In the Vineyard
December 2004

"The courage for faith-filled speech continues to emerge from the laity, vowed religious, priests, and bishops….Their voices … are converging into a chorus. 'You will,' in the words of Second Isaiah, 'rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the age-old foundations, and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell.'"

From Donald Cozzens book Faith That Dared To Speak, p. 78

Isaiah's words leave little doubt as to what it is all of us are supposed to be doing. So it is appropriate that In the Vineyard is closing 2004 and beginning the new liturgical year with an album of the gifts of many laborers - photos of some of our organization's blessings in the National office, reports of a round of successful gatherings in New England and the Washington, DC Metro area, an record-breaking response to our VOTF officers election and, not least, a seat at the proverbial table of Church governance. Surely we are "rebuilding the ancient ruins"!

There were several bright moments in and near the nation's capital in November. The November USCCB conference in Washington, DC, where National and local VOTF again bore witness, found our voice represented all over the country - if a newspaper covered the bishops' meeting, VOTF was part of the story; Jim Post and Judy Miller report a success on November 14 of the five VOTF affiliates' conference in Chevy Chase, Maryland. More coverage of these events has been posted on our web site.

Possibly one of the more encouraging signs to come out of the bishops' bi-annual gathering is their decision to join a nationwide council of Christian communities that will bring together a wide variety of Christian Churches and faith groups in collegial dialogue. It is encouraging to VOTF and other reform groups in that it suggests our Church leadership may extend the same long arm of inclusivity to its own fractured Roman Catholic population.

Capping VOTF New England on the same weekend in November was the outstanding VOTF conference in Worcester, Mass. that rallied nearly 1000 attendees despite some serious-looking snow. As one spokesperson said, "This was the Church of the faithful gathered."

All of these conferences, press coverage, volunteer and staff work, Council meetings and multiple affiliate labors, are about service in hope.Without hope and its abiding Christian sense of promise, VOTF would have little to say and fewer to say it. The VOTF year-end fundraising appeal now in progress is only one measure of your support, but its success is foundational, in Isaiah's words, "to raise up the age old foundations."

We are humbled and richly blessed by the ongoing interest by so many in serving the Voice of the Faithful mission. The level of "service in hope" produced our largest number yet of officer nominees as well as willing candidates for VOTF's officer elections. Already, we have ten percent more respondents than the number who voted last year. Names of the nominees and candidate statements have been posted and ballots continue to be distributed. Election results will be posted by the end of this month.

And if all of the above isn't enough to make this season merry, there's one more healthy development in our Church - Boston Archbishop Sean O'Malley's recent appointment of VOTF trustee David Castaldi to the chair of the Parish Reconfiguration Fund Oversight Committee. David's place in the archdiocese represents a model of hope as the skills of lay people are put to work in the service of our Church.

Voice of the Faithful continues to pledge its labors toward those noted by Isaiah. May Isaiah's hope and the Spirit of all that is Good and True bless you and yours throughout this Christmas season.

Peggie L. Thorp, Ed.

Working Group News

Support Survivors with the purchase of original-art Christmas cards - read more; the Structural Change Working Group has completed its survey on Parish Pastoral Councils (pdf) - Priests' Support, Structural Change, and Prayerful Voice reports all appear under Worcester Conference coverage in Regional News.

National News

A key endeavor at this time on the VOTF calendar is our year-end fundraising appeal. Phone-a-thon banks and our remarkable team of volunteers are already up and running; thousands of letters soliciting members and supporters for year-end gifts are in the mail. Julie Rafferty is chair of the Development committee - read her statement on the work of the all-volunteer Office of Development.

The Washington Post reports that the diocese for suburban Orange County, California has agreed to settle 87 cases of alleged sexual abuse by clergy. Click here for the VOTF letter to Bishop Skylstad of Spokane, WA, new president of USCCB and bishop of the third US diocese to file for bankruptcy; the Executive Director Search Committee is in place and at work; MEET THE OFFICE - photos and names of many of the people who bring you VOTF; have you voted in the VOTF annual elections?; You can't if you're not registered - click here for election information and read more in National News; have you seen the VOTF ad in the December 3 issue of Commonweal magazine?; VOTF Convention 2005 update and a few questions for you; the ad hoc Governance Committee introduces itself and its work; VOTF trustee David Castaldi named to Boston Archdiocese post by Archbishop Sean O'Malley.

