Catholic Religious Orders in Canada Unhappy with Rome

As reported by Catholic World News

CANADIAN RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP QUESTIONS CHURCH TEACHINGS

Ottawa, Mar. 09 (CWNews.com) - The Canadian Religious Conference (CRC), an umbrella group representing over 200 religious orders, has released an open letter to the Canadian bishops voicing dissatisfaction with Church teachings on a number of controversial issues and calling for a radical re-examination of Catholic teaching and practice. As the Canadian bishops prepare to make their ad limina visits to Rome, Father Alain Ambeault, CSV, the CRC president, released a 26-page letter, approved by the administrative council of the religious group, urging the bishops to work for change in the Church. In a covering letter, Father Ambeault said that he recognized the statement would "evoke criticism perhaps even strong criticism." But he claimed that the CRC statement, dissenting from Church teaching on many issues, "reflects the thinking of the leadership of religious communities in Canada as well as the majority of the men and women religious throughout the country." The lengthy CRC critique of Church teaching begins with that statement that the group wants to "express our creative fidelity to the Canadian Church," adding that the bishops should understand "our perception of its reality." The statement goes on to: question moral teachings "that do not reflect human experience (divorce, contraception, protection against AIDS, alleviation of suffering at the end of life)." protest the "lack of freedom of speech among Christians; in the universal Church, the quick condemnation of theologians." charge that the Church "often gives priority to the reaffirmation of dogma and traditional morals rather than listening to the people’s search for meaning and journeying alongside them" call for change in "intransigent stands on sexual morals; its lack of openness regarding access to the sacraments for divorced and remarried Catholics, its lack of compassion for them; its unwelcoming attitude towards homosexuals insist on the use of "inclusive language" in liturgical translations" demand a return to the practice of general absolution-- a practice that has been widespread in Canada despite repeated Vatican statements opposing the practice recommend liturgical "rites and symbols be more relevant to the world of today" question why the Eucharist is not open to Catholics who are divorced and remarried, and to Christians of other faiths urge "dialogue" on the questions of ordination for women and acceptance of same-sex unions. The full text < http://www.crc-canada.org/bd/fichierNouveaute/284_2.pdf> of the CRC statement, which will be delivered to all pastors throughout Canada, is available on the group's web site.