Hans Kung urges peaceful revolution against Roman absolutism

[Matilda]

DETROIT -- Famed theologian Fr. Hans Kung has called for a “peaceful” revolution by world Catholics against the absolutism of papal power.

He made the call in a video message June 10, the first evening of a conference in Detroit of the American Catholic Council.

“I think few people realize how powerful the pope is,” Kung said, likening papal power today to the absolute power of French monarchs that the French people revolted against in 1789.

“We have to change an absolutist system without the French Revolution,” he said. “We have to have peaceful change.”

http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/hans-kung-urges-peaceful-revolution-against-roman-absolutism


I'm so heartened to hear this, in light of the sacking of Bishop Morris of Toowoomba, and many others that I've recently learnt of, and the institution of the new Mass translation (or more accurately, the reinstitution of the old translantion).

In our little discussion group after Mass on Sundays, (one of our number dubbed us the St Mary's Revolutionary Wing)there's no doubt that we all feel very strongly that the Church is marching backwards, but we just don't know what we lay people can do about it.

There is a creeping authoritarianism and absolutism coming into the Church - how strange that it has come from two popes who grew up under two of the most repressive regimes in modern times; you might think they'd want to go in the opposite direction.

Do read this article; it's very interesting and extremely encouraging to know that there are obviously many who are disquieted with the direction of the current regime, although the problem is still what can be done to reverse it.

[rug]

1. Good article. Virtually none of the Vatican's power is based on theology.

[hedgehog]

2. I think a lot of lay people are fumbling around trying to figure out how to go

forward. How do we move to a new structure without ceding so much to the reactionaries? For example, places like the shrine at Lourdes, the Jesuits, the charity groups, etc?

[Matilda]

3. Talking of the charity groups ...

The Vatican has just moved to take over more direct control of Caritas, refusing to renew the term of the current secretary-general (a woman - is that significant?) for another four years.

The aim of the Vatican is to make Caritas "more Catholic". In the words of Cardinal Robert Sarah of Cor Unum, the Vatican body formed to "guide" Caritas, at the Caritas general assembly in May:

"The point is not predominantly organizational, the cardinal said. But agencies that act in the name of the church must reflect the church's mission of bringing God's love and promise of salvation to the world.

"Today, dear friends, the tragedy of modern mankind is not a lack of clothing and housing. The most tragic hunger and the most terrible anguish is not lack of food," he said. "It's much more about the absence of God and the lack of true love, the love that was revealed to us on the cross."

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1102028.htm


I remember many years ago listening to an inspirational talk by a Franciscan who had just come back from Cambodia; he spoke of the way in which Catholic charities had changed their approach away from evangelization. "You can't preach the love of Christ to a man who is starving", he said.

Seems the Vatican now thinks that's exactly what they should do.

And here is a link to an article in the National Catholic Reporter on the response of Lesley-Ann Knight, who is being removed by the Vatican:

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/embattled-caritas-head-insists-dialogue-two-way-street

It seems the situation is getting worse by the week.