany

15. 15 Website Newsletter Publications Statements Press releases Purely based on donations We are Church Germany BundesteamAssistant Cover-up of sexual violence

16. 16 World day of prayer for Womens Ordination Network for Women Deacons Purple Stole Action We are Church Germany

17. 17 Dignity of Women We are Church Germany six counciling offices for women in conflict with their pregnancy (since 1998)

18. 18 Helpline for victims of Sexual violance in the Church (since 2002) We are Church Germany Vigil at the Bishops Conference 2002

19. 19 Pilgrimage on bicycles from Berlin to Munich We are Church for Ecumenism

20. 20 a World-Wide Reform Movement in Line with Vatican II and the theological research results as much as the pastoral practice emerging from there. Presence in or co-operating with similar groups in Austria, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Catalonia, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Kenya, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, South Tyrol, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, United Kingdom, USA, Venezuela __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ European Network Church on the Move, Womens Ordination Worldwide (WOW), North Atlantic Federation for a Renewed Catholic Priesthood Intern. Movement We are Church - IMWAC

21. 21 Network of autonomous national groups 1996founded in Rome (The Roman Declaration) 1997Participation at the Ecumenical Meeting in Graz/Austria 1997Incontro Internazionale Del Popolo Di Dio (opening Vat. II 1962) 1998Statement Pope for the Time to Come 1999 Forum of European Christians at the Bishops' Synod for Europe 2001Synod of the People of God shadowing Xth Synod of Bishops 2002We are Church-YOUTH at the WorldYouthDay in Toronto/Canada 2005Visions of a New Church before Conclave in Rome 200510th anniversary of the Church referendum in Innsbruck/Austria 2005WorldYouthDay4all August 2005 in Cologne/Germany 2006Third letter to Pope Benedict asking for dialogue 2008Call for Womens Ordination during Bishop's Synod in Rome / WOW 2009IMWAC-Council October 16-18 in Freising/Germany Intern. Movement We are Church - IMWAC

22. 22 We are Church-Council 2010 Chair: Raquel Mallavibarrena

23. 23 Future Projects Council 50- project 50th anniversary of Vaticanum II (2012-2015) Nice symbolism: Can. 212 CIC - year 2012 e.g. www.we-are-church.org e.g. www.standup4vatican2.org.uk International Campaign against Authoritarian Structures and Sexual Abuse in the Roman Catholic Church (Book by Australian Bishop Geoffrey Robinson)

24. 24 Perspectives under Pope Benedict The Bavarian Pope...

25. 25 Petition Vaticanum II Petition Vaticanum II 54.104 qualified signatures For the full recognition of the decrees of the Second Vatican Council www.petition-vaticanum2.org But the CDF refused to have dialogue with us!

26. 26 Benedict 2009: laity co-responsible The laity must move from considering themselves [as] collaborators of the clergy to recognizing themselves truly as co-responsible for the being and action of the Church, favoring the consolidation of a mature and committed laity. Popes address to the conference Church Membership and Pastoral Co- responsibility at St. John Lateran for the Diocese of Rome, May 2009

27. 27 What we can do now: We are a legitimate group within the Church. We represent the majority within the Roman Catholic Church. We, the laity, are co-responsible for our Church. We could and should deepen our spiritual resources give the people in the pews a voice not only react but also be proactive give positive examples for the future pastoral life of the Church foster freedom of theological research (as Ratzinger did in 1969) keep in contact with like-minded theologians try to have dialogue with our Bishops celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vaticanum II 2012 – 2015