According to Mirriam Webster, “Talk up” means “to speak plainly or directly.” The concept is what Pope Francis described as speaking with “parrhesia.” FutureChurch will host daytime conversations regarding current events during our TalkUp Tuesday Series. We will meet with experts in the know and discuss an important and timely topic together. We know many Catholics stay informed about happenings in the Catholic Church. This is place to share your opinions about those matters with one another in the Spirit of faith, frankness, and courage.
Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at 12 noon ET
Christian Weisner of We Are Church Germany on “The Resignation of Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Pope Francis’s Decision to Keep Him on, and What it Means for the German Synod and Reform in the German Catholic Church.
When the shocking news that one of the most influencial prelates in the Catholic Church and one of Pope Francis’s closest advisors, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, offered his resignation as a way to take responsibility for the clergy sex abuse scandal that has crippled the church, many wondered why a man who had not been directly accused was taking such action.
Chrisian Weisner has spent a lifetime working for reform in the Catholic Church. He has served in a journalistic role during synods and kept Catholics informed about all aspects of renewal and reform in the Church in Germany. Christian grew up in Germany in a Catholic family that was profoundly shaped by the Second Vatican Council. In Pope Francis, he sees an opportunity for that historic moment in the Church to be fully realized. Finally, he has been deeply involved in the synodal movement in the German Catholic Church and knows well its potential for strengthening reform in the Church.
Resources for this discussion:
https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/cardinal-marx-submits-resignation-francis-citing-churchs-systemic-failure-abuse
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/10/world/europe/pope-reinhard-marx-resign.html
https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/cardinal-marx-surprised-popes-decision-not-accept-his-resignation
https://www.wir-sind-kirche.de/files/wsk/2020/LUDEWIG_and_WEISNER_Service%20to%20the%20Universal%20Church.pdf
https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/interim-results-pope-francis-revitalizes-vatican-ii-reforms
https://www.wir-sind-kirche.de/files/wsk/2020/German%20Synodal%20Way%20Jan%202020.pdf
https://www.wir-sind-kirche.de/files/wsk/2020/Synodal%20Path%20in%20Germany2.pdf
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Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at 12 Noon ET
National Catholic Reporter Christopher White Talks About the USCCB’s Efforts to Exclude Select Catholic Polititians from the Eucharist
From the day our new Catholic president was elected in November 2020, there has been activity in the body of the U.S. Bishops to formulate a way to selectively exclude Joe Biden and possibly other prominent Catholic polititians from receiving the Eucharist. Christopher White has tracked that activity and will talk with us about the current state of affairs. Of course, we will be meeting after the bishops have their semi-annual gathering (via zoom) from July 16 – 18. Join us as we discuss the bishops’ efforts to “weaponize the Eucharist” and the response of the Pope and U.S. Catholics to those efforts.
Christopher White is the national correspondent for NCR. He holds a master’s degree in ethics and society from Fordham University and a bachelor’s degree in politics, philosophy and economics from The King’s College. He is the former director of Catholic Voices USA and his work has appeared in Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Forbes, New York Daily News, International Business Times, among many other print and online publications. He has regularly appeared on television and radio programs, including CNN, NPR, RTE and BBC. Follow him on Twitter: @CWWhite212.
Resources:
What Catholic bishops are actually saying about denying Communion to politicians BY JACK JENKINS, CLAIRE GIANGRAVE, ALEJANDRA MOLINA, RELIGION NEWS SERVICE JUN 15, 2021
Who are the bishops pushing Communion-denial efforts? BY CHRISTOPHER WHITE JUN 10, 2021
Editorial: Why we support the bishops’ plan to deny Communion to Biden BY NCR EDITORIAL STAFF June 3, 2021
US bishops ignore Vatican letter on Communion in an astonishing way BY MICHAEL SEAN WINTERS MAY 28, 2021
4 reasons behind the Vatican’s action on Communion for pro-choice politicians BY THOMAS REESE, RELIGION NEWS SERVICE MAY 27, 2021
Bishops’ conference president explains how planned discussion on Eucharist was set BY DENNIS SADOWSKI, CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE MAY 26, 2021
Bishops denying Communion to Catholic politicians a ‘distinctively American’ approach BY CHRISTOPHER WHITE MAY 24, 2021
Calls to deny Communion to Biden for abortion views prompt Catholic soul-searchingBY ALEJANDRA MOLINA, RELIGION NEWS SERVICE MAY 20, 2021
After Vatican warning, US bishops have limited options for planned text about Biden BY JOSHUA J. MCELWEE MAY 17, 2021
Vatican throws wet blanket on U.S. bishops who want to deny Biden Communion BY MICHAEL SEAN WINTERS MAY 11, 2021
Vatican prelate says individual bishops have final say on Communion BY CLAIRE GIANGRAVE, RELIGION NEWS SERVICE MAY 7, 2021
Pelosi’s archbishop calls for denying Eucharist to public figures who support abortion BY CHRISTOPHER WHITE MAY 1, 2021
Villanova conference elevates calls for Biden to be denied Communion BY CHRISTOPHER WHITE APR 27, 2021
Bishops’ working group on Biden disbanded; doctrine committee to address Communion BY CHRISTOPHER WHITE FEB 15, 2021
Bishops’ working group on Biden operates in the shadows, excludes his local bishops BY CHRISTOPHER WHITE JAN 29, 2021
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