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By Matthieu Lasserre and Xavier Le Normand | France
"We had to clear our calendars at the last minute," said Dominique Quinio, president of the French Social Weeks and a member of the steering committee of "Promesses d'Eglise", a relatively recently formed network of reform-minded Catholic groups.
A former editor-in-chief of La Croix, she was one of a hundred or so laypersons who received an invitation less than two weeks ago to speak this weekend at the plenary assembly of the French Bishops' Conference (CEF) at the Marian shrine of Lourdes.
The invitations, which were sent out in the context of the recently published report on Church sexual abuse in France, were for the lay Catholics to join the bishops in various working groups, rather than address them as an entire body in general assembly.
The invitees were chosen specifically by the bishops.
But many of these lay persons said on the eve of the meeting that they wanted to help the prelates understand their feelings of "anger" -- a word that come up often -- at the findings by the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE).
"There is a lot of anger, especially among the pillars of the Church," said Sylvie Bukhari, president of CCFD-Terre Solidaire and a member of Promesses d'Église.
She noted that the bishops chose many people who belong to this "network of Catholic organizations that are eager to take up the challenge of ecclesial transformation".
Strong demands for more lay responsibility
Sabine Adrien, who is from Lyon and involved in another group called Altercathos, agreed.
"In the wake of the CIASE report, I was torn between sadness and hope," she said.
"But this hope was very quickly dashed by statements from bishops, which made me very angry, especially since the commission also noted very recent cases of mismanagement," Adrien admitted.
According to the document, two bishops, one in 2019 and the other in 2020, arranged a rapid departure abroad for two Fidei Donum priests (those on loan from other countries) accused of sexual abuse.
"One victim told me that, since the report's release, she has still been experiencing this atmosphere of contempt and silence," said Clémence Pasquier, another lay invitee from Lyon.
It is a feeling, but also a strong will, to express the wish to become active "so that the Church of tomorrow will not be that of today", in the words of Sylvie Bukhari.
"I also want us to talk with the bishops about the future. I would like to tell them that there is a great expectation on the part of the laity to participate in the reforms that are being undertaken," said Clémence Pasquier.
"The laity did not wait to be invited to Lourdes to give warnings and express their discontent," emphasized Arnaud Bouthéon, who is involved in several ecclesial movements and structures.
"The laity can be given more responsibility!" he insisted.
For this, there is no shortage of ideas: setting up diocesan networks, working on financial compensation, or even appointing lay people within ecclesial governance.
"And not only in a position of advice-giving, but also one of decision-making," said Sabine Adrien.
"Share, delegate and surround yourself with more men and women," is the message Dominique Quinio intends to tell the bishops.
"Talk to each other and don't hide your differences," is another bit of advice she will give the prelates.
Victims network planning two rallies
But many of the lay people who have been invited to the CEF plenary fear that the bishops will not really listen to them, that the laity are there just for show.
"I wonder about the process. Is everything already locked in place?" one of them wondered.
"I hope we don't just serve as a decoration," warned another.
Quinio pointed to the limitations of the exercise.
"I don't know exactly what is expected of us or what will be done with it: the conclusions will be given on Monday by the bishops, and a priori by them alone," she said.
Paule Zellitch, president of the Catholic Conference of French-speaking Baptized (CCBF), said the concern is all the greater because the invitees were selected by the bishops.
No one from her organization was invited.
"We remain on our own," she complained.
And she especially questioned the large presence of people involved in Promesses d'Église, "an entity too well anchored in the structures of the bishops".
But beyond this dialogue with the bishops, some lay people intend to show their commitment.
The sexual abuse victims network, "De la parole aux actes" (From words to action) has organized two rallies on Saturday, one in Lourdes, the other in front of CEF headquarters in Paris.
The network is pushing the bishops to adopt the"4 Rs": recognition, responsibility, reparation, reform.
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