Catholic Organizations for Renewal


Mission Statement

COR -- Catholic Organizations for Renewal -- is a coalition of Catholic groups, inspired by Vatican II, to further the reform and renewal of the Catholic Church, and to bring about a world of justice and peace, reflecting the sacredness of all creation.

Brief History and Description of COR

The coalition was formed when the leaders of a dozen organizations spent an afternoon in conversation just before the national conference of Call To Action in Chicago in November, 1991. Since that time, over 30 national and regional organizations in the U.S. and Canada have chosen to become part of COR. The only membership requirements are agreement with the spirit of A Call for Reform in the Catholic Church, (the statement authored by Call To Action and first published as a signature ad in the New York Times on Ash Wednesday, 1990), attendance at some meetings, and payment of $150 annual dues. The dues partially reimburse Call To Action for lending staff support and coordination to COR. Meetings typically occur three times a year: February or March in the East (typically in Baltimore), June in tandem with the CORPUS national meeting in their location, and November in conjunction with the Call To Action national conference.

The coalition is not an organization, but a forum, a table where we talk. Joint actions can be mounted, joint positions taken, but in each instance one or more member groups take the initiative, and present the proposal to all other member groups, who then choose individually whether to be associated with that initiative. This preserves the autonomy and diversity of the member organizations, which differ considerably in the range of issues they choose to address.

Examples of Public Actions Taken Under the COR "Umbrella"

Gallup Survey of U.S. Catholics - This 1992 opinion survey was initiated by Catholics Speak Out and co-sponsored by six other organizations in COR. The findings were made public at a press conference in June, 1992 at Notre Dame University during the U.S. Bishops' meeting there.

White House Meeting - Ten COR groups had leaders in the June 25, 1993 meeting with White House staff. The groups offered the Clinton administration a link with progressive Catholics, especially on issues where most U.S. Catholics differ with the hierarchy. Examples: Vatican blockage of any discussion of contraceptive family planning at the 1992 Rio earth summit, and Vatican complicity with the coup regime that ousted duly elected President Jean Bertrand Aristide from Haiti.

Alternative Events during Papal Visit to Denver - Twenty-two COR organizations supported a public forum, a news conference, and several press briefings at World Youth Day, August, 1993. The COR/Denver initiative enabled the national media not only to cover the papal events but to report responsible Catholic disagreement with the pope on many issues, including women's ordination, gay/lesbian rights, and sexual morality.

Signature ads in major newspapers - An open letter to the Pope saying he's wrong on contraception appeared in the New York Times in September, 1994, during the U.N. Population Conference in Cairo, with 2,500 signatures. Another letter to John Paul II appeared in the Baltimore Sun in October, 1995 the week of the pontiff's visit to that city. It said U.S. Catholics are hungry for Eucharist and want the priesthood open to women and married men. Both ads were coordinated by Catholics Speak Out and co-sponsored by many COR groups.

WE ARE CHURCH Catholic Referendum - This call for church reforms is similar to referenda which gathered 2.3 million signatures in Germany and Austria in 1995. Coordinated by Women's Ordination Conference and Catholics Speak Out, the drive in the U.S. for signatures is scheduled to run from Pentecost, 1996 to Pentecost, 1997. Completed referenda from many nations were brought to Rome in a joint international action in October, 1997.

Bill Thompson, staff director of publications for Call To Action, serves as internal coordinator of COR meetings and mailings from the address in the logo above. Public spokespersons for COR will vary depending on the issue or action involved. There is a list of COR member groups and their leaders on the CTA-USA website, www.cta-usa.org.