Catholic Integrated Community

The Catholic Integrated Community (CIC) was an apostolic community within the Roman Catholic Church^[1][2] according to Decree Apostolicam actuositatem No. 18/19 of the Second Vatican Council.^[3] It was recognized by the church in several dioceses in Germany,^[4] Austria,^[5] Italy^[6] and Tanzania,.^[7] After an investigation of the community by the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, Munich Archbishop Cardinal Reinhard Marx dissolved it (in his diocese) under canon law in November 2020.^[8] In the meantime, most of the German dioceses followed suit and also dissolved the integrated communities.

History

The beginnings of the CIC reach back to the post-World War II period.^[9][10][11] Initiators were Traudl Wallbrecher (née Weiß; 18 May 1923 in Munich – 29 July 2016) and her husband, lawyer Herbert Wallbrecher. The group grew out of the Catholic youth movement.^[12]

In 1949, Traudl Weiß married the lawyer Herbert Wallbrecher, who belonged to the Catholic "Bund Neudeutschland". With him and his friend Johannes Joachim Degenhardt, the later Cardinal and archbishop of Paderborn, she found two allies. The group oriented itself towards modern exegesis, the liturgy and ecumenical movement,^[13] the Jewish roots of Christianity,^[14][15] and post-war philosophy and literature (amongst others the French existentialists).^[16]

The magazine "Die Integrierte Gemeinde" aroused the interest of agnostics like Gerhard Szczesny and theologians like Joseph Ratzinger,^[17] who supported the path of the KIG within the Catholic Church since then.^[18][19] The friendship with Chaim Seeligmann^[20][21] led to the founding of the "Urfelder Kreis" in 1995.^[22][23]

In 1977 the private Günter-Stöhr-Gymnasium was founded, now one of the schools of the St. Anna school network.^[24]

Since 1978, an Integrated Community in Africa has developed from her encounter with Bishop Christopher Mwoleka,^[25] Tanzania.^[26] Today members of the community there lead the Herbert Wallbrecher school in Mikese.^[27]

In 1977, the CIC was recognized as a public church association by the archbishop of Paderborn, Cardinal Johannes Joachim Degenhardt,^[28] and in the same year by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger,^[29] at that time archbishop of Munich and Freising, the later Pope Benedict XVI.^[30]

A chair called "Cattedra per la Teologia del Popolo di Dio"^[31] was set up at the Lateran University in Rome in 2008.^{[32][33][34][35][36]}

In October 2016 the "Cattedra per la Teologia del Popolo di Dio" started the post-graduate distance learning module "The Profile of the Jewish Christian".^[37] The course is offered in German and English.^[38]

Mission and organization

In its statutes of 1978 the CIC describes its work as an attempt “in a world estranged from the church to make the gospel present in such a way that those whose path has led them away from church can again find new access to the faith of the Catholic Church. Their members are connecting their lives in all areas in a variety of ways and take joint initiatives – self-dependent and self-financed.”

The CIC is subordinated to the local bishop in whose diocese it is active.^[39] In its list of groups and associations of the Roman Catholic Church, the Pontifical Council for the Laity mentions the lay movement as an association of believers.^[40][41]

The CIC includes families^[42] and unmarried persons, laymen and priests, who form table communities and also live in residential communities.^[43] According to their self-conception and practice, everyone is “responsible for their livelihood, for their profession, financial circumstances and property, as well as provisions for old age and illness.”^[44] According to the statutes, the general assembly is the responsible committee. It also elects the leadership team and the head of the leadership team, who must be confirmed by the bishop.

