As painful as the current crisis in the Catholic Church has become, we Catholics in the Vatican II Church must take note that this regrettable “sign of the times” is an opportunity.    It is an opportunity to have our voices heard by the bishops of the world.  This crisis has been on the front page of major newspapers and featured in broadcast media in the United States and around the world. Stories of similar scandals are emerging from other nations, like Ireland, Canada, England and Poland.

It is time for the laity to step forward and give the leaders of the church guidance on how to proceed from this point forward for the good of the church.  For twenty-two years ARCC has been calling for structural change in the church–first through the adoption of a Charter of the Rights of Catholics in the Church and then through the drafting of a Constitution for the Catholic Church.   These are very large steps, which can only be achieved by taking smaller steps. We propose to the bishops a few initial changes, which are immediately possible and which will have a snowball effect toward the realization of a truly representative church where all members can exercise their baptismal rights.