Voice of the Faithful Applauds Formation of Second Archdiocesan Committee to Deal with Parish Closings

Voice of the Faithful Co-Founder to Chair Committee

November 30, 2004 - Newton, Mass. – Members of Voice of the Faithful are applauding the announcement that a second committee to address the parish closings issue has been formed by the archdiocese of Boston. The committee will review and monitor the disposition of parish properties and funds from their sale after the archdiocese has closed them. It will also make recommendations on the integrity of the process. The archdiocese has already convened an external review committee of the parish closing process, and has asked its finance committee to create a financial plan for the archdiocese.

“It is encouraging to see the set of steps that the archdiocese has taken in recent weeks to address the challenges created by the parish closing process,” said John Hynes, chair of the steering committee of Voice of the Faithful – Boston. “Committed and concerned Catholics need to see this kind of continuing movement toward meaningful lay involvement and financial transparency on behalf of Archbishop Sean O’Malley and the archdiocese in order to regain trust in the Church. This includes complete disclosure of the disposition of sold properties and the subsequent use of the funds, as well as the financial condition of the archdiocese.”

David Castaldi, a co-founder of Voice of the Faithful and a trustee, will chair the committee. Castaldi is a trustee of St. John’s Seminary in Boston, and has served as chancellor of the Archdiocese of Boston. He also attended St. Ann’s parish in Boston, one of the parishes selected for closure. “David Castaldi is an individual of integrity, who will bring both intelligence and a love for his faith and the Church to this job. He will also bring a bedrock belief in the importance of lay input and financial accountability to this committee,” said Hynes.

“Like the external review committee chaired by Peter Meade and Sr. Janet Eisner, we expect that this committee will commit to transparency and make its charter public,” said Sheila Connors Grove, an additional member of the steering committee of Voice of the Faithful – Boston. “We think it is important for this committee to engage Catholics, especially those who are in the closed parishes, in the issues around the use of the funds in the future rebuilding of our archdiocese. Longer term pastoral issues remain, including decreased Mass attendance and donations. Shared responsibility and meaningful involvement in addressing these challenges are essential for the future health of our Church.”

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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 210 Parish Voice affiliates throughout the world.