Initiatives

Initiatives pursued by people associated with the CIC are, amongst others:

• St. Anna Association of Schools
• Academic chair for the “Theology of the People of God” at the Papal Lateran University in Rome Chair for the theology of the people of God
• Distance Learning “Theology of the People of God – The Jewish-Christian Profile”
• Professor Ludwig Weimer Foundation

People

• Traudl Wallbrecher (1923–2016) and Herbert Wallbrecher (1922–1997)
• Ludwig Weimer (* 1940), theologian and priest^{[45][46][47][48]}
• Achim Buckenmaier (* 1959), theologian and priest^{[49][50][51][52][53][54][55]}
• Michael P. Maier (* 1961), theologian and priest ^{[56][57][58][59][60]}
• Rudolf Pesch (1936–2011), theologian and historian^{[61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69]}
• Pope emeritus. Benedikt XVI. (* 1927), friend and patron^[70][71]
• Norbert Lohfink (* 1928), theologian and priest^{[72][73][74][75]}
• Gerhard Lohfink (1934―2024), theologian and priest^{[76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90]}
• Rudolf Kutschera, (* 1960), theologian and priest^[91]

References

1. "Catholic Integrated Community". www.laityfamilylife.va.
2. Online, Catholic. "Catholic Integrated Community – Featured Today – Catholic Online". Catholic Online.
3. "International Associations of the Faithful, Directory – Pontifical Councils for the Laity". www.vatican.va.
4. . www.erzbistum-paderborn.de. Archived from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
5. https://www.erzdioezese-wien.at/dl/uustJKJLkOMlJqx4KJK/Erneuerungsbeweg_9_2013_gesamt_v6_7_3_web2.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}
6. "Comunità Cattolica di Integrazione". www.laici.va.
7. 2017 Reports from Tanzania
8. "Kardinal Marx löst Katholische Integrierte Gemeinde auf". 20 November 2020.
9. Alexander Kissler, Der deutsche Papst, Herder, Freiburg, 2005, ISBN 3451288672, p. 104,
10. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger; Benedikt, Many religions, one covenant, Israel, the Church and the World, 1999, San Francisco, Ignatius Press, Notes, Preface
11. Ratzinger, Joseph Cardinal (2 December 2015). Ratzinger, Many religions, one covenant, Preface. Ignatius Press. ISBN 9781681493244.
12. Mike Tyldesley, No heavenly delusion? Abstract: No Heavenly Delusion? analyses three movements of communal living, the Kibbutz, the Bruderhof and the Integrierte Gemeinde, all of which can trace their origins to the German Youth Movement of the first part of the twentieth century.
13. TODAY – pro ecclesia viva, Bad Tölz 1996, p. 55 f.
14. Mike Tyldesley, No heavenly delusion? A comparative study of three communal movements, Liverpool University Press, Liverpool, 2003, ISBN 0-85323-608-9
15. Tyldesley, Mike; Tyldesley, Michael (2003). Mike Tyldesley, No heavenly delusion?. Liverpool University Press. ISBN 9780853236085.
16. TODAY – pro ecclesia viva, Bad Tölz 1996, p. 82-83
17. "Joseph Ratzinger / Papst Benedikt, Skandalöser Realismus? Gott handelt in der Geschichte, Verlag Urfeld, Bad Tölz. 3. Aufl. 2005 ISBN 3-932857-44-5, Vorwort von Traudl Wallbrecher,(Urfelder Texte, 4)" (PDF).
18. Emery de Gaal (22 November 2010). The Theology of Pope Benedict XVI, New York 2010, Chapter 7: Pastor to radical Christians. Springer. ISBN 9780230114760.
19. ""Where are you from?" – Symposium in Tanzania/Africa (2014)". www.popolodidio.org.
20. Chaim Seeligmann, Spuren einer stillen Revolution, Verlag Urfeld, Hagen 1998, ISBN 3-932857-21-6
21. Chaim Seeligmann, Es war nicht nur ein Traum, Verlag Urfeld, Bad Tölz, 2002, ISBN 3-932857-29-1, Chapter VIII, p. 142 ff.
22. "First Impressions of the Urfeld Circle Meeting – ד״ר יאיר פלגי – פסיכולוג בעפולה". yairpalgi.com.
23. Joel Dorkam-Dispeker, Stacheln im Honig, Marburg 2015, Schüren, ISBN 978-3-89472-290-6, p. 307 ff.
24. "Günter-Stöhr-Gymnasium – St. Anna Schulverbund". www.st-anna.eu.
25. Cheney, David M. "Bishop Christopher Mwoleka [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org.
26. (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
27. . www.intigreator.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
