Fallacies and Fashions is working on a letter template for those who are considering to send a copy of Forward in Hope to Rome for their review and clarification.
For those considering a letter, be sure to read this post with all the pertinent contact information and links to other related posts. Below are important questions that may be worth asking in your letters:
1. Whether the increased and permanent role of the laity in the ministry of the ordained priest as proposed in Forward in Hope is consistent with Church teaching. [Very good question for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]
2. May lay people be admitted to lead parishes while the priest is only responsible for sacramental duties? In these situations, to whom does the priest answer; the lay person or the bishop? Does such an arrangement (lay person being the pastoral leader of a community) diminish the priest’s role as pastor? Is it appropriate for lay people to assume titles such as “Pastoral Administrator”, or in the case of Church of the Good Shepherd, “Pastoral Leader”? [Very good question for the Congregation for the Clergy, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments]
3. Do bishops have leeway with regard to liturgical norms, namely the reservation of the preaching of the homily exclusively to ordained ministers? Is the “dialogue homily” permitted in all Masses, or only children’s Masses? [Very good question for the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments]
Again, if you write, be polite, keep it short, don’t editorialize, and definitely give them a copy of the book with pertinent passages highlighted and marked clearly. When writing, you are seeking clarification on Church teaching/norms, not telling them how to do their job, or demanding that someone needs to be removed. Good luck, and keep us informed.
Tags: Bishop Clark, Bishop Clark Forward in Hope, Orthodoxy at Work
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