The Vatican is studying a possible document on the relationship of clergy and laity, touching upon the sensitive issue of the administration of the church's goods, the Catholic News Service reports.
The sources denied an Italian report that the document will issue instructions on the reorganisation of US dioceses that face financial pressures in the wake of the sex abuse scandals - in particular regarding parish closings.
The sources, who spoke to Catholic News Service June 28, said the document under preparation only marginally touches on the topic of parish closings and, if published, will be directed at the universal church.
The form of the document has not yet been determined; it may be an instruction or a less formal circular letter, they said.
"The main topic here is the respect of norms regarding the nature of the priesthood in collaboration with laypeople, especially as it is affected by the restructuring of parish life," said one source familiar with the draft document.
"In some countries, new forms of parish structures have been created in which the priestly ministry appears weakened - in practice, the priest's role risks being reduced to that of a celebrant of the sacraments, while teams of laypeople are put in charge of management. But the office of governing is part of the priestly ministry," he said.
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