28. Traudl Wallbrecher, Ludwig Weimer, Arnold Stötzel (Ed.) 30 Jahre Wegbegleitung, Joseph Ratzinger, Papst Benedikt XVI. und die Katholische Integrierte Gemeinde, Verlag Urfeld Bad Tölz 2006, ISBN 978-3-932857-40-9, p. 36
29. Traudl Wallbrecher, Ludwig Weimer, Arnold Stötzel (Ed.) 30 Jahre Wegbegleitung, Joseph Ratzinger, Papst Benedikt XVI. und die Katholische Integrierte Gemeinde, Verlag Urfeld Bad Tölz 2006, ISBN 978-3-932857-40-9, p. 37
30. "Zeitschrift Communio - Leseprobe 3 der archivierten Ausgabe 2/2009". www.communio.de. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
31. "» Chair". www.popolodidio.org.
32. "Symposium in Tanzania". March 2014.
33. "Un tesoro teologico, Osservatore Romano, 11 March 2014".
34. "Cattedra per la Teologia del Popolo di Dio".
35. Achim Buckenmaier, A poor people of God for the poor in the world? The challenge of Pope Francis, Roma 2014, Lateran University Press ISBN 884650965X
36. "» The biographer of the Pope, Elio Guerriero, at the Chair". www.popolodidio.org. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
37. "» Distance learning". www.popolodidio.org.
38. "» Chair". www.popolodidio.org.
39. Andreas Martin, Die geistlichen Gemeinschaften der Katholischen Kirche, Leipzig 2006, Verlag Benno, ISBN 9783746219950,
40. Council for the Laity: International Associations of the Faithful (Directory)
41. "•On 20 February Bishop Clemens met with Ms Traudl Wallbrecher, head of the Catholic Integrated Community (KIG)".
42. Heide Stöhr-Zehetbauer und Christl Keller, Rund um die Erstkommunion, Ein Familienbuch, Neue Stadt, Oberpframmern, 2016, ISBN 978-3-7346-1105-6
43. Bernhard Koch, Traudl Wallbrecher, 1923 – 2016, Plough Quarterly, Spring 2017, p. 76 ISSN 2372-2584
44. Peter Zitta: "Finding and regaining", in: Theologica No. 3, English Edition, Baierbrunn 2016, p. 19
45. Gerhard Lohfink, Ludwig Weimer, Maria – nicht ohne Israel, Eine neue Sicht der Lehre von der unbefleckten Empängnis, Herder, Freiburg und Wien, 2012, ISBN 3-451-34139-5
46. Ludwig Weimer, Die Lust an Gott und seiner Sache, Oder lassen sich Gnade u. Freiheit, Glaube u. Vernunft, Erlösung u. Befreiung vereinbaren?, Herder, Freiburg, 1982, ISBN 3-451-19195-4
47. Ludwig Weimer, Achim Buckenmaier, Arnold Stötzel, Die 7 Zeichen des Messias, Regensburg, Pustet, 2012, ISBN 9783791724263
48. Weimer, Ludwig (2002). Christsein angesichts der vielen Religionen. Bad Tölz: Verlag Urfeld. ISBN 3-932857-22-4.
49. Achim Buckenmaier, "Schrift und Tradition" seit dem Vatikanum II, Paderborn, Bonifatius, 1996, ISBN 3870889071
50. Horn, Prof. P. Dr. Stephan Otto. . ratzinger-papst-benedikt-stiftung.de. Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
51. Achim Buckenmaier, Der gerettete Anfang, Schrift und Tradition in Israel und der Kirche, Verlag Urfeld, Bad Tölz, 2002, ISBN 3932857240
52. Achim Buckenmaier, Abraham, Vater der Gläubigen ; eine Glaubensbiographie, St. Ulrich Verlag, Augsburg, 2003, ISBN 3936484104
53. Achim Buckenmaier, Moses, Geschichte einer Rettung, St. Ulrich Verlag, Augsburg, 2005, ISBN 9783936484557
54. Achim Buckenmaier, Ist das noch unsere Kirche? Die Zukunft der christlichen Gemeinde, Pustet, Regensburg, 2012, ISBN 3791724231
55. Achim Buckenmaier, Lehramt der Bischofskonferenzen? Anregungen für eine Revision, Pustet, Regensburg, 2016, ISBN 9783791728339
56. Debanne, Xavier. "Maier, Michael P." www.unigre.it.
57. Pubblicazioni
58. Maier, Michael P. (2004). Jeremia - Die Geschichte einen Berufenen (in German). Bad Tölz: Verlag Urfeld. pp. available also in Italian: Geremia. ISBN 3-932857-31-3. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
59. Lift Up your Eyes and Look Around!: Point of View in Isaiah 60, Biblische Notizen 169 (2016), p. 47 – 57
60. Review: L.S. Tiemeyer, Zechariah and his Visions. An Exegetical Study of Zechariah's Vision Report, Gegorianum 97 (2016) p. 174 – 176
61. "Rudolf Pesch".
62. Fletcher, Patrick J. (21 July 2014). Resurrection Realism: Ratzinger the Augustinian. Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 9781630873783 – via Google Books.
