During the past year ARCC members were urged to contact
their local bishops and give voice to the need to have important items
included on the agenda of the biannual meetings of the United States
Conference of Catholic bishops. We have since learned that
these agendas are locked in advance, with little input outside the bishops’
executive committee. Nevertheless, we in ARCC think that
it is important to continue the effort to make our voices heard.
If we cannot get on the agenda, at least in the near future, we want to
get into the conversations bishops have with one another during these
meetings. Urge your bishop to talk about our issues with other bishops
at the upcoming meeting June 19-21.
We ARCC members will continue to emphasize three points
that are basic exercises in the subsidiarity called for by Vatican II and the
Charter of the Rights of Catholics in the Church.
We need to see signs that more bishops are acknowledging the need for
dialog, accountability and
representation. It is time
to do a reality check on the points we established last year.
1. Dialogue – We
asked bishops and pastors to institutionalize regular town meetings in
parishes and dioceses for the discussion issues of mutual concern.
Local diocesan sexual abuse commissions should be expanded so
that they can deal with other church grievances and issues.
Has your bishop called any kind of
open meeting? Has the
Keating commission visited your diocese and was there a report to the public?
2. Accountability
- We earlier asked bishops to appoint lay persons to the
admissions and governing boards of all seminaries. Now it is time to ask that
the financial records of all bishops and dioceses be made public and
that annual audits be conducted by independent agencies.
This should be a national initiative.
Were you satisfied with the last financial
report of your diocese? If not, it is time to make your
voice heard. If you were satisfied, did you let your
bishop know?
3. Representation -
We earlier asked that local communities be consulted in the selection of
leaders. The fact that Catholics have no say in the appointment of their
pastors can no longer be tolerated. We have seen the destructive results when
personnel appointments are carelessly handled. Diocesan
personnel policies for appointment of pastors need to be made public.
Is your parish or
diocese between pastors or bishops? Ask to see diocesan
policies and push to have a say in the appointment of your new pastor or
bishop.
It would be helpful to
us if you could give a report to ARCC about your successes or failures in this
project. We thank you in advance. Give us a call at
413-527-9929 or email us at
arcc@arccsites.org.
