Reform Groups Write to Pope

The Tablet
September 25, 2013

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/latest-news/5691

An international group of Catholic reformers has written to the Pope pressing for a decision-making voice for laity in the Church.

In their open letter the group, which represents 100 church organisations, backed by over four million Catholics worldwide, seek an audience with the Pope to discuss church governance. Supporters of the letter include several British groups including Catholics for a Changing Church, Catholic Women's Ordination, We Are Church UK and Quest.

In it they ask that the Pope and his cardinals give priests, religious and laity a major role in areas including the selection of their bishops. They also call for dialogue and respect for conscience to replace authoritarian rule, that social justice is promoted inside and outside the church and that church officials who have facilitated or ignored the scandal of clerical sex abuse be removed from office.