Who we are

What we do

Contact us

Search

VATICAN2 E-MAIL FORUM

Vatican2 is the e-mail network for members of ARCC and progressive Catholics in general. Like the Catholic Church, our membership is diverse, sociologically and geographically. While most subscribers come from the U.S. and Canada, we have active participants from all over the world. Whether lay or clerical, old or young, female or male, we love our Church, but we do not identify this love with blind obedience. As a People of God, we consider it our duty to challenge the Church to become the best it can be and to help those in charge distinguish the essential from elements that are a function of time and culture. At the same time, we intend to remain firmly grounded in what is truly valuable in our Catholic tradition. In this spirit we are working on developing a Constitution for the Catholic Church. 

If you find the material in the ARCC site interesting, please consider joining us on Vatican2. While we have an open-door policy, active participation is limited to people who share the fundamental perspective of ARCC. If you disagree with our way of  being Catholic (or with being Catholic, period), you are welcome to sign up and listen, but don't attack fellow members for their ideas, don't try to convert us to an alternate view, and under no circumstances forward anything posted on Vatican2 to others--especially other mailing lists--without having asked and obtained permission from the author of the message (who retains copyright) and/or me. Any kind of flaming is absolutely forbidden. On the other hand, keep in mind that we know that our Church has been pluralistic from the very beginning and continues to have room for a wide spectrum of practices and and beliefs. You might want to read Leonard Swidler's Dialogue Decaloguewhich presents an excellent introduction to the kind of non-adversarial, respectful conversation we encourage on this list. Remember that dialogue is neither debate nor preaching. 

Please direct subscription requests to ihs@ionet.net by writing a note in which you explain who you are and why you want to join.

Vatican2 Voices: selected messages from members
 

Other voices

Another Voice

Questions From a Ewe

Challenges Facing Catholicism
(Bishop Geoffrey Robinson in converation with Dr Ingrid Shafer)