Switzerland: Church resistance in the diocese of Chur
The document has met strong opposition from a number of priests, who accuse it of violating Catholic teaching on several counts.
A group of 43 priests from the diocese, to which can be added 80 sympathizers, has spoken out against several passages of this code of conduct. The bishop said in a letter to all parishes that this code will be “binding on all leaders and staff of the diocese from mid-2022.”
On April 28, 2022, this Chur priestly circle issued a statement to warn of the points at issue and to ask the bishop to withdraw his signature, believing that Monsignor Bonnemain should never have signed the document.
The Circle affirms “95%” agreement with what is contained in the Code and states that everything must be done to ensure better prevention of abuse.
But the priests then generally describe the code of conduct as “an attempt to instill LGBT ideology in the church under the guise of preventing abuse and thereby undermining church doctrine.”
They point to several passages that would “silence the doctrine of faith and morals.” The Code has the signer say, “I refrain from making general negative assessments of allegedly unbiblical conduct based on sexual orientation.”
The Commentary states, “Whoever signs this sentence would no longer … proclaim the Church’s teaching on homosexuality as laid down in the Catechism of the Catholic Church,” which affirms that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered” and “not can be approved”. all circumstances.”
In addition, the Code states: “In counseling sessions, I will not actively address issues related to sexuality and will refrain from offensive questions about intimacy and relationship status. This also applies to conversations that I have as a manager.”
The priests note that this would prevent ministers from asking the necessary questions about marriage preparation, which are designed, among other things, to ensure that future spouses are in agreement with the Church’s teaching that marriage is a “sacramental communion of life and love between men.” “is and a woman” and questions about previous marriages and divorces or children from previous relationships.
The impossibility of denying priestly formation to men with homosexual tendencies
As for priestly formation, it would no longer be possible to ensure that men with homosexual tendencies are excluded from ordination, as the Holy See texts provide. And “how could one credibly demand of a candidate for the priesthood to profess lifelong celibacy ‘in the prescribed rite publicly before God and the Church’ (Canon 1037), when at the same time it is explained that his ‘kinship status’ is actually a taboo for the Church leadership?”
Indeed, the protesting priests state: “If priests, deacons and lay workers living in immoral situations ‘should no longer be held accountable or dismissed from church ministry,’ that would be a double standard.”
On the one hand, the Church would continue to preach the traditional doctrine, on the other hand, she would no longer ask her priests and lay people employed in the diocese to do so. While the diocese would give itself a weapon with which to dismiss the non-signers.
Finally, the Code of Conduct contains the following statements: “I refrain from any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity” and “I recognize sexual rights as human rights, in particular the right to sexual self-determination.”
But, as the priests rightly point out, the Church’s consistent application of sexual morality “is perceived by society as discriminatory” because, for example, the Church cannot bless same-sex relationships.
The human rights declaration of the code is thus “open to various interpretations”, but should be rejected because, for example, abortion is often characterized as a human right that is part of sexual self-determination, the priests explain.
The page cath.ch reports on the reaction of two priests in favor of the code of conduct.
The first points out that the refusal to sign the document is “typical” of part of the church. “With the Code, leaders must relinquish power. And that doesn’t please the clerical priests: it’s better to go back to your corner and keep complaining about the alleged wrongs.” – A review that echoes one of Pope Francis’ most popular accusations: “clericalist”.
Another goes on: “We know what canon law and catechism say… Catechisms have always changed over time. The current one is decades old and today’s world is different. The code of conduct, on the other hand, dates from 2022 and speaks for a church in the world today.”
As if the circumstances of an epoch could cause the truth of belief and morality to change. This is pure modernity. And it is also a perfect echo of Cardinals Jean-Claude Hollerich, Reinhard Marx and Bishop Georg Bätzing, who have been seriously attacked on this point by various episcopates and bishops around the world.
Following this criticism, Msgr. Bonnemain advocated dialogue with these priests, accusing them of having acted hastily and without consultation.
But they had already written that “before the code of conduct was published, we asked the diocesan bishop not to sign it. Since he has now published and signed it, we again ask him publicly to withdraw his signature and thereby heal the moral conflict that he has provoked in many of his employees.”
Otherwise, they add, “we will establish our own code of conduct in the service of aggression prevention, in accordance with Church teaching, which we are ready to sign.”
A healthy reaction from part of the clergy of the Diocese of Chur, which also shows how far LGBT ideology has penetrated the church and the minds of some of its representatives.