Dutch lay Catholics urge bishops to speak out, defend teachings on marriage

April 12, 2018

Voicing their concern that recent Vatican policies have set the Church on “a road to destruction,” a group of prominent Dutch Catholics have called upon their country’s bishops to speak out in defense of Church teachings on marriage.

The group—led by a leading physicist (Wim Witteman) and psychologist (Gerard van den Ardweg)—also asks the bishops of Holland to argue against a Vatican agreement with Beijing that would have the effect of “delivering up the Church to the Communist government.”

The group’s letter, signed by 20 Catholics, most of them involved in academic life, says with regret that too many statements by Pope Francis and his collaborators have caused confusion within the Church. “Too much has been said, written, and done that cannot be passed in silence; too much uncertainty and division have been created.”

To address this problem, the signatories ask their bishops to promote the clear teachings of previous Pontiffs, to join the cardinals in the dubia seeking clarification of Amoris Laetitia, and to argue against a deal that would surrender the Church’s freedom in China.

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Show 3 Comments? (Hidden)Hide Comments

• Posted by: james-w-anderson8230 - Apr. 13, 2018 7:21 PM ET USA

  Laymen to the rescue again!

• Posted by: rjbennett1294 - Apr. 13, 2018 8:01 AM ET USA

  The Church in the Netherlands has apparently all but collapsed, so this action may be too late. However, it could serve as a warning to other countries, like Germany, that if the Church continues following the "spirit" of Vatican II and the errors and confusion so widespread now, then the collapse will extend far beyond the Netherlands.

• Posted by: stpetric - Apr. 12, 2018 6:15 PM ET USA

  And from Holland, of all places! From their mouth to God's ear.