VOTF
On the Road - Common Ground lecture at Catholic University,
Washington, DC: Report filed by Carolyn Disco of VOTF
Jim
Post gives response at prestigious Common Ground annual
lecture
The
Common Ground Initiative was established by the late Cardinal
Joseph Bernardin of Chicago as a means of fostering dialogue
amongst various groups in the Church. It seeks to bring people
together for respectful and productive discussion so that
a spirit of communion replaces divisive encounter.
There
is an annual lecture at Catholic University by a noted figure
in Catholic life, coupled with a response by another. It
has a prestigious reputation; so the fact that Voice of the
Faithful President Jim Post was invited to respond to Archbishop
James Weisgerber of Canada speaking on “Building a Church
of Communion” spoke to me of a certain coming of age for
VOTF.
There
were perhaps a few hundred in attendance, representing a
high level of theological firepower, both lay and clerical.
Archbishop
Weisgerber spoke of the need for communion based on holiness
and the cross, the profound unity of the Mystical Body of
Christ, and bringing the gifts of all to the table. His focus
was the spirituality of communion where the role of leadership
is to empower and enable, not control and manipulate.
Jim
built on Weisgerber’s need for communion but targeted it
to communion in a time of crisis. He set the context in the
wake of Vatican II for his baby boom generation that grew
up in the Church, absorbed its moral values, educated its
children in the faith, and achieved much in the world.
The
sexual abuse scandal infuriated us, Jim said. It was a Catholic
Watergate and we hated the betrayal of all we treasured.
The scandal begs for healing and reconciliation but our confidence
has been shaken, our respect diminished, and our trust violated.
Jim
grouped three points of reference in Archbishop Weisgerber’s
talk: leadership, governance and accountability.
-
Leadership: The
role of leaders is to acknowledge the truth of the situation,
if they hope to build communion in a time of crisis.
The truth is that the bishops removed the words “effective
consultation of the laity” and the “participation of
God’s people in decision-making that affects their well-being” from
the revised charter adopted this month. The effect is
a watering down from the 2002 version. Are the bishops
in retreat, he asked?
The
bishops also must take risks, as they did in establishing
the National Review Board. Now, the revised charter specifies
a “consultative” role only, where hints of independence
existed before. (Clergy can also become members now, where
previously it was only laity.) Bishops must believe in
communion if they wish to build communion.
-
Governance: The
Church is not a democracy but there are features of democratic
institutions that are relevant to the internal (spiritual)
and external functioning of the Church: dignity of the
individual, equality of all, servant leadership, listening.
How might we institutionalize these? What are the structures?
What can be done to revitalize the Church? We need trust,
which is earned through transparency and substantial
participation. “The laity is not the enemy.”
-
Accountability: Who
is responsible to whom? We need more than fig leaves.
Trust is the basis of all ministry and a loss of trust
is critical. We do not believe the message because we
do not believe the messenger. We cannot wait 100 years;
we need bolder steps and a deep faith that the institution
will not fail if it fosters honest conversation.
The
Q and A was dominated by references to Jim’s talk. I was
thrilled to see the reception it got. Speaker after speaker
keyed off his remarks. I had not expected that in light of
the elevated company.
“Bishops
need to walk the walk as well as talk the talk.” Enthusiastic
applause from many.
“From
those who remember the Latin, we need bishops who say, mea
culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.” More applause.
“What
do you have to do to get the bishops’ attention?” Answer: “Well,
one of our affiliates put up a billboard about meeting with
the bishop.” Laughter.
I
was so busy bobbing my head in agreement with speakers, I
did not write more down. But you get the idea.
Jim
maintained an easy humor that was warmly received: Reading Lumen
Gentium on a 14-hour flight from Australia while others
slept, the airline attendant asked if that was an Italian
novel. Answer: Sort of. He did not have a contentious tone
but spoke the truth respectfully and firmly. He knows how
to handle a podium. I was proud to have him represent us
so ably.
Postscript:
A bishop near me found the session unfair. “We’ve done so
much,” he said. In the spirit of the evening’s sponsor, we
began a dialogue where we each listened to the other, creating
our own little patch of common ground. I found it a graced
encounter, and went home more encouraged than my heart has
been in a very long time.
[Watch
the Common Ground Initiative news on the National
Pastoral Life Center web site for Jim’s response to Canada’s
Archbishop Weisgerber at the June 24 annual CGI lecture in
Washington, DC]
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