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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
Citing
Vatican II, Bishop Howard Hubbard of Albany NY has called
on every group in the diocese to be part of a diocesan
pastoral planning process known as "Called to BE
Church." This includes all parishes, deaneries,
and special ministries (Catholic Schools, Catholic Charities,
Pastoral Health Care, Campus Ministry, Jail and Prison
Ministry and Apostolate communities). Writing in all
the bulletins of the diocese Bishop Hubbard stated: "Thus,
the council pointed out that the responsibility for the
life and mission of the church is a responsibility whose
dimensions are universal, applying to clergy, religious,
and laity alike. All are bound together by a variety
of gifts and ministries and all are called to serve the
one mission, the mission of Jesus, to be served by a
multiplicity of ministries and ministers."
For
more on "Called to BE Church" click
here.
Problem
Who
is responsible for an abusive priest when credible accusations
have been made, the priest was moved from parish to parish
and the Statute of Limitations for criminal prosecution
has expired? In Hartford CT, Archbishop Henry Mansell
obviously does not think he or his Archdiocese is responsible.
In what appears to be a knee-jerk reaction to front-page
news about Fr. Stephen Foley's questionable possession
of a Crown Victoria outfitted like a police cruiser,
Mansell removed the priest from St. Thomas Seminary Wednesday. Read
more.
Fr.
Foley has been accused of sexually abusing at least
11 children over the course of the last 30 years --
and the diocese has settled a number of civil cases
totaling over $2 million. Foley was removed from ministry
in 1993 and sent to live at St. Thomas Seminary with
free room and board, medical insurance, and a stipend
of $1000 a month for the last 14 years. Now what? The
church isn't taking responsibility for Father Foley
. We should all be afraid of what this means. Read
More.
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