Christian Weisner presented this report to the conference:
2010 year of the worst crisis in church since the reformation (church officials say)
“Initiative for Dialogue” announced by the German Conference of Bishops – but not started
Increasing protests
Some other projects of We are Church Germany
Permanent offers of We are Church Germany
2010 year of the worst crisis in church since the reformation (church officials say)
– Since January 2010 chain of revelations of sexual violence in the roman-catholic church in Germany.
– One bishop had to quit because he was accused of corporal punishment.
– A new wave of church membership resignations and a broad common discussion.
– The Hullermann-case of Archbishop Ratzinger in the 1970s raised international interest.
– Shocking report about the cover-up of sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Munich
è More information: www.erzbistum-muenchen.de/media/media14425720.PDF
– We are Church was very often in demand for media contacts and comments.
“Initiative for Dialogue” announced by the German Conference of Bishops – but not started
In September at the peak of the crisis the German bishops announced an “initiative for dialogue” – without ban of reasoning. This was welcomed by We are Church. But meanwhile, as a tribute to the more backward oriented bishops, the “initiative for dialogue” has been transformed into a less binding set of talks about church live for the next four years – with ban of topics like celibacy, womenpriests or homosexuality.
More information: http://www.wir-sind-kirche.de/?id=600 & www.wir-sind-kirche.de/index.php?id=125&id_entry=3122
Increasing protests
More information: http://www.wir-sind-kirche.de/index.php?id=129&id_entry=3148
– Memorandum Church 2011: The Need for a new Beginning
This memorandum, meanwhile signed by over 300 professors of theology caused harsh critics as well from German bishops as well as from Cardinal Kasper. We are Church, together with the journal Publik Forum, started a supporting initiative www.kirchenaufbruch-jetzt.de which is by now signed by 67.000 people who are not professors of theology.
– The international support list www.pro-memorandum-2011.org to be started by We are Church Germany soon.
– More and more new groups for church reform get started; We are Church is helping and networking them.
– Polls show again and again diminishing trust into the RC Church and increasing demand for reforms.
Some other projects of We are Church Germany
– Translating the book “Confronting power and sex in the Catholic Church” of Geoffrey Robinson into German.
– Participation at the 2nd Ecumenical Church Convention in Munich in May 2010
More information: www.wir-sind-kirche.de/?id=520
– Ecumenical bicycle pilgrimage from Berlin, city of the 1st Ecumenical Church Convention 2003, to Munich.
– Celebrating 15 years We are Church in Germany with a boat tour on the river Rhine under the patronage of Prof. Hans Kueng and Bishop Jacques Gaillot. è More information: www.wir-sind-kirche.de/?id=596
– National General Meetings every six months:
October 2010: “Lack of priests, fusion of parishes and dying of communities”
March 2011: “Human Rights in the RC Church” (with Heribert Franz Köck and Prof. Gotthold Hasenhüttl
è More information: www.wir-sind-kirche.de/?id=124
– Supporting the Ecumenical Appeal “Commemorate the ’canonization’ of the Martyr Oscar Romero“
– Memorial vigils at and critical attendance of meetings of the Conference of Bishops
– Several other activities of diocesan groups and project groups in Germany
Permanent offers of We are Church Germany
– Six counselling offices for women contemplating an abortion, by Frauenwürde ? www-frauenwuerde.de
– “Emergency telephone” for children and youths sexually abused by priests and religious
– “Spiritual Weekends” of We are Church Germany every year at the beginning of August
Some of our future projects
– Participation in the “Evangelischer Kirchentag” (Protestant Church Convention) in Dresden June 2011.
– Delegation to the First National Council of the American Catholic Council (ACC) in Detroit/USA.
– We are Church Germany will receive the 2011-award of the parish of St. Michael in Schweinfurt on Whitsun.
– “Vision 2020 – living our believe” is planned as an internet platform for finding ideas and vision how christians can live their christian faith in future times and how church live could look like.
– Critical comments and activities during the Pope’s visit to Germany in September 2011
– Participation in the “Katholikentag” (Catholic Church Convention) in Mannheim May 2012