The idea was born when a group of reform-minded Catholic theologians met at an international conference on 'Handing On the Torch' (Utrecht, 2010). They concluded that in many areas of the Church's life progress is blocked by an imbalance in the exercise of authority. Theologian and writer
John Wijngaards spearheaded the effort to gather more information and documentation. Wijngaards, a priest who resigned from his ministry in 1998 and subsequently married, is primarily known for his advocacy of women's ordination and for founding the
Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research. The Declaration was opened for endorsement on 11 October 2012 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the opening of the
Second Vatican Council. That is why it was originally known as the ‘Jubilee Declaration’. On 5 March 2013, the Catholic Scholars' Declaration was publicly launched for England by an endorsement ceremony in the
Houses of Parliament, London. Baroness
Helena Kennedy explained her reasons for becoming sponsors of the declaration. == References ==