Synodalists withholding money from Diocese until they get their way

Lucerne Rebels: The Synodal Council is now setting the pace when it comes to diocese contributions

Seven parishes in the Canton of Lucerne no longer want to pay church tax to the Diocese - until their demands for reform in the fight against abuse are implemented. Now the Synodal Council intervenes - and tries to set the direction: The Synod determines the contributions to the diocese.

The Synodal Council of the Roman Catholic Regional Church of the Canton of Lucerne held a special meeting to address the resistance in some Lucerne parishes and sent a recommendation to the members of the church authorities on September 26th.

Synod determines contributions

According to a press release from the Roman Catholic Regional Church of Lucerne, its executive body, the Synodal Council, respects the autonomy of the parishes and understands measures such as those made public by the parishes of Adligenswil and Willisau. But he also refers to the processes within the regional church when determining contributions to the diocese of Basel.

These contributions are part of the annual budget of the Roman Catholic regional church of the canton of Lucerne. The synod, the 100-member church parliament, determines the amount of the diocese's contributions. Together with the estimate, the synod also decides on the total contributions of the parishes to the regional church. The contributions to the diocese are part of this.

The time has come in November

At the session on November 8th, the Synod made the relevant decisions. According to the press release, the parishes have the opportunity to influence the contributions to the diocese through their representatives in the synod.

After the study was published, the Roman Catholic Central Conference (RKZ) discussed further measures. These are currently in a consultation process with the 26 cantonal churches. The Lucerne Regional Church supports the proposed measures. The RKZ plenary meeting from 1st/2nd The next steps will be decided in Zurich in December.

Solutions through joint discussions

The Lucerne Regional Church is of the opinion that solutions must be found through joint discussions. This does not preclude considering further steps if the bishops are not prepared to move.

Source

Cathcon: The reforms that they are demanding and the reforms which the Church needs to fight abuse are two separate things.

Their demands

The base demands action  Media release, September 27, 2023

The members of the church councils from the pastoral area of the Willisau region support the four demands of the Adligenswil parish on the diocese of Basel and the Swiss Bishops' Conference in connection with the abuse study.

The church councils of the Catholic parishes in the pastoral area of the Willisau region (parishes Geiss, Gettnau Hergiswil, Menzberg, Menznau and Willisau) will pay the one percent of the share of church tax that the diocese of Basel normally receives into a blocked account. Renewal begins at the grassroots level.

Abuses in the Catholic Church have been known for decades. Now the facts are on the table. Now the words have to be followed by actions. The church councils are demanding the following from the diocese of Basel and the Swiss Bishops' Conference:

Independent investigations: This means no “clarifications among colleagues”. The investigations must be entrusted to an independent, non-church body.

Independent reporting office: An independent, professional ombudsman office should be set up outside of church structures. Victims can report here without any consequences for those affected and the reports are recorded and checked professionally.

No document destruction. All documents should be stored at an independent body, such as the state archives.

The archives of Nuncio Martin Krebs must be opened. The church councils expect this to be consistently demanded.

Cathcon: The last has enormous implications both for the future operations of Nuncios worldwide but for the whole of the practice of diplomacy.

The church councils in the Willisau pastoral area want a diocese that acts transparently and decisively. The contributions will be held in the blocked account until the four requirements are met. The church councils are aware that the individual contributions are not high, but that they are relevant when added together. The church councils are therefore calling on all parishes in Switzerland to do the same.

Furthermore, the church councils in the pastoral area of the Willisau region expect the Swiss Bishops' Conference - as already stated by Bishop Felix Gmür - to be unequivocally, clearly and permanently committed to initiating a cultural change and fundamentally restructuring the system.

It means that

compulsory celibacy is abolished. Anyone who finds this way of life right for them should be allowed to continue living it, but it should no longer be mandatory for the priestly profession.

Women work equally in the church. This includes all offices and orders.

In addition, it is necessary for the church councils to ensure that any future abuses consistently result in civil prosecution.

The church councils in the pastoral area of the Willisau region are setting an example. They are convinced that the church will continue to do a lot of good in the future and will be perceived positively again.

Presidents of the individual church councils

Geiss: Karin Hocher

Gettnau: Franz Meier

Hergiswil: Albin Greber

Menzberg: Stephan Schärli

Menznau: Stefan Rossdeutscher

Willisau: Evelyne Huber

The Pastoral area of the Willisau region

The Pastoral area of the Willisau region includes the parishes of Geiss, Gettnau, Hergiswil, Menzberg, Menznau and Willisau with around 10,100 Catholics