Michael Winter 
Is Catholicism Reformable? 

In 1950, the famous Dominican theologian Yves Congar stated that there were three kinds of reform in Church history, to cure three kinds of corruption. Doctrinal orthodoxy was reformed by General councils. Institutional shortcomings were reformed by administrative means (like codifying Church law). Moral failings were remedied best by the preaching of religious orders. He also added that in the 20th century, since the Church suffered neither heresy nor moral laxity, the only area was institutional reform. He died before the sexual abuse of children came to light. If Congar got it wrong, it suggests that the Church cannot reform itself: or can it? Michael Winter was ordained priest for the Catholic diocese of Southwark in 1955. He worked for nine years as curate and parish priest in a variety of parishes. Later he pursued further studies in theology at the universities of London, Cambridge and Fribourg (Switzerland), where he was awarded the Doctorate in Theology in 1977. He resigned from the clergy in 1986 and turned to university teaching, and writing. Subsequently.