Francis says that a parish must not be led by a priest alone

Brother Michael Dimond

Francis’ May 12, 2016 answer to question during meeting with International Union Superiors General:

“The other danger, a very strong temptation I have spoken of several times, is clericalism. And this is very strong. Let us consider that today more than sixty percent of parishes – of dioceses I don’t know, but only a little fewer – do not have a finance or a pastoral council. What does this mean? It means that the parish or diocese is led with a clerical spirit, by the priest alone, and that it does not implement synodality in the parish, in the diocese, which is not a novelty under this Pope. No! It is a matter of Canon Law: the parish priest is obliged to have a council of laypeople, for and with lay men, women and women religious for pastoral ministry and financial affairs. And they do not do this. This is the danger of clericalism in the Church today. We must go ahead and remove this danger, because the priest is a servant of the community, the bishop is a servant of the community, but he is not the head of a firm. No! This is important. In Latin America, for example, clericalism is very strong and pronounced. Laypeople do not know what to do, if they do not ask the priest. It is very strong. And for this reason, awareness of the laity’s role has been very delayed.”[1]

According to Francis, a priest appointed to be a pastor over a local church shouldn’t be the only one to lead it.  No, Francis says that lay people must also lead the parish or diocese.

For more of Antipope Francis’ horrible heresies from May 2016 to June 2016, click here: Antipope Francis’ Notable Heresies and Apostasy from May 2016 to June 2016

Francis’ Recent Heresies

Notes:

[1] L’ Osservatore Romano, May 20, 2016, p. 7.