BishopAccountability.org
	Despite Warnings from Catholic Leaders, Liberal Conference Draws Large Crowd By Niraj Warikoo Detroit Free Press June 8, 2011 http://www.freep.com/article/20110610/NEWS05/110610056/Despite-warnings-from-Catholic-leaders-liberal-conference-draws-large-crowd Calling for reform, Catholics from around the world came to Cobo Center in Detroit on Friday for a three-day conference that's one of the larger gatherings of liberal Catholics in years. Held by the American Catholic Council, an umbrella group of about 30 liberal Catholic groups, the crowd largely consisted of elderly Catholics who are upset at what they say is the church's turn to the right. The Archbishop of Detroit Allen Vigneron warned Catholics to stay away from the conference and said that priests and deacons could be defrocked if they attend a Sunday mass at Cobo. But that didn't deter local Catholics from attending, and may even have encouraged them to come, say conference participants. Attendees included everyone from former seminarians to anti-war activists to those calling for women and married priests. All were united in saying that lay people need to have more say in church decision making, such as being able to help decide who becomes bishops and where pastors are assigned. Some 2,000 are attending the conference, which kicked off Friday with workshops during the day and talks in the evening by theologians Rev. Hans Kung and Prof. Jeanette Rodriguez along with a prayer service that declared support for gays, women, and victims of racism and child abuse. “Angered by church leaders who protect pedophiles and persecute prophets, we cry,” the crowd said together. Jerry Schoof, 68, of Sterling Heights, was born and raised a Catholic, but is frustrated by the leadership. "They want to drag us back to the 15th century," Schoof said. "I don't like what I'm seeing...we're going backwards." "There has to be a place for women -- and we can't even discuss this," he said. "We're educated people, not like in the past." The conference comes on the 35th anniversary of a conference called Call to Action that was held in Detroit and led by the late Cardinal John Dearden, the former Archbishop of Detroit, to discuss the Second Vatican Council reforms of the 1960s. Participants at this weekend's conference praised the Second Vatican Council and Dearden, describing him as a progressive who listened to people, unlike the leadership in recent decades. "We need church reform," Schoof said. Tim Westfall, of Detroit, once attended Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, a place that educates many future Catholic priests. But he said the institution, like the broader Church, is a close-knit society out of touch with regular Catholics. "It was just repressive," he said. Chuch leaders say this weekend's conference is at odds with Catholicism, but participants say they're the ones in touch with their faith. "It will be a great weekend to experience the holy spirit," Westfall said. He and others were also upset at Vigneron's threat against clergy to not attend. "It's sad," said Westfall. "To make that threat is very anti-Christian. Of particular concern to the Archdiocese of Detroit and its supporters is the list of keynote speakers, which includes Matthew Fox, a former Catholic priest who was expelled in 1993 for beliefs the church said were anti-Catholic. In a statement, the Archdiocese warned that "all of the invited keynote speakers have manifested dissent from Catholic teachings or support for dissenters." The Archdiocese is supporting an alternative conference, Call to Holiness, Saturday in Livonia at Burton Manor. Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com or 313-223-4792
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.