Dear friends of the We Are Church movement throughout the world:

As of yesterday, the Assembly of Delegates to the "Dialogue for Austria," is history, and will certainly make history, hopefully also church history. Our expectations and hopes were vastly exceeded.

Two-hundred seventy delegates from the Austrian dioceses, church institutions and associations, or appointed directly by the Conference of Bishops, met with all the Austrian bishops (except for Cardinal Schönborn who was ill) for this event that had been scheduled in response to the 1995 "Kirchenvolks-Begehren" (Petition of the People of the Church) with is 500,000 plus signatures.

This "Dialogue for Austria" was off to a very slow and stumbling start with a vapid basic statement that for all practical intents and purposes included none of our demands. Approximately 1,000 additions to this statement reversed all of this. The following themes emerged: liberation of priestly way of life, the ordination of women, co-responsibility and co-decision-making of local churches, and a new understanding of sexuality. These new foci largely dominated the discussion. For the first time it became clearly visible that these urgent requests are of central concern to the vast majority of the very people who most active in the core levels of the Church. The working paper for the Assembly already used the term "clearly intelligible text"; no themes would be taboo; the concerns of both "conservatives" and "progressives" were clearly formulated. Approximately 1,000 changes suggested by the delegates are proof of both their engagement and the importance of this gathering.

As participant in this memorable event (Dr. Thomas Plankensteiner and I were nominees of the Austrian Bishops' Conference; in addition another 25 members of the Platform "We Are Church" served as delegates), I want to inform all of you and most of all encourage you: Don't give up! Even if it takes a long time, if the long stretches of drought and thirst are unbearable, when everything appears hopeless . . . God's spirit is capable of so much more than we sometimes dare expect.

Of course, we had hoped that we would partially succeed here or there. But what we experienced was Pentecost -- a breaking open, a setting out, that is irreversible. As late as Saturday we were still tired (from the painstaking work with the separate groups) and a bit resigned because several aspects of the event did not seem to proceed as smoothly as we had wished. Over night a föhn [translator's note: a dry, hot storm] swept across Salzburg, and Sunday literally turned into a Day of the Lord.

We lived church, we experienced church as communio, as the kind of togetherness of sisters and brothers we had not dared imagine. And all of this included our bishops. Mutual respect and acceptance could be sensed at all times; the most diverse contrasting experiences and positions were clearly expressed and addressed–with neither fear of controversy nor intention to wound. Human beings who ordinarily wage war only in the media came toward one another, finally truly spoke each with the other, fought fairly, and were able to laugh with one another . . . it was simply beautiful! And despite it all, the event did not end up with the smallest common denominator (and hence meaningless platitudes) but a clearly enunciated set of priorities for a long overdue reform.

Practically all demands of the Kirchenvolks-Begehren found overwhelming support (for tactical reasons, women's ordination was the only issue kept out of the final deliberations, a fact which had not kept the issue from being specifically and ardently discussed in preliminary debates! And, of course, I wore the purple stole as Eucharistic minister at mass in the Salzburg cathedral–while bishops watched suspiciously, but without interfering).

A few examples (Yes votes of delegates in percentiles):

• Voice of the diocese in the appointment of bishops: 89%;
• Communion for the divorced and remarried: 87%;
• Diaconate for women: 79%;
• Ordination of viri probati: 75%;
• Free choice of birth control methods: 75%;
• Acceptance of homosexuals: 75%

The following causes us special joy: Our deep concerns are no longer merely a "petition of the people of the church" but a "petition of delegates" (we managed to slip into the main stream of the church and our demands have developed a very broad base) and we wonder whether they will next turn also into a "petition of the bishops."

Several commentators are already comparing this Assembly of Delegates with the dynamics and the exemplary hopeful spirit of "breaking open and setting out" [German: Aufbruch] of the Second Vatican Council. It is yet to be made clear whether this scream of the people of God finds a sympathetic ear. This was a victory for the Austrian church (and not simply a victory for the "Platform ‘We Are Church'") which had agreed to participate in this "sacred experiment" (John Paul II, concerning the "Dialogue for Austria"). "At issue is the willingness to listen to the other and to be open to the other in personal testimonial, but also to learn in that daring act to leave the outcome of the Dialogue up to God" (JPII.). This is precisely what we have done in those past few days. Now we hope that the bishops and church leadership will also have as much courage.

Without leveling everything, without blending all differences, without landing on lazy compromises, it is after all possible to relate in such a way that the words, "See how they love one another," can be sensed and seen. The media echo speaks volumes. Once again our church has a positive image, and the notable improvement in the climate of our local churches allows people to draw a fresh breath and new hope. For a long time I have been truly proud of our church–a very good and motivating feeling!

Listening to the news, I just heard a segment of Bishop Weber's press conference concerning the Dialogue event. He definitely says that everything will be conveyed to Rome. When the journalist noted that Rome will not so quickly cave in to pressure, and that the bishops will have to choose sides, Weber responded: "In case of doubt, we will side with the People of the Church." There are still signs and wonders! I am writing all of this, filled with joy, and hoping that I can give all of you courage. It is worth the effort to muster one's strength for the Kingdom of God–despite all the opposing forces.

Your
Ingrid Thurner

(Translator's personal note: As native of Innsbruck and after almost 40 years in the U.S., I don't believe I have ever been so proud of my home and my church, so filled with joy at the chance to contribute, and so touched by a sense of the KAIROS.)