Cardinal Schönborn Would like "Structural Reform" in the Church

Vienna's Archbishop at the Diocesean Meeting: Perhaps in the last years we have been too afraid to accept new forms of cooperation in promotion and management of the direction of communities. Community direction by the laity -- New: Now with POLL! [There's an internet Poll...you probably can't vote on whether or not the Church should allow birth cotrol or not, yet...]

Editor: Go down and vote on the poll if you want. The question is: What do you say about the ideas of Cardinal Schoenborn?

Yes, I think they're good.

I don't care

NO, I don't find them so grand!

Access and vote on the Poll here, vote Nein.

Presently, 71% of Kathnet's readership of 302 voters so far is not pleased with the Cardinals ideas of pushing the laity into a greater position of prominence and forming "small communities".

Vienna (kath.net/PEW) "Now is the moment to undertake changes. In ten years we will only suffer more": The Cardinal said this on Thursday afternoon in the Viennese Stepensdom at the opening of the 3rd Diocesan gathering in the scope of the initiative "Apostle History 2010"; about 1,450 delegates from parishes, Catholic organizations and ecclesiastical societies took part. "now we have the opportunity, but also the calling, to be counted and form ourselves in this rapid transformative process of the Church," said the Vienese Archbishop. At the same time he also hinted that there will also be in the future Diocesan meetings, will help to shape this process of transformation and manage change.

A "structural reform" is necessary, insisted the Cardinal. In the many diocese of Europe it is already happening. In many cases it will be accomplished by a "grid plan": In the French Diocese of Caracassone from a decreed 250 Pastors there were 17, in the Diocese of Bayeux-Lisieux from 250 Pastors 50. A similar situation has occured in German Diocese. In Vienna there must be a "Master Plan": inspire a structural reform and give sense and direction". At issue is a "master plan" that recogizes the "master" -- Jesus Christ -- and is oriented on His plan for the Church of Vienna.

For Jesus is always gathering men to Himeself. This "gathering" the Bishop sees as his primary job as Bishop, says Schönborn. The fundamental question for the Parish, the Community, the Orders, the movements is: "gathering around Jesus". That means simultaneously also, always deeper to go "into the school of life of Jesus". In the more recent history of the Archdiocese of Vienna there are always to be seen "enduring effective elements" of this "school of life". The Viennese Archbishop explained inter alia the Activist Cirlces of Catholic Youth and Catholic Action, the "Mondo Miglore" -Courses of P. Riccardo Lombardi in Rocca di Papa, the "Cursillo" - movement, but also the "Movimenti", the Movement of Base Communities "or simply a lively Parish community life". Here lay "the" priority of the "Master Plan", the quest for new and old ways of education of the baptized and confirmed Christians to discipleship. This could mean "Community".

The 3rd diocesan gathering will end with a "mission celebration", acounced by the Viennese Archbishop. The "Mission" is an expression of the common priesthood of all the baptized. Schönborn: "All structural reforms live and die in the measure in which they have togetherness and mission from the start to the benchmark."

Cardinal Schönborn formulated a five point plan in his opening speech. It starts to begin with preparedness, to engage in the "secular world" and to turn to those people, "who are not entering to sanctuary, but are definitely near to Him". Christians must accept the "religious diversity" for a fact, especially Islam, "and there again especially the youth of the Muslims". One important place are the many Christian churches. The Viennese Archbishop actually said: "The second largest religious group in Austria is not Islam, rather Eastern Christianity. More than 500,000 Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Christians live in Austria, many especially in Vienna. It is in our vital interest, to seek them out, to help them -- even with churches and structures. Here one must be moved, in Christian solidarity".

At the same time Schönborn addressed the diversity within the Catholic Church. The foreign language Catholic Communities -- "who make the picture of Vienna so colorful" -- are to be approached. They are an important part of the "future of the Church". Already, a good quarter of the Catholics have a transient background. There are also, however, for the collaboration of Parish Communities "in all variants of gathering" like Parish societies, Pastoral outreach, Leadership forms of Communities and Parishes. The Viennese Archbishop said: "We are expecting intensive work here, which will mean some pain, but also many new opportunities". Perhaps he has also been reluctant in the last few years, to allow and encourage new forms of cooperation in Communities, says Schönborn. Positive experiences had encouraged him to proceed further in this way. It is validated by the experiences of the world Church with "small Christian communities" to learn under the direction of the laity.

Link to original kath.net...


Related Articles:

Cardinal Schoenborn's Malice Spreads to Minneapolis... Dissident Priest cites his example with pride and stubbornness.