How can Catholics Re--Member the Church when voices are so divisive?

NEWTON, Mass. - Sept. 13, 2021 - PRLog -- Headlines declaim Latin Masses, Communion wars and Vatican II attacks. Amid this divisiveness, the international group of reform-minded Catholics called Voice of the Faithful wants to Re—Member the Church, which will be discussed during its upcoming 2021 conference.

Featured speakers and attendees will look closely at the body of the Catholic Church to see how structure, power, participation and accountability can be brought together within the Church to fulfill its mission of bringing Christ to the world. As declared at a previous VOTF conference, "There is no body without its members. There are no members without participation. There is no participation without mutual recognition and accountability. Structural change is possible. Accountability is necessary. Re—Membering the church is essential."

Re–Membering the Church: Moving Forward takes place Oct. 22-23, 2021, via Zoom. At 7 p.m., Oct. 22, conference registrants will meet in free Zoom listening sessions to talk about issues affecting the Church. At 8:30 a.m., Oct. 23, registrants will gather in a Zoom waiting room for the 9 a.m. start of the all-day conference. Registration is $50, either online or by mail. College undergraduates register for free.

VOTF has long envisioned a Church of openness and respect between hierarchy and the laity, with more inclusivity, and with collaborations leading to activities and initiatives that reflect lay voices in the Church. To help present these ideas at the conference will be featured speakers Prof. Massimo Faggioli, Ph.D., professor of theology and religious studies at Villanova University, and Sister Carol Zinn, S.S.J., Ph.D., Leadership Conference of Women Religious executive director. Prof. Faggioli spoke at VOTF's 2018 Conference, and the return of this internationally acclaimed theologian is highly anticipated. He is a prolific author and a leading worldwide authority on Catholic Church history and ecclesiology, that is, the inner workings of the Church. Sister Carol has served as consultant to the United Nations Economic and Social Council and is Saint John Vianney Center consultant for women religious community health and transition.

In addition, VOTF's 2021 Conference will present a panel comprising women liturgy leaders from the Paulist Center Boston faith community, who will discuss lay-led liturgies, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. VOTF leaders also will offer presentations on VOTF projects in diocesan financial transparency; Church governance by and through lay involvement in Diocesan Financial Councils; adherence to protection of children guidelines in parishes and dioceses; and women's emerging voices in the Catholic Church.