Inaugural Assembly Resolutions
These Resolutions were passed by the participants at the Inaugural Assembly of the Association of US Catholic Priests at St. Leo University, St. Leo, Florida, from June 11-14, 2012:
The Support of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious
The AUSCP shall send a letter to the LCWR affirming our support and gratitude for the ministry of the sisters in the United States and the AUSCP will contribute one thousand dollars ($1,000) to the Sisters of the LCWR for expenses incurred during the investigation (if this money is not needed, then it shall be passed along to the annual Retirement Fund for Religious).
The Catholic Theological Society of America
The members of the AUSCP, assembled at St. Leo University in Florida, whole-heartedly support the work of the Catholic Theological Society of America, including Sisters Margaret Farley and Elizabeth Johnson, in their efforts to promote theological dialogue and the development of doctrine within the Catholic Church.
Building a Bridge to Lay Involvement
A forum, created of AUSCP members who volunteer to serve on it, shall be established at the Inaugural Assembly to initiate and develop dialogue with the laity, both as individuals and as organizations with the intent to serve as a bridge to the 2013 Assembly at which time proposals for participation of the laity in activities of the AUSCP will be entertained.
U.S. Catholic Bishops
All U.S. bishops shall be accepted into the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests as full-standing members.
Annual Board Meeting Expenses
The travel and room and board expenses of the AUSCP Leadership Team/Board of Directors for their annual Board Meeting shall be placed in the annual budget beginning in the fiscal year 2012-2013.
AUSCP Representation to International Priest Association Gatherings
When the AUSCP is invited to participate in an international priest association gathering, the Board of Directors, in consultation with the Finance Committee, may approve attendance by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or his delegate; travel expenses, as well room and board, shall be paid by the AUSCP to attend this international gathering.
The New Roman Missal
[One final resolution concerning the Roman Missal was sent to the Board of Directors for adaptation with the assistance of Fr. Mike Ryan before being forwarded to the USCCB. The adapted Resolution on the Roman Missal was accepted and mailed to the President of the USCCB, and reads as follows:]
- Whereas Canon 278§1 asserts: "Secular clerics have the right to associate with others to pursue purposes in keeping with the clerical state." And
- Whereas Canon 298§1 includes clerics among the Christian faithful; and
- Whereas Canon 212§3 states: "According to the knowledge, competence and prestige which they possess, they [the Christian faithful] have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons."; and
- Whereas Canon 215 declares: "The Christian faithful are at liberty freely to found and direct associations for purposes of charity or piety or for the promotion of the Christian vocation in the world and to hold meetings for the common pursuit of these purposes."; and
- Whereas Canon 218 affirms: "Those engaged in the sacred disciplines have a just freedom of inquiry and of expressing their opinion prudently on those matters in which they possess expertise, while observing the submission due to the magisterium of the Church"; and
- Whereas Bishops are guaranteed collegial powers and responsibilities documented in the Vatican II Decree, Christus Dominus, [especially in ¶s 2 through 6], thereby preserving the integrity of their Apostolic Office. A reference from ¶2 points out: "Bishops, therefore, have been made true and authentic teachers of the faith, pontiffs, and pastors through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to them."; and
- Whereas the Missale Romanum, Editio Typica Tertia [herein, New Roman Missal] has caused disharmony, disruption and discord among many, for both laity [including religious non-clerical men and women], and for clerics, in our Church, frustrating rather than inspiring the Eucharistic prayer experience of the Christian faithful, thus leading to less piety and to less "full, active and conscious participation" in the Mass, [cf. Canons 898 and 899 §s 2 and 3 and Vatican II Constitution, Sacrosanctum Concilium, ¶11 and 14]; and
- Whereas the New Roman Missal, as we have experienced it in our day to day celebrations of the Eucharist with the faithful, has created pastoral problems, in particular because of its cumbersome style, arcane vocabulary, grammatical anomalies, and confusing syntax;
- Be it Resolved that the Association of United States Catholic Priests urge our Bishops, who are also our Pastors, to exercise their collegial powers and responsibilities by addressing, in a collegial way, with the appropriate Vatican authorities, the problematic prescriptions of Liturgiam Authenticam, which brought about the New Roman Missal.
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About us
We are an association of U.S. Catholic priests offering mutual support and a collegial voice. We are engaged in contemplation, dialogue and prophetic action on issues affecting Church and Society.
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