 

Also new on our web site:

Regional News

[Correction and apology to our Maine members and supporters: The reminder to Maine VOTF people to join VOTFMainemembers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com appearing in last month's Vineyard had an "r" after subscribe and was incorrect. The correct address is as you see it in this message.]

You can still order your Christmas cards; newly appointed to the National Review Board, Dayton, OH Judge Merz makes his first public statements to Dayton VOTF; Celtic Spirituality came to VOTF Scituate, MA; the VOTF Chevy Chase, MD symposium and the Worcester, MA conference drew substantial crowds - read Commentary along with some memorable quotes (additional coverage on our web site - links below); Site-seeing tip from a member - www.alban.org for some interesting parish rebuilding advice; the Boston Voice of Compassion Fund - update from David Castaldi

New on the VOTF web site:

Prayer and Reflection

From staffer Anne Coursey, a prayer used in one of her classes:

May the long time Sun shine upon us all
Surround us
And the Light within us
Lead our way.

Also, one of our members has sent an Advent prayer that focuses on the world's children.

Book Review

Donald Cozzens' new book has been published. Faith That Dared To Speak is about all of us. It is available in bookstores, from Liturgical Press and at www.amazon.com. For review, click here. Next month, look for a review of Boston College professor Stephen Pope's recently published book Common Calling - The Laity & Governance of the Catholic Church.

Did you know? A two-volume set of documents titled "A Documentary History of Religion in America," Edwin S. Gaustad and Mark A Noll, eds., includes several pages of VOTF texts, as part of the story you and we are writing. The book is in its third edition and is widely used in college and graduate Religious Studies courses. It is available at www.amazon.com;

Letters to the Editor and What Do You Think?

Correspondents write about the role of the Church in society, the separation of Church and state, and more; VOTF president Jim Post speaks at two Masses in Minnesota and reflects on how many people VOTF has reached in one month.

In the Vineyard Wish List.

If you have two or more volunteer hours a month, a computer where you can work from home, I have a tedious but rewarding job for you. Please contact Peggie Thorp pthorp@votf.org or leaderpub@voiceofthefaithful.org

Office Wish List

Are you a space planner with some volunteer time to spare? If so, please contact rwhite@votf.org. You are needed!

Working Group News

Supporting Survivors

One way you can make a difference by Christmas!

We are busy selling our Winchester VOTF Christmas cards, designed by artists at our affiliate. Thus far, we have sold cards to persons in 13 states, both red (Florida, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Georgia) and blue (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York, California). All proceeds will benefit abuse survivors. Last year, we donated $4100 to SNAP to finance scholarships for survivors to attend the SNAP conference in Denver. Please help us do even better this year by placing an order and by spreading the word! Cards are just $12 per package, and can be ordered by mailing the order form available at our web-site (http://www.votfwinchester.org ). Please notify me if there are any problems using the links to the order form -- I will send you a form by mail.
Bob Morris

Priests' Support Working Group

The November 13 VOTF New England conference session title was "Repercussions, Reactions and Responses to the Church Crises: Priests Reply." Three priests shared their personal stories. Each was unique, emotional and touched the audience. Clericalism went down several notches. When truth and reconciliation is allowed to surface, healing bubbles up. This prototype bears repetition. .

We had time for just a few questions but many people came forward to speak with each priest and thank him for his honesty and courage. This type of panel was a first for nearly all audience members. It is eye-opening to put one's self in another's shoes. It produces unexpected positive results and can be very therapeutic for all present. The need of priest and people for each other was dramatically illustrated. People were engaged and learning but many were not prepared for the depth and range of feeling.

David Gibson, in his book The Coming Catholic Church, writes "understanding clericalism and transforming that mentality is the single most urgent priority for the coming Catholic Church …. The chief relationship that needs tending is that between priests and laity. The first step in this process is for Catholics to see priests as the human beings they are and for priests to accept that view for themselves …."

