Raphael, "The Disputation of the Holy Eucharist," (the title is apocryphal, the original title was Theology), 1510This open letter to all the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church was published in the Irish Times.
Here is its conclusion:
With the church in deep crisis, this is my appeal to you, venerable bishops: Put to use the episcopal authority that was reaffirmed by the Second Vatican Council. In this urgent situation, the eyes of the world turn to you. Innumerable people have lost their trust in the Catholic Church. Only by openly and honestly reckoning with these problems and resolutely carrying out needed reforms can their trust be regained. With all due respect, I beg you to do your part – together with your fellow bishops as far as possible, but also alone if necessary – in apostolic “fearlessness” ( Acts 4:29, 31 ). Give your faithful signs of hope and encouragement and give our church a perspective for the future.
With warm greetings in the community of the Christian faith,
Yours, Hans Küng
Go to the link and read the entire letter.
Hat tip to Grandmere Mimi
1 comment:
At last, at last: we have a leader, one who calls for the breath of the Holy Spirit of the Creator to sweep over the lands again, one who calls the ordained leaders back to the Church once again. I don’t think the Bishops understand that while the current turmoil was triggered by the clergy’s sexual abuse of children and young people, it has been deepened and broadened by the clerics’ coverup, denial, and direct actions taken — including actions by JPII — against those same victims.
And now it is too late to turn back. ALL bishops have been damaged — by their silence if nothing else. And we in the pews have been paying attention and now wonder about the wisdom of the entire teaching charism of the Church — one which the men in red silk have taken entirely upon themselves. We know that the abusing priests are stunted in their psycho-sexual development, still childlike themselves in their in their understanding of sexuality, gender, and holistic social development. How can it be then that their theology, their declarations on morality, on creation in the world itself be anything other than stunted as well? The “crisis” –I think it is now an “opportunity” instead — the opportunity now is to unite the Church — and we ARE the Church — around a fulfillment of the Vatican II documents and to breathe life into our Church once more. The Holy Spirit has already done her job by throwing back the curtain and revealing the feeble clerk who is lost in the world. Thank you, Hans Kung. [Care to join the Facebook page re Kung’s letter? http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=114780715217560
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