Call for a multitude of catechisms tailored to suit anyone and everyone to replace Catechism of the Catholic Church

Is the Catechism of the Catholic Church today theologically served its purpose 25 years after its publication? By no means, says the Viennese dogmatic theologian, Professor Jan-Heiner Tück. The catechism was developed to combat the "loss of faith in the transformation processes of the global modernity " and has also been used successfully worldwide in religious education, the theologian said in a conversation with "Kathpress". In view of the many different cultures in which Christianity was ever inculturated each in a different way, it would be time to develop "catechisms in the plural, which would relate to the different cultural areas," according to Tück.

The time for this was favourable, since the theological wind had also changed with Pope Francis: under John Paul II the fear of plurality was overpowering even in religious questions, so that, while for example, with the Catechism, one wanted to drive "pegs in the direction of a certain uniformity of the Faith, Francis, with his "program of salutary decentralization" today also theologically provides a counterpoint which would have to be countered with the development of catechisms in the plural.

Tück among others see the possibilities in religious education: One must realize that religious education is often failing in terms of the teaching of faith today: "This, of course, also depends on the fact that religious education has pushed the catechetical dimension of the teaching of faith very far into the background. It is not just a matter of repeating like a theological parrot what is in the Catechism. One take off rather from experience, on questions, on the ability to dialogue, etc. The downside is that there is actually an evaporation of faith in places of faith. And that is tragic. " In this situation, the catechism could be one of several means to re-focus the passing on of Faith.

To the extent that the Faith and a certain degree of knowledge about faith can no longer be taken for granted, since it scarcely belongs to the life-reality of young people, new occasions to pass on the Faith, such as the Catechism, are needed. “This should not be misunderstood as neo-conservative gymnastics, that lets one again learn catechism truths like a parrot- thus no one is helped, but that one trues to translate the central meaning of the faith, as fixed in the Creed, according to the situation, according to the person addressed, "according to the Viennese theologian.

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Cathcon: Catholic truth is indivisible.

See also Cardinal describes how Catechism came to be written, how it was never really accepted in Germany.  He also claims Amoris Laetitia is in line with the Catechism, using the authority of St Thomas Aquinas.

Gender legislation threatens to end Mount Athos ban on women

Parliament in Athens votes on gender change law - Orthodox church and monastic government of Athos protest

The monastic government of Mount Athos, the "Iera Epistasia", is concerned about the impact Greece's new gender legislation could have on the traditional ban on women visiting the monastic republic. A revised human right, prepared by the government in Athens, foresees unauthorised definition of gender without regard for the physiological conditions, reported the German Catholic News Agency KNA on Tuesday. Then it will be possible for adults to establish themselves as a man, a woman, or both, without an external gender transformation. In the case of minors, this may be carried out by the guardian or by the parents at the time of birth.

The Orthodox Church of Greece criticizes the project violently. The planned law jeopardized the "sacred institution of the family," it said. For Mount Athos, which the Greek police had hitherto protected from the invasion of women, the monastic government warned that the plan would give a right of visiting to outwardly female persons who declared themselves as men. However, it is still open whether the government of Alexis Tsipras will receive a parliamentary majority for the law. The majority of the nationalist coalition partner of Tsipras' left-wing party, Syriza, the "Independent Greeks" (ANEL), rejects the gender law. However, it finds support in the secular block "Potami" (Electricity), which is otherwise in opposition.

The prohibition of women on the Mount Athos, the Avaton, dates back to the early Middle Ages and is founded on a heavenly direction from Mary to preserve the North Greek peninsula as "her garden" for her alone. In reverse, a prohibition on men is said to have existed there in ancient times around a sanctuary of the virgin forest goddess, Artemis. The Avaton applies not only to girls and women, but to all female creatures. Not even chickens are tolerated at the Athos, the eggs required for Easter are to be imported from abroad. The only exception are the numerous cats. They defend the monasteries and chapels from the plague of snakes and mouses.

The historical foundation of the Avaton was probably the invasion of the Balkan Roman wandering shepherds (Vlachs) with their herds and families around 800, which spread out among the monastic settlements, took away most of the land, and caused many monks a general moratorium. The Avaton, with its expulsion of all female beings from Athos, deprived the Vlachs of the foundations of their presence. Since then there have always been exceptions to the prohibition of entry, especially for Serbian and Russian princesses for short-term pilgrimages.

