Voice of the Faithful Focus – A brief update highlighting both a problem in our Church and some progress being made as we work together to Keep the Faith, Change the Church.

Progress

Boston College Conducts Forum on Voice of the Faithful

VOTF was recently the topic of a forum sponsored by Boston College as part of its “Church in the Twenty First Century” Initiative.

Panelists for “Voice of the Faithful: Impact and Prospects” were James E. Post, a co-founder of VOTF; Alan Wolfe, Director of BC’s Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life; James O’Toole, Professor of History at BC; and Monsignor Dennis Sheehan, a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston. The moderator was Patricia DeLeeuw, Vice Provost for Faculties, Office of the Provost and Dean of Faculties at BC.

All of the speakers stressed the importance of lay participation in the life of the Church and urged the members of the audience to speak out and take an active role in Church reform.

Read the story from The Heights the Boston College student newspaper.

View the web cast http://www.bc.edu/church21/webcast.html#VOTF08.

Problem

Cardinal Claims Sex Abuse Crisis Was Exaggerated by Media

Further evidence that the Vatican still doesn’t understand the severity of the clergy sex abuse crisis came in a speech delivered by Cardinal Claudio Hummes, Prefect of the Congregation of the Clergy. Speaking before the National Priests Meeting in Brazil, Hummes claimed that the “media exaggerated the number of priests involved” because “less than one percent of priests” were guilty of abuse.

In contrast to that 1% claim, the USCCB’s John Jay Study reported in February 2005 that more than 4% of U.S. priests were involved. Since that time several hundreds of additional credible allegations have been made every year. No other Bishops’ Conference has sponsored a similar study, but international news makes it clear that the problem is not confined to the U.S. and may even be greater in other countries.

The Hummes speech follows a talk given last summer by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Secretary of State at the Vatican to the National Convention of the Knights of Columbus (and a previous VOTF Focus), who praised the Church for “its dignity and courage” in dealing with the problem.

It seems incredible to us that after six years of constant news reports from all over the world that two high ranking Vatican officials could still be in such denial about what is arguably the greatest scandal to hit the Church in its history.

To read a news account of Cardinal Hummes ‘s speech http://catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=11814.

To read the Focus report on Cardinal Bertone http://www.votf.org/Focus/081607.html.

To read the John Jay Report http://www.usccb.org/nrb/johnjaystudy/.