Educate. Advocate. Empower
Raising Awareness About the Need for Changing Governance
Within the Catholic Church
Educate. Advocate. Empower
Raising Awareness About the Need for Changing Governance
Within the Catholic Church
Empowering Local Parishes and Members to Effect Change
Introduction:
My name is John Prior, and I am a current parishioner of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, located in Bloomington, Illinois. I am a retired teacher, coach, and attorney. I decided to create this website because the Bishop of the Diocese of Peoria, Louis Tylka, is proposing to close Holy Trinity Catholic Church, the worship center of a financially viable parish. Additionally, Bishop Tylka has found it necessary to shut down the diocesan Catholic newspaper, the Catholic Post. He is doing all of this under the title of “Growing Disciples.” I believe that the laity needs a platform to voice their concerns about the importance of lay governance and decision-making in the Church involving matters other than “faith and morals.” I am aware that in communist Russia, the dictator’s game plan is to shut down churches and control the media, but I didn’t expect that to happen in America.
Website Designed for Users' Input and Participation:
The goal of this website is to present a current issue concerning Catholic Church governance that directly affects the potential growth of Catholicism in the United States. Afterward, the reader will have the chance to express his or her opinion by filling out a short survey. Additionally, as events develop, every visitor will be afforded the opportunity to become involved in advocating for or protesting against certain concepts, like the closing down of their parish church. Some may want to organize a gathering outside the cathedral in peaceful protest, sign a petition, do some investigating, or, because of limited time, voice their opinion in the survey and pray for their desired outcome.
Suggested First Reading:
For starters, I have embedded a pamphlet on the website entitled “Letter to the Imperial Bishops, A Layman Speaks Out on Catholic Church Governance in the United States.” After reading some or all of the short chapters in the pamphlet, I encourage the reader to complete a short survey and let his or her opinion be known. My intent is not to limit our discussion to local issues but to explore national and global matters concerning increasing lay decision-making, which, in my opinion, is the surest way to grow Catholic Church affiliation, especially in America.