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Theologian hits back at Pope Benedict on liturgy

The modern liturgy which "darkens" God, was criticized the emeritus Pope Benedict XVI. recently. This is contradicted by Albert Gerhards, a Bonn theologian (Cathcon: and priest!) and recognises a pattern in this criticism.

The criticism of the emeritus Pope Benedict XVI about modern liturgy has encountered a contradiction from Albert Gerhards, the liturgical expert. But Benedict was right to criticise "wrongly prepared worship services", but he was "throwing into the same pot" the liturgical form itself, Gerhards said on Monday on Cologne Cathedral RDIO. He had already done this in the 1960s. Even then, the later pope had resisted certain innovations. "If dance was used in worship and new spiritual songs, then he always reverted to this formula," the theologian said.

An "either-or-thinking"

Benedict XVI has in this respect an "either-or-thinking," said Gerhards. "Either liturgy is either a matter of cult or a degeneration into communication." However, the Second Vatican Council (1962 - 1965) and the later liturgical form would have just presented a "third way, saying that worship is a divine-human exchange, which on its own has the divine presupposition, but also on the other side wants to involve people with all their creative possibilities and abilities ". In his liturgical theology, the (emeritus) Pope "is not really balanced".

In a foreword to the Russian edition of his works on the liturgy, the former pope had complained about a "darkening" of God in the liturgy. This is the real cause of the crisis in the Church. In a widespread misunderstanding of the liturgical form, the emphasis was placed on the teaching as well as on one's own activity and creativity. But if the primacy of God is no longer evident in the liturgy and in life, the Church is in danger, according to the 90-year-old. Benedict XVI was the head of the Catholic Church until 2013. 

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Civil war underground in the Catholic Church

Those opposing the Pope plan a future without him.

Two years ago, the Pope summoned the world's bishops and discussed topics such as love and family. Since then, a directional struggle has been raging in the church. Francis' opponents are getting louder and louder than ever before.

That a Pope is accused of heretical behaviour is already unusual. That this happens with an open letter, which more than 60 Catholic scholars have signed, does not make the matter any better. In the document with the Latin name "Correctio Filialis" Francis's heresy is reproached,  also for departure from the doctrine. Even if the signatories are traditionalists and hardliners and there are no Cardinals among them, the whole thing should not be underestimated. It stands for the growing opposition to Francis. In essence, the question is whether or not married couples who are remarried can receive communion.

The escalation began two years ago, when the bishops of the world gathered in the Vatican on October 4 to talk about "hot irons" such as dealing with the remarried divorced and homosexuals. In the Family Synod sparks flew as reported by those who were there. The result was a clarification as soft as butter. In the meantime, the adversaries of Francis' modernisation course are getting more and more open about it.  For many conservatives, Francis' proposals are a mistake.

The point of criticism is the papal letter on the family, "Amoris Laetitia", in which Francis hints that remarried divorced people must not be denied the way to the sacraments. For many conservatives this is an absurdity, indeed a scandal, because it contradicts the teachings of the Church. For many believers, especially in countries like Germany, it does not go far enough in the direction of the opening of the church. At least the German bishops have put themselves behind the letter.

"There is such a kind of civil war in the church in the church," said Vatican author Marco Politi. The Family Synod, as in a parliamentary vote, had shown the real power relationship, namely that the reforming line of Francis was not supported by the majority. "The result was that the conservatives and the fearful were in the majority and prevented clear changes."

An unprecedented escalation

One should not understate the opposition in the Vatican, according to Politi. "The heresy document is an escalation, something like this has never existed." The opponents do not work in the direction of a fall of the Pope, but they are prepared for the time after Francis: "The aim of the movement is, above all, the next papal election , one which no longer chooses such a strong reformer as Francis, "says Politi. Officially, the Pope did not comment on his critics. Only the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, warned diplomatically: "Dialogue is important. Also within the church", by which he wants to mean: Rebellion in secret is the wrong way.

Should the Pope call all to order by striking the table?

The Pope has also been silent about the letter of the four cardinals, who had previously demanded an open letter in order to clarify the doubts about the interpretation of "Amoris Laetitia." The criticism will not be silenced, even if two authors of this so-called "Dubia" letter have now died: the German Cardinal Joachim Meisner and the Italian Cardinal Carlo Caffarra.

