It should be a matter of great interest to Ukrainian Catholics and all Eastern Catholics that there is a forceful movement of priests, nuns and laity in the Roman Catholic Church to have a voice in the bishops chosen to serve the needs and aspirations of Roman Catholics.
In Chicago, beginning 14 years ago, the Roman Catholic priests formed the Association of Chicago Priests (ACP). Its 500 members claimed their human and baptismal rights to meet without prior consent of their ordinary, set their own agenda and act as a body in their own name. “Implicit acceptance of its right to exist came in a letter to the chairman from the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Jadot, acknowledging the Secretariat of State’s mediation on ACP’s behalf with Pope John Paul II”.
Recently, in a publication of 10 local organizations of the Chicago Archdiocese, including the ACP, the following proposals were published concerning the future naming of an archbishop in that archdiocese:
That the new archbishop issue position papers indicating his views on theological, pastoral and administrative matters, not as the “final word” but as the “first word” as a basis for diocesan-wide reflection.
That steps be taken toward forming a model archdiocesan pastoral council.
That the archbishop turn his traditional residence, an old Victorian mansion, into a shelter for the homeless and move into humbler quarters.
That a major educational and fund-raising effort be launched to benefit inner-city schools.
That nonexistent or moribund agencies be revitalized, including offices for black and Latino Catholics, an office for ecumenical affairs and an office for urban affairs.
That the expensive, closed-circuit Catholic Television Network be revamped, with an emphasis on public access programming.
That the expensive seminary system (major seminary deficit last year was $18,200 per student) be overhauled and modeled after the Chicago Catholic Theological Union.
That for the practical and symbolic reasons the archdiocese be disestablished as a corporation sole (with the bishop holding everything in his name alone) and set up instead as a conventional corporation with a board of directors.
The article added that “An archdiocesan spokesperson declined to discuss the specific proposals but insisted many ‘are already in the works’.”
In Philadelphia, a similar program of action is being aimed at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese by the organization called The Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC).
ARCC is a newly formed, international association composed of priests, nuns and laity who are preparing a charter of rights of Catholics in the Church, requesting baptismal and human rights. If the charter is to speak for the Universal Church, it must include the specific rights of the Eastern Catholic Churches which were restated and redefined by Vatican Council II but to date have been denied to these Churches by the Pope and the Vatican hierarchy, parading instead a facade of autonomy for these Churches without permitting these rights in essence. The election of Bishops in these Eastern Catholic Churches by the Patriarch and Synod, which in times past could be vetoed by the laity, has over the years been downgraded to the papal power-symbol of bishops being named by the Pope. This papal and curial dominance and control, a non-biblical notion which has divided nations as well as Christ’s Church, was dethroned by Vatican II. However, the commands of Vatican II must be made a reality. This is another aspect of the power struggle of post-Vatican II.
