The "We Are Church" movement came out of the group "Call To Action." Both call themselves "Catholic." They have always held dissenting views, but in general I respect the right of people to self-identify as Catholic if they have been received into the Church and have not renounced it.
Now Domenico Bettinelli points to this bizarre press release, aimed at the Catholic synod of bishops dedicated to the Eucharist.
Insisting – as the Instrumentum laboris does – upon the "Sacrifice of the Cross", "Sacrifice of the Altar" or "Sacrifice of the Mass" actually conveys to many believers the concept of a hurt, angry God, who requires reparations for offenses committed against him. In order to placate God’s wrath, God desires Jesus’ death on the cross.
In concert with many theologians, we think this "sacrificial" idea should be abandoned. The Eucharistic celebration should instead be presented — as suggested by a careful interpretation of Scripture — as done in memory of the whole of Jesus’ life…
We equally hope that, while professing the mystery of Eucharist and believing the risen Christ is truly present in it, there should be full freedom in philosophical and theological discussions of this mystery, precisely because Scriptures do not explain the "way" of this "presence". This convergence in claiming the "presence" and maintaining freedom in the explanation of its possible "how" is what was envisaged by the ecumenical agreement achieved in Lima in 1981 in the document "Baptism, Eucharist, Ministries", which was also signed by Catholic theologians.
The contrary persistence of insisting upon “transubstantiation" dogma to explain Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, as Instrumentum laboris does, triggers and strengthens a magical, materialistic, and legalistic mentality, in which Jesus is seen descending on the altar at the time the priest pronounces the words "This is my body, this is my blood…". That happens at the expense of the invocation of the Holy Spirit, of other holy moments of Eucharist and, obviously, of "convivial" or communal facets.
Furthermore, we are more than puzzled by every form of devotion, which is usual in the Eucharistic cult (for example, Eucharistic adoration, processions, etc.) in which the sacralization of Eucharist has a plain role, making an idol of the Eucharist….
I wonder if the members of We Are Church who assent to this statement have actually read it. The logic escapes me. Okay, so they are "believing the risen Christ is truly present in" the Eucharist; that’s fine. So they want to say that no one knows exactly how it is that Christ can be present in it; that’s fine too. But then, why are they "puzzled by" devotion to the Eucharist itself?
Now, I can understand why nonbelievers are often puzzled, if not scandalized by Eucharistic adoration. But: Why should someone who claims to believe Christ is really in there be puzzled? Domenico puts it succinctly: "Duh, you can’t make an ‘idol’ out of God Himself."
I think that what they really are is embarrassed by devotion to the Eucharist; either that, or the truth is they don’t believe Jesus is really present there, and they’re just saying they believe it — they may think they believe it — to maintain some thread by which they can call themselves Catholic. I suppose a third possibility is that they don’t believe Jesus is God. And of course the fourth possibility is that they don’t much care whether their press release actually, you know, makes any sense.
I don’t suppose "Call to Action" will be renaming itself "Call to Abandon Eucharistic Doctrine" anytime soon.
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