"Idea Of Unchanging Church Over-Sold”
The Roman Catholic Church had “over-sold the idea of the unchanging Church”, according to Rev. Father G. Diekmann, one of its leading theologians, in Christchurch.
Father Diekmann, who played a leading part in formulating the liturgical reforms arising out of the second Vatican Council, said that the Church had lived a self-satisfied ghetto existence for too long. Its uniformity was something its members could hide behind. The Council’s'work had resulted in the uniformity being broken. Certain essential decentralisation had taken place in the Church’s effort to reappraise itself and meet the needs of the modern world. “Honest Effort” The Council had been an honest effort at self-appraisal be said. It was an effort to restore the Church and show that each person had a responsible part to play in its work. The role of the layman had been restored, making it clear that he had to be involved actively. he said. The leadership of the bishop and priests would remain, but it would be a leadership of a ministry of service devoted to bringing the layman into his full adulthood, rather than
one with emphasis on authority. Father Diekmann, who is spending two weeks in New Zealand, said he was concen-
trating mainly on the clergy. Unless priests were convinced of the needs and reasons for the changes within the Church he said they would enter in another period of ritualism and “there had been enough formulism in the past.” He will address 300 members of religious orders tomorrow, hold a two day seminar for diocesan clergy on Tuesday and Wednesday, and address a layman’s meeting on Wednesday evening. Regarding moves for church union. Father Diekmann said that the ecumenical climate in the United States was the best in the world. Last year he had addressed nearly 3000 Protestant clergy throughout the United States. He had been unable to accept a quarter of the invitations he had received, he said.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31305, 27 February 1967, Page 10
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325"Idea Of Unchanging Church Over-Sold” Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31305, 27 February 1967, Page 10
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