An international group of Catholic reformers has written to the Pope
pressing for a decision-making voice for laity in the Church.
In
their open letter the group, which represents 100 church organisations,
backed by over four million Catholics worldwide, seek an audience with
the Pope to discuss church governance.
Supporters of the letter include
several British groups including Catholics for a Changing Church,
Catholic Women's Ordination, We Are Church UK and Quest.
In it
they ask that the Pope and his cardinals give priests, religious and
laity a major role in areas including the selection of their bishops.
They also call for dialogue and respect for conscience to replace
authoritarian rule, that social justice is promoted inside and outside
the church and that church officials who have facilitated or ignored the
scandal of clerical sex abuse be removed from office.