The panel consisted of Fr. Ron Bourgault, pastor of St. Zepherin Parish, Wayland, MA; Fr. Robert Silva, parish priest from Stockton, CA and president of the Chicago-based National Federation of Priests' Councils; and Fr. Bruce Teague. Pat Kelly McNulty

Structural Change Working Group

SCWG has completed the Survey results on Parish Pastoral Councils. There is also a link to this on the home page of the Web site. Note from Margaret Roylance:

(The results of the survey on parish pastoral councils carried out during the last year by the SCWG were presented in the structural change breakout session in Worcester.) The SCWG subcommittee on pastoral councils has worked with Professor Chuck Zech of Villanova University to analyze the results of the survey. The analysis indicates that many parish pastoral councils are operating effectively and collaboratively, especially those that have written by-laws and whose members are not all appointed by the pastor. There are parishes in every diocese in the US without PPCs, however, and some of the existing councils have all members appointed by the pastor, meet as infrequently as once a year and almost never see their recommendations implemented. Such councils are clearly in need of renewal, and resources for establishing or renewing your PPC may be found on the VOTF website, including sample by-laws and links to excellent model parishes.

National News

  • VOTF National Elections are under way with ballots distributed electronically and by "snail" mail. Check the web site for Election News. Register. (It's a lot easier to register than to have your voice heard in our Church - and the best way we know to turn up the volume.) Out of town? Electronically limited? If you register. by 12/14, VOTF will fax your ballot to you so as to include your voice by the 12/15 deadline.

  • The VOTF table at the Worcester conference ran out of the small lapel pins. They are available by emailing the Healys at hgaps@healysgraphicark.com

  • What is the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People? The Charter is a comprehensive set of procedures established by the USCCB in June, 2002 to address allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy. The Charter also includes guidelines for reconciliation, healing, accountability, and prevention of future acts of abuse. Read the Charter for the Protection of Children; interesting thoughts in the Christian Science Monitor "As bishops meet, legal troubles still loom" Click here to read this story online.

  • Voice of the Faithful announces a national search for Executive Director.
    With the authority of the officers and Board, an eleven - person search committee has been formed. The committee is chaired by Mark Mullaney. Members representing particular constituencies of the organization are as follows:

    Peter Anderson, Voice of the Faithful Boston Council
    Peg Clark, Voice of the Faithful of SouthWest Florida
    Sr. Betsy Conway, national Secretary of Voice of the Faithful
    Ed Gleason, Voice of the Faithful San Francisco
    Mark Mullaney, chair of search committee, Founding member
    Suzanne Morse, Communications Manager, Voice of the Faithful
    Maura O'Brien, Trustee, Voice of the Faithful
    Sheila Peiffer, originally of Voice of the Faithful Long Island
    John Ryan, Voice of the Faithful Diocese of Peoria, IL
    Anne Southwood, Voice of the Faithful Council Steering Committee
    John Wissler, former executive director of Boston College Alumni Association

    The committee is currently in the assessment of skills and needs phase and it seeks your input regarding your vision for the role of Executive Director. The members will review the comments they receive and then shortly prepare a position description which will be circulated nationally. We hope you will participate in this vital information gathering process and we look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

  • For coverage of the Seattle, WA Diocese filing for bankruptcy, making it the third in the US to do so, click here.

  • If not of national import right now, certainly it is a sign of hope that VOTF founding member and trustee David Castaldi has been appointed by Abp. Sean O'Malley, Boston archdiocese, to chair The Parish Reconfiguration Fund Oversight Committee. The committee will conduct an independent review of the financial aspects of reconfiguration including the monitoring of receipts and spending of funds from closed parishes, as well as funds from the sale of parish property. The committee will offer advice and recommendations to the Archdiocese in these matters.

    David provided the following statement for In the Vineyard readers:

    "I am pleased that Archbishop O'Malley has established a committee of independent Catholics to review the financial aspects of the parish reconfiguration process in Boston and that someone from a closed parish and from VOTF has been chosen as its chair. This committee appears to me to be part of a pattern of his reaching out to Catholics for meaningful lay involvement in the affairs of our Archdiocese and I hope that this pattern becomes a model for our Church in the future. I will work with my fellow committee members and the staff of the Archdiocese to ensure transparency in the handling of the assets of closed parishes. I'll also continue to be an advocate for VOTF and its mission and goals in all that I do."

