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Press Contacts:
Nicole Sotelo, Acting Co-Director
773.404.0004 x285 (office) 857.928.4112 (cell)

July 12, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VATICAN DOES NOT FOLLOW JESUS’ MODEL OF INCLUSION

As Catholics who value Jesus’ model of inclusion and love for all God’s people, we are deeply disappointed that the Vatican has chosen to exclude and distance itself from other Christian churches.

In the document released this week, “Responses to some questions regarding certain aspects of the doctrine on the church,” the Vatican has made it clear that they believe other Christian
churches “suffer from defects.”

“Not only does this document hinder and potentially damage years of positive ecumenical
dialogue and relationships, but it also disregards the example of Jesus,” says Nicole Sotelo,
Acting Co-Director of Call To Action. “Jesus, who was Jewish, invited all people to the table,
regardless of religious affiliation. Why can’t the Vatican follow the model of Christ?”

“As Catholics who try to follow Christ, we feel impelled to publicly disagree with the Vatican’s document. Our silence would equal complicity. We will not be complicit with exclusion. We believe that the Christian community is bigger than the Catholic Church and that Christ’s model of inclusion must be lived today, as it was 2000 years ago. Despite what the Vatican says, we will continue to strive to live as Jesus did by sitting at the table with all God’s people.”

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