63. Rudolf Pesch, The Trial of Jesus continues, Pickwick Publications, 1996, Allison Park, ISBN 978-1-55635-033-7
64. "» In memory of Rudolf Pesch". www.popolodidio.org.
65. Rudolf Pesch, Juden und Christen – ein einziges Volk Gottes? Patmos Verlag, Düsseldorf 2009, ISBN 9783491725348
66. Rudolf Pesch, Antisemitismus in der Bibel? Das Johannesevangelium auf dem Prüfstand, St. Ulrich Verlag, Augsburg, 2005, ISBN 3-936484-44-9
67. Rudolf Pesch, Die matthäischen Weihnachtsgeschichten, Die Magier aus dem Osten, König Herodes und der bethlehemitsche Kindermord ; Mt 2 neu übersetzt und ausgelegt, Bonifatius, Paderobrn, 2009, ISBN 9783897104488
68. Rudolf Pesch, Gott ist gegenwärtig, Die Versammlung des Volkes Gottes in Synagoge und Kirche, St. Ulrich Verlag, Augsburg 2006, ISBN 9783936484687
69. Pesch, Rudolf (2005). Anna Maria Jokl und der "Jossel Rackower" von Zvi Kolitz. Trier: Wissenschaftsverlag Trier. ISBN 9783884767870. Retrieved 3 June 2017. ^{[permanent dead link]}
70. de Gaál Gyulai, Emery (2010). The theology of Pope Benedict XVI - The christocentric shift. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. p. Chapter 7: Pastor to 'Radical Christians': The Catholic Integrated Community. ISBN 978-0-230-11476-0. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
71. Gueriero, Elio (2016). Servitore di Dio e dell'umanità. Milano: Mondadori. p. chapter VI.: Ebrei e cristiani: due religioni, un' unica Alleanza. ISBN 978-8804672401. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
72. Norbert Lohfink, Qoheleth, Fortress Press, Minneapolis, 2003, ISBN 0-8006-9604-2
73. Norbert Lohfink, The Covenant never revoked, Paulist Press, New York, 1991, ISBN 9780809132287
74. Norbert Lohfink and Erich Zenger, The God of Israel and the nations, Studies in Isaiah and the Psalms, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minn., 2000, ISBN 9780764805752
75. Norbert Lohfink, Church Dreams, Talking against the trend, Bibal Press, North Richland Hills, Tex, 2000, ISBN 9780941037914
76. http://worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n50039504/ ^{[bare URL]}
77. "Gerhard Lohfink". Plough. 30 March 2016.
78. Thomas D. Stegman (2013): The Living Presence of God. Jesus of Nazareth by Gerhard Lohfink. In: America The Jesuit Review 2013 (18. March 2013)Living Presence of God, last access on 16 Jan. 2018
79. "Did the Early Christians Understand Jesus?". 29 July 2018.
80. Review: “No Irrelevant Jesus” by Gerhard Lohfink, written by Jonathan Martin Ciraulo, 14 March 2016
81. David L. Balch, Gerhard Lohfink, John R. Galvin, Jesus and Community, The Social Dimension of Christian Faith, Journal of Biblical Literature, 1987, doi:10.2307/3260843, p. 715
82. "Gerhard Lohfink and Wholeness as the Key to the Sermon on the Mount, part one | Cruciform Phronesis". cruciformphronesis.se. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
83. Gerhard Lohfink, The Bible: now I get it! A form-criticism handbook, Doubleday, 1979, Garden City, N.Y., ISBN 9780385134323
84. Gerhard Lohfink, The work of God goes on, The Bible for Christian Life, Fortress Press, Philadelphia, 1987, ISBN 9780800620264
85. Gerhard Lohfink, Does God need the Church? Toward a Theology of the People of God, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN, 2014, ISBN 9780814659281,
86. Gerhard Lohfink, Jesus of Nazareth, What He wanted, who He was, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minn., 2015, ISBN 9780814683088
87. Review by James Martin, Daniel J. Harrington SJ: 'Lohfink's Jesus of Nazareth is the best Jesus book I know.'
88. Gerhard Lohfink and Malina J. Bruce, The conversion of St. Paul: Narrative and History in Acts, Chicago 1976, Franciscan Herald Press, ISBN 9780819905727
89. Death is not the final word, Chicago 1977, Franciscan Herald Press, ISBN 9780819907158
90. Is This All There Is? On Resurrection and Eternal Life, Collegeville, Minnesota 2018. ISBN 978-0-8146-8451-1
91. Kutschera, Rudolf (2003). Das Heil kommt von den Juden (Joh 4,22) - Untersuchungen zur Heilsbedeutung Israels (Dissertation Universität Innsbruck ed.). Frankfurt am Main: Lang. ISBN 3631515855.