  • Interesting reading on the USCCB web site: "Midwest Regional Dialogue Of Christians And Muslims Meets To Discuss "Values And Virtues: Living Our Faiths In A Changing America'" at . There's also a regular column you can access on the home page at www.usccb.org "Current Issues in Congress" from the Office of Government Liaison.

  • Governance Committee (ad hoc) statement from committee member Henry Dinger: "For the past several months, a group consisting of the officers, representatives from the VOTF Board of Trustees, the Representative Council Steering Committee, and the Governance Committee chaired by John Ryan, have been in discussions with a view toward recommending a reorganization of the Council and clarification of the Council's role within the organization. The reorganization will likely result in a smaller Council, with representatives selected from national regions and less 'Boston-centric.'

    The discussions have been quite constructive and a consensus has been reached on some, but not all issues. Although the participants in the discussions have had the same difficulty that everyone else has had in keeping up with the discussions of governance on the various listservs, the comments and perspectives of the members have been very helpful."

    Governance Committee members, ex officio and officer attendees are John Ryan (chair), IL; Henry Dinger, Anne Southwood, Bill Fallon and Cathy Fallon, Jim Post (VOTF president), Jeannette Post, Mary Ann Keyes (Parish Voice), Ron Dubois (Steering Committee chair), Elia Marnik, Fran O'Leary, Sr. Betsy Conway (VOTF secretary), Ann Carroll (VOTF treasurer), MA; Kris Ward, OH (VOTF vice-president); Ed Wilson and Anne Wilson, NY; Gaile Pohlhaus, PA


    Some of the Governance Committee - November 19 meeting, Our Lady Help of Christians, Newton, MA left to right around the table: Ed Wilson, Anne Wilson, Sr. Betsy Conway, Gaile Polhaus, Elia Marnik, Ann Carroll, Anne Southwood, Henry Dinger, Jim Post, Mary Ann Keyes, Ron Dubois, Bill Fallon, Cathy Fallon (back of her head). Photographer not in photo - John Ryan

  • 2005 Convention Update Catholic Contacts Wanted - Especially Hoosiers! In preparation for our 2005 National Convention in Indianapolis, we are seeking volunteers to outreach to other groups of mainstream "people in the pews," especially those who are active in Catholic ministries. (At the 2004 National Catholic Educational Association convention I was surprised to learn how many Catholics have not heard of VOTF, and then I realized that had VOTF not been started in Boston, I probably would not know about it either!) The list below is not exhaustive and is geared to the Midwest (Indianapolis). Other suggestions will be welcomed!

    Are you an alumna/alumnus of a Catholic school in the Midwest?
    Ancilla College
    Aquinas College (Grand Rapids, MI)
    Benedictine University (Lisle, IL)
    Bellarmine University
    Catholic Theological Union
    College of Mount St. Joseph
    DePaul University
    Dominican University (River Forest, IL)
    Fontbonne University
    Franciscan University of Steubenville (OH)
    Holy Cross College (Notre Dame, IN)
    John Carroll University
    Lewis University
    Loyola University - Chicago
    Marian College
    Marquette University
    Notre Dame
    Saint Joseph's College (Rensselaer, IN)
    Saint Louis University
    Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (IN)
    Saint Mary's College (Notre Dame, IN)
    Saint Xavier University (Chicago)
    University of Dayton
    University of Saint Francis (Fort Wayne, IN)
    Ursuline College (Pepper Pike, OH)
    Walsh University
    Xavier University (Cincinnati, OH)

    Do you know someone from a religious order in the Midwest?

    Are you a member of any of these groups (or know someone who is)?
    Catholic Health Association (CHA)
    Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA)
    Knights of Columbus (especially in the Midwest)
    National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers (NSCFLM)
    National Association of Church Personnel Administrators (NACPA)
    National Association for Lay Ministry (NALM)
    National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
    National Pastoral Life Center (NPLC)

    If you support the idea of VOTF doing this outreach, and are willing to send a few emails (or make some phone calls), please contact Ann Carroll (anncarrollvotf@yahoo.com). Thanks in advance.

    Working together, we can "Keep the Faith, Change the Church"! Ann Carroll [Ann Carroll is outgoing VOTF Treasurer]

Meet the Office!

