Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Pastor's Initiative

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Pastor's Initiative (German: Pfarrer-Initiative) is a dissident Catholic group founded in Austria in 2006 by Helmut Schüller as its leader, initiated by a "Appeal to Disobedience", or "Call to Disobedience" (German: Aufruf zum Ungehorsam). Composed of dissident priests with lay support, the group advocates ordination of women, married and non-celibate priesthood, allowing Holy Communion to remarried divorcees and non-Catholics, while disagreeing with some teachings of the Catholic magisterium.

Contents

The group is not recognised by any official representatives of the Catholic Church. The group's teaching has been criticised for its deviation from Catholic doctrine.

Beliefs

Call to Disobedience favors ordination of women, married and non-celibate priesthood, allowing Holy Communion to remarried divorcees and non-Catholics and disagrees with some teachings of the Catholic Magisterium. Schüller believes the Holy Spirit is among the laity, that qualified lay people can preach and give communion in parishes without a priest. The group believes the way the Church is governed needs reform. Schüller has stated

In the secular media, the group is often compared to an American organization, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, in which some members make similar demands to the Catholic Church.

Lecture tour

Schüller undertook a lecture tour in the United States in summer 2013. The tour included, "Boston; Philadelphia; Baltimore; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Cleveland; Detroit; Cincinnati; Denver; San Diego; Los Angeles; Portland, Ore.; and Seattle. The tour was sponsored by Call to Action, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, CORPUS, DignityUSA, FutureChurch, National Coalition of American Nuns, New Ways Ministry, Voice of the Faithful, Quixote Center, and Women's Ordination Conference.

During the tour Schüller expressed concern because he feels the Church hierarchy ignores the views of the faithful.

Support

The movement claims the support of the majority of Austrian Catholic priests and enjoy further support elsewhere.

The group claims growing membership in other countries as well.

Conflict

Pope Benedict XVI criticised the movement several times in his weekly Wednesday audience, describing them as heretics and schismatics. By contrast, its founder, the Rev. Helmut Schüller, blames “absolutist monarchy” and resistance to change by the Vatican for a possible schism.

References

Pastor's Initiative Wikipedia