Contact: Suzanne Morse 617-680-2131, smorse@votf.org

For Immediate Release

Voice of the Faithful Celebrates Mass on Boston Common
Organization Promoting Healing and Unity within the Church, Supporting Closing Parishes

Sunday, August 15, 2004 - Boston, Mass. - Members of Voice of the Faithful are celebrating an historic Mass on Boston Common today. The Mass, organized entirely by the organization of lay Catholics, is intended to promote healing and unity in the archdiocese of Boston, which has gone through months of turmoil. It is supporting those people and communities from the over 80 parishes that are slated to close in the next six months.

"The process to choose which parishes to close was painful and divisive," said John Hynes, chair of the steering committee of Voice of the Faithful - Boston. "After hearing the frustration from so many individuals throughout the archdiocese, we knew that we had to provide some pastoral leadership to help support those parishes that are marked for closure. We also wanted to assist those who will be in the complex position of welcoming members into their faith communities, especially since the process forced many of these parishes into the position of voting to close the churches from which these new members are arriving."

"We are hoping that this Mass will offer healing and solidarity for all Catholics in the archdiocese of Boston," said Sheila Connors Grove, a member of the steering committee of Voice of the Faithful - Boston. "The past two and a half years have been difficult for all Catholics in the region, in this country and around the world. We need to come together as Catholics to celebrate the gifts of healing and community that our faith provides."

Four priests are celebrating the Mass on Boston Common - Fr. Robert Bowers of St. Catherine of Siena in Charlestown, MA; Fr. Steve Josoma of St. Susanna's in Dedham, MA; Fr. Ron Coyne of St. Albert the Great's in Weymouth, MA; and Fr. David Gill, S.J. of St. Mary's of the Angels in Roxbury, MA. All four of these parishes are slated to close. Signs naming each of the parishes scheduled for suppression line the walkways of Boston Common near Beacon and Charles Street. Under the direction of the Paulist Center's Tim Westerhaus, the Mass includes a performance by a multi-ethnic, multi-parish choir.

"Boston has become both a national symbol for the problems our Church is facing, the failings of the hierarchical Church and the need for the lay men and women to return responsibility to Catholicism," said Steve Krueger, executive director of Voice of the Faithful. "We know that Boston has become the crucible of many of the issues confronting the Church worldwide - the clergy sexual abuse crisis, the questions of financial mismanagement, and the closing of parishes. But Boston has also been at the epicenter of the emergence of lay people's willingness to take responsibility for their Church. We are hopeful that Voice of the Faithful can provide the kind of model for action and leadership that Catholicism desperately needs to rebuild the Catholic Church in this country and throughout the world."

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About Voice of the Faithful: Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) is a worldwide movement of concerned mainstream Catholics formed in response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis. The group's mission is to provide a prayerful voice, attentive to the Spirit, through which the Faithful can actively participate in the governance and guidance of the Catholic Church. Its goals are to support victim/survivors of abuse, support priests of integrity, and shape structural change within the Catholic Church in full accordance and harmony with Church teaching. VOTF's supporting membership exceeds 30,000 registered persons from 50 U.S. states, 39 countries and 203 Parish Voice affiliates throughout the world.