Without the ongoing stream of volunteers in our Newton, MA office, alongside our small and committed staff, Voice of the Faithful would have long since faded. Instead, our Catholicism is framed by spirited dialogue and faith-filled inquiry, increased understanding and steady learning, and the attention of thousands in the US and growing numbers abroad. Voice of the Faithful has become a chapter in the Roman Catholic story (This is literally true - see the review in these pages of Fr. Cozzens new book Faith That Dared To Speak.) because of a) a handful of workers willing to stand up to the challenge of repairing our Church and b) your invaluable support.

The office, of course, is only the beginning. Our officers and working groups, affiliate members and ad hoc committees have volunteered countless hours in the process of animating our mission statement and goals. Working together, bearing witness together, listening and speaking together have made a mark on our millennial landscape.

All photo credits go to Aimee Carevich, with many thanks.

Front Desk and Communications [
Communications Suzanne Morse (left) and Peggie Thorp (right); Interim Executive Director Rick White (center); not shown and also in Communications, volunteer Julie Rafferty. Seated Office staff/administration job-sharers Anne Coursey and Ruth Kiley; not available for this photo were volunteers Lou Songer, Dot Winslow, Joan McLoughlin, Mary Moran, Pat Merlo, and Clare Keane. Photo credit: Aimee Carevich

Data Processing/Development

Shown are manager and co-manager Donna Salacuse (4th from left, standing) and Beverly Spencer (1st from left, seated) with volunteers Helen Dolan, Fran Tolland, and Mary Carrigan

Back row: Edward Flynn, Jean Kelly, Martha Rowland, Donna Salacuse, Nancy Chandler. Not available for this photo were volunteers Ann Hynes, Donna Manganaro, Pat Merlo, John Naughton, Bob Petitti, Chet Zwonik.

Our department is made up of thirteen volunteers who work weekly shifts of 3-4 hours. They are divided into two functions (check processing/banking) and data entry. Two part-time staff members work closely with the volunteers and offer ongoing training and support.

Working closely with the Development Committee that initiates fund-raising appeals, the Data Entry department has been called on to process a record 2,337 donations in one month alone. We are also responsible for processing all non-donation revenue for VOTF, registering participants for VOTF-sponsored conferences, and registering new members to VOTF. During the current year almost 6000 donations were processed by our group.

 

Office of Development

Voice of the Faithful is a non-profit organization entirely dependent on donations from generous contributors to support many of its efforts, including the activities of the National Office and its paid staff, the website and e-communications, many of its media relations activities, and coordination of parish voice affiliates nationally and internationally. The Development Committee, working with the President, Executive Director and others at Voice of the Faithful, raises money to support these efforts.

Money is raised primarily through individual solicitations -- via phone, email, in-person solicitations and through direct mail. Development Committee members are involved in all of these activities. The Development Committee also periodically sponsors events for VOTF, such as the recent "Rejoice with Voice" event.

All members of the Committee have significant prior volunteer and/or paid experience in fundraising, marketing and sales, or communications -- and all committee members are donors to VOTF themselves.

November, December and January are particularly busy months for the Development Committee -- gifts to Voice of the Faithful are tax deductible, and many people focus on their charitable gift giving as the calendar year comes to an end. Voice of the Faithful raises a significant portion of its annual operating budget during these three months. Donations in the past have ranged from $10 to $100,000 -- so no gift is too large or too small!

There are many ways to make a charitable gift to Voice of the Faithful. If you'd like to give, you can do so online, or you can contact Julie Rafferty, chair of the Development Committee, at (617) 277-2977 or julierafferty@comcast.net to discuss your charitable giving interests.

Currently, VOTF is recruiting a full-time Development professional to work with the President, Executive Director and the Development Committee to build on and expand our fundraising efforts. Interim Executive Director Rick White is receiving resumes and responding to inquiries. Applicants are asked to submit cover letters and resumes to Rick White at VOTF, P.O. Box 423, Newton Upper Falls, MA 02464-0002. For additional information, call the VOTF office at 617-558-5252.

Committee members include: Jean Boyle, David Castaldi (Trustee), Bill Fallon, Cathy Fallon, Frank McConville, Julie Rafferty (chair), Midge Nealon Seibert, Bill Sheehan, Mary Sheehan, Tony Vallace. Interim Executive Director Rick White is an ex officio member of the committee.

