University theologians in Germany have called on the Catholic Church
to abandon the vow of celibacy for priests, open up the clergy for women
and accept gays couples.
The 143 professors said the church must
implement bold reforms because of "a crisis without precedent" following
the discovery of widespread sexual and physical abuses by clergymen a
year ago.
More Christians than ever have turned their backs on the
Catholic Church in the past year, they said.
"The Church has to
understand these signs and move beyond its ossified structures to regain
new vitality and credibility."
The appeal, published in newspaper
Sueddeutsche Zeitung's Friday edition, called on the church's
leadership to stop excluding gay couples and remarried Christians.
"The
Church also needs married priests and women holding positions in the
clergy," the appeal said — in clear defiance of the Vatican's dogmas.
But
Germany's Bishops Conference on Friday cautiously welcomed the appeal,
saying it could enhance the ongoing reform discussion, while noting
several proposals contradicted the church's principles.
"On some
issues, the memorandum is in conflict with theological convictions and
church regulations that are highly binding," Bishops Conference
Secretary Hand Langendoerfer said in a statement.
The appeal —
signed by a few Austrian, Swiss and by almost a third of Germany's
Catholic university theologians — is a rare challenge to the clergy
establishment and the Vatican, because the church has a veto right in
appointing theologians at Germany's state-run universities.
But
the wealthy Catholic Church in the homeland of Pope Benedict XVI sees
the number of its followers dwindling, leading to lower proceeds every
year, and ever fewer young men choosing to become priests.
Several
leading lawmakers from Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic
Party — among them parliamentary Speaker Nobert Lammert and Education
Minister Annette Schavan — last month also appealed to Germany's bishops
to fight for the vow of celibacy's abolition, citing "the increasing
lack of priests."
The theologians, in turn, said the challenges
are already obvious for a long time, but there are still no church
reforms within sight.
"The disturbance of open dialogue without
any taboos does not go well with everybody, especially when there's a
papal visit upcoming," the theologians said, referring to Benedict's
planned visit in September.
The professors also called for a more
democratic and less centralized church, including giving the faithful a
say in appointing their priests and bishops.
"What can be decided
locally, should be decided there," the appeal said.