• Catholic Integrated Community (Ed.) Theologica No. 3 – Englisch Edition: 'Teologa' del popolo di Dio. Gertraud Wallbrecher (1923–2016), Baierbrunn 2016, ISBN 978-3-946577-03-4
• Andreas Martin (Ed.): Die geistlichen Gemeinschaften der katholischen Kirche – Kompendium, St. Benno Verlag, Leipzig 2006, ISBN 3-7462-1995-7
• Arnold Stötzel (Ed.): Monatszeitschrift HEUTE in Kirche und Welt – Blätter zur Unterscheidung des Christlichen (2000–2008)
• Traudl Wallbrecher, Ludwig Weimer, Arnold Stötzel (Ed.): 30 Jahre Wegbegleitung. Joseph Ratzinger / Papst Benedikt XVI. und die Katholische Integrierte Gemeinde, Verlag Urfeld, Bad Tölz 2006, ISBN 978-3-932857-40-9
• Traudl Wallbrecher, Ludwig Weimer (Ed.): Katholische Integrierte Gemeinde. Eine Kurzdarstellung, Verlag Urfeld, Bad Tölz 2005, ISBN 978-3-932857-45-4
• Mike Tyldesley: No Heavenly Delusion?: A Comparative Study of Three Communal Movements, Liverpool 2003, ISBN 0-85323-608-9
• Traudl Wallbrecher a. o. (Ed.): HEUTE – pro ecclesia viva, Verlag Urfeld, Bad Tölz 1994, ISSN 0946-6401
• Traudl Wallbrecher (Ed.): Die Integrierte Gemeinde. Beiträge zur Reform der Kirche, 18 Bände, Verlag Urfeld, München (1969–1976)

External links

• St. Anna Association of Schools
• International Associations of the Faithful: Catholic Integrated Community
• Professor Ludwig Weimer Foundation