First the old liberal fat cats set an Anti-Catholic revolution loose. Then they complain that they have been lumped in with the revolution.
[kreuz.net, Chur] Bishop Vitus Huonder (68) of Chur has been canonically, practically driven out of half of his diocese by non-designated community consultants.
For the notorious church-hate journalist Michael Meier there is no reason to raise the hue and cry in the Zurich regional paper 'Tagesanzeiger'.
Behind the decision there is a yearlong battle between the Zurich State-Church, which controls the Church-Tax, and the Bishop of Chur.
The battle escalated, as the Church-Tax Board adopted an Anti-Catholic church measure.
There it reads: "No priest can be selected as pastor, the Church Community selects the Deacon, the assistant pastoral leader person with the function to direct the community for a term of three years."
The Bishop Strikes Back
Msgr Huonder has actually replaced these illegal regulations now through a new "Guidelines for Sacristies".
They dismiss -- in agreement with Church law -- lay theologians and community leaders.
Simultaneously the Bishop wants more Parishes bound to their sacristies according to the German Model by 2018.
This direction will supersede proposals by the Bishop and also of the community elected pastors.
Those assigned to the Sacristy as employees and princely rewarded lay theologians will be called in the new concept "Pastoral Assistants".
They will be exclusively named by the Bishop or his successor.
"The popular vote is not required" -- cried Meier.
The Strategy of the Fat Cats
Markus Arnold -- an earlier State-Church fat cat in Zurich -- may whine to the 'Tagesanzeiger' and threatens to take legal steps against the Bishop.
Actually, a Zuricher Judge of the Canton Government waves this aside: "Bishop Huonder does according to canon law probably what, what he wants, even if it goes against Church Order."
In reality the tinkering of the Church Order stands in contradiction to worldwide Church Law.
The Jurist propose that the Zurich State Church might select pastoral assistant persons as community leaders independently of the Bishop and in opposition to Church Law.
Speaker Makes Plain
Bishop Huonder's communication's director, Prelate Christoph Casetti, cited Meier's article in his statement for the 'Tagesanzeiger'.
The Bishop has not allowed for any right of election in his "Guideline for Sacristies": "That happens time and again after votes that developments carry on running" -- avowed the Prelate.
It will come sooner than later to Priest selection, because there is "not a large selection" any longer.
The Parishes would rather select a Pastor, because they must share with other communities.
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