Keep the Faith, Change the Church.

Press Releases

Parish priest removed for inappropriate questioning during confession

For once, the child protection system worked.

Child protection procedures mean little if those required to execute them fail to do so. But we are reassured to learn that “the system” can work, as it did recently in a parish in Nebraska.

We offer our support and appreciation to the children and parents at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic School who alerted the principal, Mrs. Sandra Suiter, to improper conduct in the confessional by Rev. Nicholas Mishek, an associate pastor at St. Robert Bellarmine parish in Omaha, Nebraska.

Papal abuse commission ineffectiveness provides perfect example of need for reform

Pope Francis’ Commission for the Protection of Minors is considering restructuring when present members’ terms expire next month, and survivors likely will not have a place at the table. They may comprise a separate advisory panel to the Commission.

Voice of the Faithful believes this is a mistake that would put survivors even farther out of the loop in helping to redress the clergy sexual abuse scandal and denigrate the importance of their counsel.

VOTF Public Statement: Catholic clergy sexual abuse scandal reaches inside the Vatican

VOTF appplauds actions taken thus far

Jun. 29, 2017―The Catholic clergy sexual abuse scandal today reached into the heart of the Vatican. Pontifical advisor and prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy Cardinal George Pell of Australia has been granted leave by Pope Francis to return to Australia to answer charges over allegations of historical child sexual abuse.

Catholic Organizations Urge U.S. Bishops to Publicly Support Women Deacons

As Pope Francis’s commission studying the possibility of restoring women deacons continues its work, FutureChurch and Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) urge U.S. Catholic Bishops to publicly support the restoration of the ancient practice of ordaining women deacons and to petition the Holy See to allow women to function in our Church as permanent deacons. 

Marie Collins’ resignation today from Vatican commission is a blow to the Church’s child protection efforts

Voice of the Faithful is disheartened at Marie Collins’ resignation today from the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The lone clergy abuse survivor left on the commission she expressed her frustration at the inability of the commission to move the Catholic Church to more universal and effective child protection measures and healing from its clergy sexual abuse scandal.

Call for married Catholic priests renewed amid declining numbers of celibate clergy

Jan. 10, 2017—The numbers are becoming alarming – too many Catholics for too few priests in many parts of the world. As 2017 begins, Catholic Church watchers are again stressing how the Church must find a way to minister to the faithful with so few priests and how one possible solution could be to relax priestly celibacy.

Two examples suffice to show the situation’s urgency, too few priests to ensure proper ministry, especially availability of the Eucharist:

Our Faithful Revolution

In this first week of a new year, Voice of the Faithful reflects.

Voice of the Faithful, a community of Roman Catholics committed to service and reform, has always sought to “Keep the Faith, Change the Church.” We are faithful Catholics seeking to change those Church structures and processes that impede lay voices and change Church cultures that exhibit a clericalism that separates the clerical from the lay rather than binding them pastorally and collegially.

Pope Francis' child protection panel takes another positive step?

BOSTON, Mass., Sept. 16, 2016 – Pundits were once again this week debating the effectiveness of Pope Francis’ Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, as news spread that commission members have been speaking with new bishops and Vatican offices about child protection best practices. Voice of the Faithful believes this action is another step in the slow progress of Francis’ papacy toward dealing with the clergy sexual abuse scandal, while not yet the substantial steps needed.

Pope Francis establishes commission to study women's diaconate; appoints Voice of the Faithful St. Catherine of Sienna Award recipient as member

BOSTON, Mass., Aug. 2, 2016 – Pope Francis has established a commission to study ordaining women as deacons in the Catholic Church and has appointed a recipient of Voice of the Faithful’s St. Catherine of Siena Outstanding Layperson award as a member. Among the 13 members, six are women, and four of those are lay women.

Child Victims Act sunsets within week of bishops' abuse report

BOSTON, Mass., May 25, 2016 – Recent heightened public scrutiny of Catholic clergy sexual abuse has reinforced the urgency for the Church to address the scandal adequately, according to abuse victims’ advocate and Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful.

Within only a week, the “window” in the Minnesota Child Victims act expired, even as the U.S. Catholic bishops made their annual abuse report.

Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful would welcome Pope Francis' women's diaconate commission

BOSTON, Mass., May 12, 2016 – Pope Francis may soon initiate a commission to study ordaining women as deacons in the Catholic Church, according to media reports today. Equality of women in the Church has long been an issue with Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful, which would welcome such a commission.

'Spotlight' movie receives Best Picture Oscar, and Voice of the Faithful assesses scandal

The critically acclaimed movie “Spotlight” received the Best Picture Oscar Feb. 28. The film about how The Boston Globe investigated and brought to light clergy sexual abuse of children and its coverup in the Archdiocese of Boston has brought renewed awareness to the scandal worldwide.

But many Catholics have had a heightened sense of the crisis all along. Some of those Catholics – determined to remain faithful while addressing the scandal – formed Voice of the Faithful only a couple of months after the Globe’s sensational January 2002 story appeared.

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