Baptism, Not Bishops or Pope, Unites the Church, by Jerry Filteau, National Catholic Reporter, June 11, 2011

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	Baptism, Not Bishops or Pope, Unites the Church By Jerry Filteau National Catholic Reporter June 11, 2011 http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/baptism-not-bishops-or-pope-unites-church DETROIT – "Baptism unites the church, not ordination," theologian Anthony T. Padovano told more than 1,800 reform-minded Catholics gathered June 10-12 at Detroit's Cobo Hall. Addressing the first national meeting of the American Catholic Council June 11, he said, "The pope does not unify or sanctify the church and make it catholic or apostolic. This is the work of the Spirit and the community." "The pope is an institutional sign of a unity already achieved by the faithful. The pope does not create a community of believers or validate baptisms or make the Eucharist occur." Padovano was first president of CORPUS, an organization seeking return to ministry of priests who were forced to leave active ministry because they wished to marry. Most of his talk focused on the fact of changes in the history, the need for such change, and how the sensus fidelium, the sense of the faithful, often preceded the recognition by church authorities that change was needed. "This consensus of the faithful is never valid if it is forced," he said. "In a totalitarian system, force is a factor in creating compliance. In a believing community, agreement must be free." Jerry Filteau, NCR Washington correspondent, is covering the American Catholic Council meeting in Detroit, which is still under way. He will add to to this story. He has filed these stories already. More are to come. Hans Kung urges peaceful revolution against Roman absolutism, June 11 Detroit archbishop warns clergy not to attend Catholic gathering,June 7 American Catholic Council to convene in Detroit in June, May 2 Interesting side note: Filteau covered the original Detroit Call to Action gathering in Detroit in 1976. He was working for Catholic News Service then.

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