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	A Plan to Empower Lay Catholics A Philadelphia Activist Has Written a Guide for the Faithful in Pressing the Church to Open up By Kristin E. Holmes Philadelphia Inquirer [Philadelphia PA] October 9, 2005 Richard K. Taylor calls his plan a form of "tough love" for a family member that you cherish. In this case, the family member is the Roman Catholic Church and the plan is a way to help parishioners have more influence over its affairs. At present, many lay Catholics serve on parish and diocese boards, but in a strictly advisory role. Church law mandates that final decision-making authority rests with the clergy alone. Taylor's "Love in Action: A Direct Action Handbook for Catholics Using Gospel Nonviolence to Reform and Renew the Church" is a guide for Catholics who want to spur the church to more "accountability and transparency." It harks back to the 1960s, when Taylor marched with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Taylor intends the 12-point action plan to equip independent groups such as Voice of the Faithful, a 30,000-member lay organization to which Taylor belongs. The guide will likely be used by the organization as it finalizes its goals following a national convention held last July, said Bud Bretschneider, Voice of the Faithful chairman for Greater Philadelphia. Taylor, 72, has been working on the handbook since January and it is now available in manuscript, coincidentally at a time when the Philadelphia grand jury has issued its report on clergy abuse and cover-ups in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He believes that the stunning revelations will propel Catholics into action. Before now, lay Catholics were willing "to go along and do what Father says," but now "they are open to change when maybe they weren't before," Taylor said. Voice of the Faithful is developing an action plan to address issues including sex abuse, financial accountability and lay involvement in church decision-making. Taylor is on the Philadelphia-area chapter's steering committee. Taylor urges that negotiation with church leadership be the first strategy. If that fails, the 92-page handbook includes a list of 82 methods of nonviolent protest and persuasion including mock awards, lobbying and refusing to pay dues or assessments. Dean Hoge, a sociologist and researcher at Catholic University of America, says that feelings of powerlessness may discourage people from taking action. Motivating Catholics will be difficult if they think that a successful challenge to church authority is a long shot. "You can't say throw the rascals out in elections," Hoge said, "because there are no elections in the Catholic Church." William Dinges, an associate professor of theology and religious studies at Catholic University, said protest actions could hurt more than help. "Some of the hierarchy would be hesitant if there were a perception of capitulating to a democratic consensus," Dinges said. "In one sense, there is a legitimate necessity and bona-fide responsibility to incorporate and be attentive to the laity. They are the church, too. At the same time, the church doesn't operate quite the same way as a democratic process. "So there is an issue as to how this kind of initiative will be read," Dinges said. "The method could be counterproductive, and then the other side could dig in harder." Scott Appleby, a professor at the University of Notre Dame, argues that is what has happened to the church over the last 30 years. As contentiousness over issues such as birth control, the authority of the bishops, and sexual abuse has increased, church leadership has closed ranks and become even more resistant to input from the laity, Appleby said. "There is no precedent for reform coming up through the parish," he said. Taylor, born into a family of Quakers, has participated in scores of peace demonstrations. He was a field worker for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference civil rights organization in the 1960s and was a local organizer of King's Poor People's campaign. He said he became Catholic in the early 1980s because the church's "Christ-centered message" and teachings on social responsibility appealed to him. He is fearful of a large exodus of Catholics if changes aren't made. "People are really distressed. I think a lot of them will become something else...," Taylor said. "But I want to change things. I don't want to leave."
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