Cardinal Sean O'Malley Bans Austrian Priest-Shortage Activist, Fr. Helmut Schuller from Speaking in Boston

Last week Cardinal Sean O'Malley barred internationally recognized priest-shortage activist, Fr. Helmut Schuller, from speaking on Catholic property in Boston. Schüller is scheduled to speak on July 17 as part of a national The Catholic Tipping Point tour to 15 U.S. cities sponsored by ten progressive Catholic organizations, including FutureChurch.

The Boston Archdiocese is downsizing its 288 parishes into 135 clusters because of a severe priest shortage. It is surreal that discussion of creative solutions to the clergy crisis are now being "banned in Boston" (though local organizers quickly relocated the talk to a nearby venue).

"Spearheading a 2011 “Call to Disobedience,” that was positively received by over 70% of Austrian priests, Fr. Schüller calls for greater lay leadership in parish communities without priests, the admission of women and married people to the priesthood, and transparency in Church governance. Cardinal O’Malley’s action is particularly distressing since it is taken by one of the eight Cardinals appointed to help reform Church governance. This attempt to suppress these long overdue discussions is a disservice to Christ’s body, the People of God, who by virtue of their baptism have also been given gifts and “special graces for the upbuilding of the Church.” (Vatican II: Lumen Gentium,12)Read statement from Catholic Tipping Point coalition here

With other members of our coalition I've been busy giving media interviews See a sampling below. (God does have a way of writing straight with crooked lines. The publicity will likely help our turn out.)

Church infrastructure shrinks as Austrian priests tours U.S.

Cardinal Sean O' Malley bans Austrian Priest

What Catholics know about power.

Boston cardinal nixes priest talk at parish

Please do keep Fr. Schüller and all of our local and national sponsors in your prayers.

Gratefully,

Christine Schenk, csj

Executive Director

PS..Fr. Schuller's presentation is being digitally videotaped midway through his visit. We plan to make it avaialable online for those unable to attend.

The Catholic Tipping Point

Conversations with Fr. Helmut Schüller

"Creativity, Courage & Conscience--

Re-Imagining Church Governance

And The Voice of the Laity"

Internationally acclaimed Austrian priest activist,

to tour fifteen US cities July 16-August 7
For dates and cities, click here

For more info:

http://www.CatholicTippingPoint.org

http://www.pfarrer-initiative.at

Related articles
Vienna Review Helmut Schuller's Call to Disobedience

New York Times: With New Pope, Spotlight Returns to a Mild but Rebellious Priest March 22, 2013.

*Sponsored by: Call To Action, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, CORPUS, DignityUSA, FutureChurch, New Ways Ministry, National Coalition of American Nuns, Quixote Center, Catholics Speak Out!, Voice of the Faithful, and Women's Ordination Conference