Can You Hear Us, Pope Francis?
July 28,2015
Dear Supporters of Catholic Church Reform International (CCRI),
CCRI has spent the past two years inviting Catholics and former Catholics from around the world to share their opinions about the impact of Catholic Church teaching on their lives. With your feedback during our regional gatherings and response to our surveys, we have gathered the real concerns of thousands of individuals and families about many difficult and complex situations affecting families today. We are now asking your help in sending out our Jubilee Year of Mercy paper, entitled The People Speak, which is a true reflection of the sense of the Faithful. We invite you to send it to anyone who might have an influence on the coming Synod and, if you can, to post it on your website. With your assistance in getting this to be read, we hope to persuade a majority of the bishops to understand how, all too often, church teachings and practices have negative impacts on the quality of family life for millions of people. Simply put, we are asking the Synod to replace strict man-made rules with what Pope Francis is seeking, namely, a more compassionate, welcoming, and nurturing approach to ordinary church teachings.
In addition, we are inviting you to participate in our newly launched blog called The People Speak Out, where we invite you to share your own very personal stories of how Church teachings have shaped your life . . . for better or for worse. Why stories? Because stories, whether you like it or not, crawl inside you more than facts, figures, papal bulls, or dogmas. Stories are the way that Jesus touched (and changed) people. We believe that stories, even more than summary reports and logical arguments, will put truth in front of the bishops and challenge them to seek new ways to address the very real issues facing individuals and families today. To participate, you may post a story, add a comment to someone else's story, and/or post either or both of the links on your website:
CCRI appreciates your continued support. While we affirm our Catholic identity, we also have an ecumenical perspective that accommodates those Catholics who do not fit into the current Vatican-approved definition of what that means. Therefore, whether you are an active Catholic, a former Catholic, another Christian, or not currently affiliated with any church, if you care about the need for reforms in Roman Catholicism, come join us.
On Behalf of Catholic Church Reform International,
Rene Reid, Director
Read more at http://www.synodbishopscanyouhearus.org/ www.PopeFrancisCanYouHearUs.
