December 6th – Saint Nicholas’ Day, the patron saint of children
Theologians call for justice for the abused and an end to the corruption of authority in the Catholic Church
The Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research declares the year 2024 to be the year of “Restoring Authority Rooted in Christ” to the Catholic Church.
The campaign has three components:
- Focus on the handling of clerical child abuse – prime example of corrupt authority
- The guidebook for reflection and discussion
- Online conferences to ensure the abuse of authority is at the forefront of the Synodal process
The Catholic Church’s handling of clerical child abuse
As we prepare for the second meeting of the Synod later in 2024, we note that the Synod’s final report from October 2023 goes some way towards acknowledging the wounds inflicted on the Church by “clericalism, a chauvinist mentality and inappropriate expressions of authority.” It calls for “a profound spiritual conversion as the foundation for any effective structural change… the abuse of power and authority continue to cry out for justice, healing and reconciliation.”
We are appealing for this recognition to go beyond just words to action and the only way this can be done is for the foundations of the Church’s understanding and application of authority to be radically upended in the year ahead. We call on everyone with responsibility in the Church to take part in a process of self-assessment and reform.
A letter addressed to the “people of God” approved by the 450 delegates from around the world participating in the Oct. 4-29 Synod also stated: “Above all, the Church of our time has the duty to listen, in a spirit of conversion, to those who have been victims of abuse committed by members of the ecclesial body, and to commit herself concretely and structurally to ensuring that this does not happen again,”
But then we heard from Cardinal Robert Prevost, head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, who, when asked how the synod had considered the clergy abuse crisis, said the protection of minors in the church had been discussed at the tables but was not “the central topic” of the assembly. “The whole life of the church does not revolve around that specific issue, as important as it is.” This instinct to minimise and dismiss the gravity of the abuse by priests causes concern and must be challenged.
Guidebook on Christ-given spiritual authority
CHRIST’S IDEA OF AUTHORITY IN THE CHURCH by John Wijngaards (Wipf and Stock, August 2023) is designed to be a guidebook in the process of demanding urgent reform of the clerical understanding of authority. Containing 28 reflections on the Gospel embellished with true life stories and comic illustrations it spells out in detail how the ministry of the Pope, the bishops, priests, deacons and other ministers should be reshaped.
Prof Dr John Wijngaards, founder of the Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research, witnessed the hope of Vatican II as a young priest studying in Rome but resigned in 1998 from active ministry in protest at the ban on contraception and the exclusion of women from holy orders. Now, aged 88, he has published his 36th book to constructively promote the Synodal process from 2023 – 2024. Wijngaards helps his readers discover the true teaching of Christ on authority and to wake up to the abuse of power that is at present crippling the Church. More information on the book can be found here: https://www.churchauthority.org.
In our campaign we will use the book to uncover the origin of the corrupting accretions to the Church’s exercise of authority and contrast them with the truly momentous spiritual authority Jesus bestowed on his ministers.
Online Conferences on “Restoring the Authority Rooted in Christ” to the Catholic Church
The Wijngaards Institute will organise a series of online conferences that will focus on areas in the life of the Church where “Restoring the Authority Rooted in Christ” is urgently needed. These conferences in early 2024, will analyse the case of child abuse by priests which is the singularly most horrendous recent example of utter mishandling of authority in the Church. Starting from the underlying causes of why so many priests committed this crime, including obligatory celibacy, the discussion will unravel other elements: the suppression of the victims’ suffering ‘to save the reputation of the church’; the defence of clerical immunity; the denial of full accountability; the refusal to listen to expert advice; and so on.
More details about these online conferences will be published in due course. Meanwhile the latest information will be available on https://www.churchauthority.org/sparc/
Special Christmas gift!
John Wijngaards’ four-week meditation booklet CHRIST’S IDEA OF AUTHORITY IN THE CHURCH is a perfect present to give to family and friends for the Christmas & New Year season. And – good news – the publisher www.wipfandstock.com still offers 45% reduction on the sale’s price during the Christmas with the discount code CHRISTSIDEA45 . The book is also available from Amazon and all major bookstores. More information here: https://www.churchauthority.org/how-to-order/
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Prof Mary McAleese, Doctor in Secular and Church law, President of Ireland (l997–2011), at present Chancellor of Trinity College, Dublin: “John Wijngaards is precisely the prophetic voice we need for our time as the Catholic Church wriggles out of its taut imperial chrysalis, liberated from clericalism and legalism. If you want to know how to make that great transition, read this wonderful booklet and make the wisdom of these reflections your own!”
Prof Todd Salzman, Professor of Theology, Creighton University, Omaha: “John Wijngaards’ book is a timely collection of reflections proposing a Christocentric model of authority in the Church. Highly relevant in the light of Pope Francis’ Synodality, grounded in “reality” and experiential learning. This learning invites all to reflect on authentic authority in the Church based in service, not power”
Contact: Miriam Duignan, Executive Director: miriam.duignan@wijngaardsinstitute.com