The People Speak Out

Local voices connecting globally

This is important: to get to know people, listen, expand the circle of ideas. The world is crisscrossed by roads that come closer together and move apart, but the important thing is that they lead towards the Good.  (Pope Francis)

Canon Law 212 calls upon the laity to speak up:

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.

1. I fully agree with the vision of our ST. Particularly with ” We need to create a new mindset in the people.” This will however be a huge work. Because it means, among others, to RE-THINK with the people : Jesus’ plan, our rights and duties in the social world, our way of celebrating and praying, even our faith (giving much more importance to Jesus risen and rising up our world).

2. This means mainly EMPOWERING the (Small) Christian Communities, in order to guide them to become adult, democratic, participative, fraternal… communities, able to enter in a “discernment process”, “judging by themselves what is just” (Lk 12, 57). Asking themselves WHY is our Church not as democratic, WHY is it not as participative… as we wish.

3. Fortunately we are not alone for realizing this huge work. I have checked the quoted web site on “Small Christian Communities” and was happy to discover, among other positive news, your (american) National Alliance of Parishes Restructering into Communities”. Is this alliance still ‘alive’ ? Could it not inspire our ST ? Were it not useful to include it already in the preparation of the 2018 Synod ?

4. Fortunately this re-thinking and discernment has already begun, “real change is already happening” as you say. In the Church but also in the world : democracy, participation, fraternity, co-operation (even in management) are progressing. I like to say : the world is pregnant of the Reign of God.

Best wishes for continuing your and our marvelous work. {comments on}

Jo from Belgium

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