We Are Church: Letter to Bishops

Letter to the bishops                                                       

4 August 2025

The Synodal Process: Ten concrete initiatives we would like to see

Dear Bishops,

The Final Document of the Synod on Synodality allows different decisions to be reached in different places. This represents unity in diversity. After 4 years of listening and dialogue and prayer it is past time for concrete initiatives to be taken with all the baptised for reform of structures and institutions. This is a crucial point in the entire process: Without concrete changes in the short term, the vision of a synodal Church will not be credible. Pope Leo XlV has endorsed Pope Francis’ synodal process for which appropriate decision making and decision taking processes need to be developed at all levels.

We call on you to support appropriate and concrete initiatives in our dioceses, including:

1.     Competent Women and Men preaching and leading parishes.

2.     Lay led liturgies with communion

3.     Co-operation, mutual attendance and Eucharistic hospitality at services in other Christian churches

4.     Majority voting on Parish & Diocesan Pastoral Councils and Minutes published online

5.     Annual publication of Financial Reports

6.     Ordination of Women Deacons 

7.     Ad Limina Reports published online

8.     Diocesan Pastoral Councils recommending Nominations as Bishops

9.     Fair financial support and professional guidance for those affected by sexualised abuse in the church 

10.  Pastoral care for LGBTQ+ people in every parish.

We Are Church International will support such concrete initiatives.

With synodal blessings,

Colm Holmes, Chair, We Are Church International  
Email: colmholmes2020@gmail.com                         Phone: +353 86606 3636

Dr Martha Heizer, Vice-Chair, We Are Church International 
Email: martha@heizer.at                                            Phone: +43 650 4168500 

International Coordinating team: 
Valerie Stroud (England & Wales), Mary Morrissey (Ireland), Jean-Pierre Schmitz (France), Ashik Naz Khokhar (Pakistan), Christiane Bascou (France), Martin Schockenhoff (Germany), Kathleen Gibbons Schuck (USA), Gemma Lamarra (Scotland), Elza Ferrario (Italy), Virginia Saldanha (India) 
www.we-are-church.org

We Are Church International (WAC) founded in Rome in 1996, is a global coalition of national church reform groups. It is committed to the renewal of the Roman Catholic Church based on the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and the theological spirit developed therefrom.

The Synodal Process 10 Initiatives 4 August 2025 R4.pdf

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