Parish Voice Office
Alice Campanella, Mary Ann Keyes, Suzy Nauman, and Aimee Carevich

 

Web Manager - Eileen Hespeler
Somehow, Eileen manages three children and a career with time to spare for VOTF's many e-needs. Most of what comes to you from VOTF goes through Eileen where it learns how to "behave" in your hands, including In the Vineyard.


Accounting - Jim Bertorelli

Jim Bertorelli comes to the VOTF office weekly to keep us financially accountable and he does it with the same smile you see here.

 

VOTF Regional News

VOTF New England conference - Recap
Worcester Centrum, Worcester, MA November 13, 2004

The only way I can approach a recap of yesterday's outstanding, 900-strong, New England regional conference in Worcester, Mass., is to take off from the standpoint of our mission statement and goals and look for signs of growth over these nearly three years.

So much was said that can not be recapped and for those who want the "full Monty," you can order videos and cassettes at www.resurrectiontapes.com. The small VOTF lapel pins, which we ran out of at the VOTF table, are also available at hgaps@healysgraphicark.com .

In the whole day of talks and workshops, prayer seems to have survived our growing pains, new challenges, and growing numbers in distant places. It is riveting to hear so many people from so many places pray in Voice of the Faithful language that emerged in our earliest meetings - owning the words and spreading the conviction.

Prayerful Voice had many times the number of attendees in their Spirituality workshop than expected. People were far less reluctant to speak candidly about their spiritual lives and clearly more comfortable with the invitation extended by facilitators Susan Troy and Sr. Betsy Conway to "go deeper" in their prayer experiences. A report appears below.

Three years ago, survivors and survivor support groups took their courage to meeting upon meeting to tell us of their struggle with a past that haunted them for decades. They spoke of their own lost childhoods and damaged youth. They spoke from their hearts and won ours. They shared their language and enhanced ours. They spoke their anger and awakened ours. But this day was different. Time and again, the leaders of survivor support, victims of abuse themselves, Phil Saviano and David Clohessy and Cindy Desrosiers talked about "protecting the kids" - I thought I could not become more moved than I had already been by these prophets in our day but here they were, healing and healed, supported and supporting, looking well beyond themselves to your children and mine, your grandchildren and mine.

The conference rang with hope for the lives that might be spared - all who spoke from the survivors' perspective noted that while pedophilia will not disappear "Kids today will be more likely to a) know that something is wrong, b) tell someone at once and c) be believed." It was resoundingly painful to know again that today's survivors did not have those tools for survival.

The plenary panel spoke about a variety of actions any Catholic might take - writing to attorneys general in support of legislation that would eliminate statutes of limitation - and addressed the vital success of media attention on sexual abuse. David Clohessy made a point of advising against writing to our bishops - "Educate and warn the public; write to local papers. Remember the movie 'Field of Dreams.' If you build it, they will come. Whether you are group of five or 500, start a VOTF group."

Bishop accountability took on the semblance of a mantra throughout the day - the audience was reminded that District Attorneys are elected; that major donors to the Church must also be held accountable; that restorative justice can be had in a secular system of law and order; that we should be educated about the use of RICO legislation.

Along the arc of Anne Barrett Doyle and Paul Baier of bishopaccountability.org to survivors and supporters to the priests among us, the pendulum swung safely and deliberately between justice and protection.

Supporting priests of integrity continues to be a painful ministry with so many priests overworked and emotionally battered. Fr. James Scahill of St. Michael's in East Longmeadow, Mass, who was awarded the Priest of Integrity Award, said how "regrettable it is that we need an award for integrity." However, three years ago, few, if any, priests were a) speaking out and b) calling for reinforcements. Today we know of several associations of priests all over the US, some of whom are in direct communication with the USCCB over a broad range of issues. Fr. Scahill called for his brother priests to walk this journey with him alongside Fr. Tom Doyle and the survivors. "Silence betrays truth," he said.

There were 14 breakout sessions throughout the afternoon session; several attendees and facilitators have offered their own takes (below). Pat McNulty's report on the priests' session appears under Priests' Support Working Group; Margaret Roylance's notes on the Structural Change discussion, Susan Troy's Prayerful Voice Report and other attendees' reports appear below. PT

"There's often a difference between facts and the truth. We should know both." Susan Gallagher

"He stood tall in the grey shadow of discontent." Spoken during a tribute to Fr. Bob Bullock who died this year. Fr. Bullock was pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows, Sharon, MA.

