RENE REID Director of Catholic Church Reform InternationalReno, Nevada, USA Church rules caused so much bickering in my family My story began in 1962 when I entered religious life and discovered that my decision hurt my mother deeply. Struggling to understand her resistance, I remembered my mother telling me she was married by a justice …
ANN SMITH United Kingdom, 72, Retired, former University Catholic Chaplain Oxford and London, HIV Research Middlesex hospital London, HIV Corporate Strategist CAFOD The Joys and Hopes, Griefs and Anxieties of Employment as a Lay Chaplain In 1978 I joined the Oxford University Catholic Chaplaincy as lay chaplain, and from 1984 when I took up an …
MARY RING Mum, granny, jill-of-all-trades, Wales, UK Survivor of Catholic male-think. Bless ’em. Sometimes It has taken me six decades to survive Catholic male-think. As a hardworking and good little girl, one of three sisters in a happy and close large family, I was indignant at the treats and fuss that our kind nuns gave …
MARTHA HEIZER Educationalist, psychologist, co-founder of the Austrian KirchenvolksBegehren Disobedience can become a duty under certain circumstances In the late 80s, I attended a talk by the papal nuncio to Austria. He told us that we must ‘follow Pope John Paul II with child-like obedience.’ I raised my hand: ‘I’m so sorry but I don’t …
KEVIN GALLAGHER Electronic Engineer, Chinese Translator, NGO volunteer and former director of Caritas for a diocese in England It has been said that a sailor should never go near the engine room I loved encouraging parishes to initiate social action projects for refugees, homeless night shelters, asylum seekers, holiday clubs etc. How great to see …
JAMES CAROLL American author of twelve novels and nine works of non-fiction NO FAIR: How The Church Changed My first crisis of conscience came when I was a child. My best friend was the boy next door, and when I learned that he was a non-Catholic my heart sank because that …
PENELOPE MIDDELBOE Writer, history podcast presenter, former charity CEO, Catholic, UK I was told I would be refused communion if I married a man whose wife was never coming back I was 24 when I wanted to marry Martin. He had been divorced for 5 years and had a son aged 7 who lived with …
ANONYMOUS Priest, former parochial administrator, trained in biblical studies at the Biblical Institute in Rome, 70s, UK I was removed from my parish after anonymous accusations about my theology I was working in a well-functioning parish which I loved when the Vicar General told me that anonymous complaints had been made about my ten ‘Failings’ …
ANONYMOUS Female secondary school teacher, with a calling to priesthood, Catholic 40s, UK Discerning a calling to the priesthood ended up with excommunication I came into the Catholic Church through working with a wonderful order of nuns when I went to university. They were inspirational and brought my faith alive. I began my formation to …
ANONYMOUS International development consultant, single mother, justice advocate giving a voice for herself and women in the Catholic church tribunals, Lebanon and Canada The silent abuse by the Catholic Church of Catholic single mothers in Lebanon In Lebanon, to get a divorce you have to belong to a religious community. They decide on issues like …