Apropos the Manos Unidas crisis

Abstract

Manos Unidas, the Catholic run Non Governmental Organisation for Development (NGOD), has suffered the gravest crisis in its whole history during the last few months, stemming from conflict between its former managers and the leaders of the Spanish Synod (Conferencia Episcopal Española). Two basic issues appear to be at the root of the problem: the presence of paid professional staff within the management of Manos Unidas and the wish on the part of the Bishops that this Catholic NGOD play a more active part in financing projects of a specifically evangelising nature. There are issues that run deep beneath this conflict, such as the aims of Manos Unidas as a Church institution, its legal format within the Spanish Catholic Church or the underlying perception of lay people and their role in the church. This editorial endeavours to contribute to an intraeclesiastical dialogue, analysing the conflict, establishing the place of the NGO within Spanish Collaboration for Development, and proposing a series of points for thought that can lead to the establishing of criteria to evaluate the conflict and its repercussions.