"Catholics are made to suffer more from than for the Church." Flannery O'Connor quoted by Fr. James Scahill

"Silence betrays truth."

 


Fr. Tom Doyle addresses conference. Photo credit Phil Gilson

"There is turbulence in the struggle between truth and power." Fr. James Scahill

"You will create a new design that is fresh. You will choose the pattern, You are the weavers." Sue Archibald, president of the survivor support organization the Linkup and director of the survivor relief facility The Farm.

"The abuse of so many kids didn't happen because we didn't have 'policies and procedures' and 'Policies and Procedures' will not make it go away." David Clohessy, founder of National SNAP

To order audio/video tapes of the Worcester conference, you can receive an order form via one of the following;

Some recaps of a few sessions on November 13 submitted by attendees and moderators follow.

From John Moynihan - moderator "Renewable Church: The Authors' Perspective"

I moderated the session with Eileen Flynn, David Gibson and Paul Lakeland. Well over 100 people kept this discussion into overtime with their interest and the depth of their questions.

One of the ideas that emerged was the concept of a forum of all Catholics interested in renewal, whether they were centrist or to the right or left. It was felt that all these groups should be part of the conversation and part of the process. It's an exciting idea to bring people to one place to dialogue with each other rather than to bash each other within their particular media. (See the Pilot, Nov 19, 2004) Author David Gibson feels firmly that the only way to effect reform is to bring people of various stripes together to work on the problem with a spirit of mutual respect.

Donna Doucette comments on the morning plenary gathering. Panelists included Fr. Tom Doyle, Tom O'Neill, Gaile Pohlhaus and Jim Post. The panel talk was "Toward Meaningful Church Renewal."

Panelist Jason Berry (author of "Lead Us Not into Temptation," one of the first books on the abuse crisis, and of the recent "Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II") said he would tell people to keep up a steady stream of letters and information to the Roman Curia. Oddly enough, he noted, the Curia are devoted to opening and reading their mail. "They take their mail very seriously." Sending "thoughtful, cogent letters with documents and citations from legal cases" build strata of information and data that ultimately can compel the Vatican to take action. Berry later pointed out to the attendees that concentrated letter-writing campaigns complaining about "liberal" bishops already are a reality. It's necessary to provide information from other standpoints.

Father Tom Doyle, one of the first to warn the bishops about clergy abuse and recipient of the first VOTF Priest of Integrity award, said it is important to realize that the two tiers within the Church -- one clergy and one laity -- "is not the way it's supposed to be." Among his other suggestions: Overcome the fear of speaking up before clerics. Seek justice for all: the abused as well as the priests who may be accused but not be guilty. Move past our own internal urge to complain and look to positive growth, which depends on internal, personal renewal. Further, he noted, in contrast to what the hierarchy once claimed, the abuse issue "is not an American problem. It's an ecclesiastical problem."

Gaile Polhaus from the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Villanova University, described the development of a new model for the Church. The old model was one of saints and hierarchs "up there and we, the petitioners, down here" expected to pray, pay, and obey. But that old model is not the one present at the beginning of the Church. The original model was one of companionship -- and it is a model that the women in history have consistently maintained.

"We cannot allow ourselves to be marginalized, nor to marginalize others," Dr. Polhaus said. "We are all equal in the eye of God." Dr. Polhaus then described several models of organization and culture. Exclusivity regards others as outsiders: "I belong to my tribe; you do not and, therefore, you are not as good." Inclusivity welcomes others into my group, along with me, but you then must become like me. Complementarity recognizes that we are different and allows each of us to remain different. Mutuality, however, is the model that allows us to work together while honoring and utilizing each other's differences.