Many are of the opinion that the Pope has to strike on the table to make peace. After all, the Pope also has received open support. In the Vatican newspaper "L'Osservatore Romano", the President of the Pontifical Family Institute, Pierangelo Sequeri, recently wrote: "Stop the complaints immediately."

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"Superman-Pope" now as official T-shirt

He flies with a raised fist and a briefcase, his white soutane fluttering: Pope Francis was presented as a Superman in 2014 in a graffiiti image . Now the graphic is on T-shirts - for a good cause.

Colorful | Vatican City - 09.10.2017

The famous Papal graffiti with Francis as Superman will in the future be sold as a T-shirt for a good cause: the image which shows Pope Francis as a super-hero in the fight for Christian values ​​is now the "official emblem" for charitable initiatives of the Pope,  Radio Vatican reported on Monday. The official Papal super-hero shirt costs 19 euros and the revenues are to flow directly into the charitable donation projects of the Pope, such as Peter's Pence

, according to the head of the Vatican Secretariat of Communications, Dario Edoardo Vigano.

The T-shirt can be ordered on the internet in various colours as well as in men's and women's versions. The front is adorned by the Super-Pope with a fist raised high in flight and a briefcase with the words "values" in the other hand; Papal quotations are printed on the reverse. The graphic of the Italian painter and street artist Mauro Pallotta was painted in 2014  on a house wall near the Vatican, but was quickly painted over. Nevertheless, it received great attention. The Pontifical Media Council then broadcast a snapshot of the Super-Pope on the short message news service, Twitter.

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Church books outrageous preacher

Now, Harald Glööckler (52), Germany's eccentric fashion designer, takes the kingdom of God. And fills up churches.

With his business partner and life partner.

On Wednesday, "**** ***, Brain", the new book by Harald Glööckler (Plassen Verlag) appears. It lists the success tips of the fashion creator. On the last pages, Harald Glööckler tells how he came to his new vocation - as a preacher!

"After I designed a  covering for a new Luther Bible on behalf of the German Bible Society on the occasion of the 500th anniversary, there was a preaching request from the Protestant church community of Niederhöchstadt," says Harald Glööckler.

Cathcon:incredibly this featured a picture not of Our Lord and Saviour but the artist!

"I was booked as a preacher for a 'GoSpecial' service. I preached in a cinema in front of 700 people. "The" Go Special "services are actually aimed at church critics, but Harald Glööckler fascinated them all.

(Cathcon: GoSpecial services are billed as "somewhat different" church services.  Some take place in Catholic Churches and are often Masses.)

Before his first appearance the fashion designer had a lot of jitters. "I just thought, 'What have you done to me now?'" Glööckler smirks, remembering his first visit to the church in his first sermon.

Glööckler: "I looked at the ceiling and thought: 'A chandelier would be nice in itself, and a few pretty pictures would have been used in other places.' I thought the whole thing had already been redesigned, a bit of pomp on display is already nice. '

He does not think much of church regalia, which is somehow uncool. Glööckler: "I was told that this Luther removed the pomp from the churches, and I thought, 'What nonsense!' And then that Jesus always hung on the cross. And I thought, 'This is terrible! Why not show Jesus as He blesses someone or with a halo? You do not even have a picture of a dead man in the coffin at home. '"

The fashion designer finished his first sermon with a flaming appeal: "We do not need a church that makes us small and tells us what we can not do," preached Harald Glööckler. "We need a church that supports us when we stumble, which catches us when we fall!"

The attending 700 spectators were enthusiastic, a few weeks later Glööckler preached in a cinema hall in Mannheim in front of 400 people.

"His sermon was good and deep. For the church and the kingdom of God, people like Harald Glööckler are a benefit, "praises Pastor Carsten Böhm (41) from the Protestant church community of Niederhöchstadt.

He sees, as a result of a campaign with celebrities such as Harald Glööckler with his brisk special worship services, a wave of church entry. Böhm: "Through our 'Go Special' worship services, countless people have come to faith and to our church."

In the meantime, the requests for Harald Glööckler, who now does not have to stop his sermons in the cinema, are increasingly coming from churches. In November, he reads the Christmas story in churches in Frankfurt and Saarbrücken and interprets them with his words. There is even a preaching request from Catholic Regensburg.

His new mission fascinates the fashion designer and releases new energies. "I will expand my preaching activity", says Harald Glööckler. "If the ARD (a national broadcaster) agrees, I also could takeover the Word for Sunday!

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