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Mary Pat Fox Looks Forward to VOTF
Convention
August 9, 2007
Dear
Friends,
As I write this letter it is 100 degrees in New York
City and I feel cool just planning my Fall weekend
in New England attending the VOTF Convention. For those
of you who are not familiar with the brilliant colors
of autumn in New England I urge you to use this as
a time to experience one of the great gifts of nature.
I hope you have all booked
your reservations. We have
rooms being held at a reduced rate at the Marriott
Courtyard which is the least expensive of the hotels
closest to the Convention Center.
The Convention is going to be a GREAT celebration
and a wonderful learning experience that will help
us accelerate our good work. The goal of the Convention
is to share the lessons we have learned and to invigorate
all of us with new hope for “Keeping the Faith
and Changing the Church.” We will listen to the
wisdom of Fr.
Richard McBrien as he talks about our
participation in the life of the Church. We will drink
deeply from the insights of Edwina
Gateley on how to
maintain a healthy prayer life as we serve the Gospel.
And we will reflect with Judge Merz on the collaboration
with the bishops in protecting our children.
Most importantly we will share our success stories
through over 19 panels
and workshops covering four
main topic areas: Having Our Voices Heard, Supporting
Survivors of Clergy Sex Abuse, Supporting Priests of
Integrity, and Working for Structural Change Within
the Church. Have you struggled in putting together
a coalition to support changes in legislation? Come
and hear how this was successfully accomplished in
Delaware. Do you fear the consolidation of parishes
in your community? Come and gain strength from those
who have waged this battle and won in New York and
Boston. Do you want to find new ways for your voice
to be heard, new ways to hold the Church accountable?
Do you question how the laity can help the Church as
the number of priests gets smaller? Come and hear the
answers to these questions and how other VOTF members
are making a difference at the Voice of the Faithful
Convention – Disciples in Action – October
19-20 in Providence, RI.
We also gather to praise and to recognize a priest
and a lay person who have exemplified the mission and
goals of VOTF. Our “Priest
of Integrity Award"” and “Catherine
of Siena Award” will be announced on Saturday
as well.
We will gather in Eucharist and be nourished in the
peace of Jesus Christ.
I will be speaking on Saturday about VOTF’s
past successes and my hopes for our future. I hope
that you will join us in Providence. Because we are
Catholic, we know the value of community. This October
we will take time to gather as a community, to be together
and gather strength from one another for our crucial
work.
Come join us. Come meet people who are doing similar
work. Come share your own insights.
It promises to be an enlightening and exciting event.
I look forward to seeing you all there.
Keep the Faith, Change the Church,
Mary Pat
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