There were six bishops from Africa at the conference in Belgium in 2006. Bishop Fritz Lobinger has since retired.
Let me tell you that Card. Ozwald Gracias from Mumbai was also present with two other Asian Bishops. But Card. Ozwald took a conservative stance and kept telling me, “Virginia do not speak about women priests!”
The other two Asian bishops shared how they had community leaders who kept communities alive in their dioceses.
I personally think that a proposal for community priests would work the best. I hope there are bishops that would make this proposal. CP are people emerging from the community and best able to minister to the community with the help of a team from the community. They are all elected from the community.
I wrote an article on the Church for the Future on this. I can share it with this group of anyone is interested.
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) |
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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. |