144 Catholic Theologians Call for End to Compulsory Celibacy, for Women Priests and for a Democratic Church

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14816788,00.html

"Over one hundred Catholic theologians have called for radical reform of the Catholic Church, like the end to compulsory celibacy, in a bid to mend the damage caused by recent sex scandals. "

"Around a third of all Catholic theology professors at universities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, on Friday called for reforms to the Catholic Church, according to a report in the German daily "Süddeutsche Zeitung".

"It looks like we struck a nerve," said Judith Könemann a professor from Münster and one of 144 signatories of the declaration.

'The professors said that they no longer wanted to stay quiet in the face of child sex abuse scandals that came to light last year and plunged the Catholic Church into an unprecedented crisis. '

'The theologians want to start an open dialogue about the future of the Catholic Church. '

'They called for an end to compulsory celibacy, and for women to be allowed into the priesthood. The theologians also called for the Catholic laity to have more say in the selection of bishops. '

"There hasn't been a comparable revolt by theologians since 1989 when more than 220 academics signed the "Cologne Declaration", which protested against the authoritarian leadership style of the late Pope, John Paul II."

Author: Natalia Dannenberg (AFP, dpa, Reuters)
Editor: Rob Turner

Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Listen up, Vatican prelates! The movement for a more open, democratic, people-empowered church is now embraced by 144 European theologians and by millions of Catholics around the world. It is time to end compulsory celibacy for the priesthood and to affirm women priests who are serving the church with courage and committment. Justice for women in the church is the call of the Spirit in our times. It is time for the Roman Catholic Church to follow Jesus who called women and men as disciples and treated them as equals. Let's pray that our church will embrace the full equality of women in our lifetime.

Bridget Mary Meehan RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org