Cleveland Commonweal Local Community Network

Meeting Place, and Time The next meeting of the Cleveland Commonweal Local Community will be held at St Dominic Church in Shaker Heights, Wednesday, April 10. 7:00pm - 8:30pm.  The meeting will be in the Youth Room on the second floor of the school building Meeting Topic:  March 8, 2019 Issue BEYOND PERSONAL PIETY: THE LAITY'S ROLE IN THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH By Michael Sweeney, OP This article could be considered an advertisement for the  THE LAY MISSION PROJECT   We may want to discuss what we think of the project? While the author quotes several of the documents of Vatican II and of John Paul II, he does not even mention the Vatican II document which is exclusively focused on this topic, the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity.  It is an excellent framework for evaluating his article, and the project. See the separate post for a three page summary of this 22 page document in more accessible language: THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS

DECREE ON THE APOSTOLATE OF THE LAITY Promulgated on November 18, 1965, this Vatican II document has not received the attention that it deserves.  Discussion of the role of the laity has focused upon Lumen Gentium, the Constitution on the Church with its emphasis upon the People of God and the universal call to holiness.  Constitutions are more theoretical documents and therefore get the long   term attention of theologians; decrees are more practical pastoral documents adapted to the differing needs of times and cultures Language has been a big barrier to the use of this document; very long Latin sentences; a very bureaucratic style, and words that are not attractive in English. The document needs to be condensed and address the contemporary situation in America. The present document is a step in that direction The word “laity” has been translated as “the baptized ” because the apostolate is the common shared activity of priests, religious and laity that flows from baptism.

Peter Steinfels claims " In the case of Pennsylvania, whether one looks at the handling of old allegations or the prevention of new ones, the conclusion that a careful, unbiased reading of the Pennsylvania report compels is this: the Dallas Charter has worked. Not worked perfectly, nor without need for regular improvements and constant watchfulness." CARA ARTICLE: PAIN THAT NEVER DISAPPEARS FROM UNHEALED WOUNDS This CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) article is particularly valuable reaction to the PA Grand Jury Report analyzing some Pennsylvania data in comparison to John Jay Study data, and presenting some analysis of their own extensive data.  1. The John Jay Study 2004 study found 10,667 allegations by that time that covered abuse for the  years 1950-2002. 2. CARA found 8206 new allegations during the years 2004-2017. 3. The new allegations were mostly about abuse that had occurred before 2002. The distribution of years in which the abused occur

Meeting Place, and Time The next meeting of the Cleveland Commonweal Local Community will be held at St Dominic Church in Shaker Heights, Wednesday, March 20th. 7:00pm - 8:30pm. The meeting is in the Youth Room on the second floor of the school building. The main entrance to the school lobby will be open with a notice that the meeting is upstairs. Meeting Topic We will discuss:  PA GRAND JURY REPORT NOT WHAT IT SEEMS by Peter Steinfels. The following is a link to: COMMONWEAL LETTERS IN RESPONSE TO ARTICLE ON PA GRAND JURY REPORT The National Catholic Report has an article by lawyers who have conducted them: ESSENTIAL LESSONS FOR CONDUCTING GRAND JURY INVESTIGATIONS The Grand Jury Report is extremely long; few likely have read it. However CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) did respond to the report in a post on their blog on August 28, 2018. The article presents its own analysis of some of the Grand Jury Report data as well as an