Tom O'Neill, former lieutenant-governor of Massachusetts and a trustee for Boston College, opened his comments by describing himself as "Catholic and I will be a Catholic forever. But I'm a 5th-generation Catholic and a 4th-generation politician, so I suggest to you a variation of the saying that all politics is local. I say all religion is local ... We love ... the universality of our Church ... But the Catholic Church has its reality at the parish level." The parish level is where the crimes were committed, Mr. O'Neill said. "The bishops are doing something, yes," he said, "but the crisis also is treated as a PR problem" with the attitude that soon we will be getting back to normal. But what if

NORMAL IS the problem?" Mr. O'Neill asked. What if the normal clericalism, role of women, parish closings, are all part of the problem? The decline in priestly vocations is decades long and yet suddenly we must solve it in a few weeks by closing parishes? What about the future role of the laity?

Mr. O'Neill also warned that "something new and dangerous "h as been injected into America when bishops use the sacraments to support a political position." His quarrel, he said, is not just with bishops who would try to enforce a reactionary political agenda by threatening Catholics with the sacraments. "My quarrel is with those bishops who stood by SILENTLY while other bishops spoke" for a political agenda.

Susan Troy reports on the Spirituality Workshop at the conference:

The Spirit was generously present in every aspect of the Worcester Conference, and especially welcomed and expressed at the breakout session "A Movement of Faith/A Faith Movement: VOTF and its Emerging Lay Spirituality." The seventy to eighty people who chose to attend the session highlighted the centrality of prayer and spirituality in our movement. Those present prayed, reflected and discerned together and bore great witness to VOTF's powerful emerging lay spirituality. The Spirit is experienced as profoundly present in the VOTF mission, VOTF gatherings and all its work towards justice, healing and reform. What is emerging is a spirituality configured in those gathered, in the "communio" of prayer and mission, in the genuine experience of the holy in our work. We identified a reinvigorated spirituality based not in the bricks-and-mortar Church, but in the genuine Church of the faithful gathered. In particular, the group gave voice to a "new" understanding of leadership and authority in the Church. Leadership and authority are much more broadly understood and accepted as genuine. Authentic leadership and authority is based on the act of carrying forth the gospel of Jesus Christ into the world and giving voice to gospel values. The participants were encouraged to assume leadership roles in maintaining the centrality of prayer in all VOTF activities and meetings and to fostering the development of Prayerful Voice working groups in affiliates.

Update on RCAB Voice of Compassion Fund - several readers have asked about the fund that bridged the charitable giving gap early in the abuse crisis. David Castaldi provides this update:

The Voice of Compassion Fund was formed in July, 2002, to provide financial support to our Church in Boston while promoting financial transparency and accountability in our Church. The Archdiocese of Boston refused to accept directly any donations from the Fund because it felt the Fund compromised the role of the Archbishop. The Fund remained active from the time of our July 2002 national convention through the end of 2003. During that time the Fund was very successful and cost-efficient as it collected almost $154,000 from VOTF members and friends and distributed over $152,000 to Catholic Charities of Boston, after all expenses were paid to the National Catholic Community Foundation (NCCF) and after any expenses charged to VOTF (there were virtually none).

In its final calendar year, the Fund did not collect a sufficient amount to require NCCF to remain as Fund administrator. The fund, therefore, became inactive when NCCF exercised its contractual right to withdraw as administrator of the Fund because it was losing money on the administration of the fund. NCCF received fees slightly in excess of $1000 per year from the fund and its costs were very substantially in excess of its fees. We have not found a way to continue the Fund in a cost-efficient manner.

VOTF's Financial Voice Working Group, which sponsored the Voice of Compassion Fund, has become the Finance Committee of VOTF's Structural Change Working Group so that it can focus on VOTF's higher priority of defining and working toward its goal of structural change in the Church. In this "new life" the group has developed a structural change document entitled "Principles for Diocesan Finance Councils" that has been approved by the VOTF Council and posted on the web site under "Structural Change." The group is currently developing methods to promote this document within Church circles and is drafting a new document on "Principles for Parish Finance Councils." I am chairing this subcommittee of the SCWG which is, of course, chaired by Margaret Roylance.

 

Affiliate News

VOTF Central

VOTF Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN
Submitted by Jack Manley

"Sex Abuse in The Catholic Church: Healing The Hurts in All of Us" - The event, sponsored by Voice of The Faithful- Twin Cities, was held recently at The University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota. The three-hour program drew over 90 people and included an address by A. W. Richard Sipe*, a panel including Sipe, two therapists familiar with clergy abuse, a victim/ survivor and an apology service for those hurt" by sexual abuse or exploitation by a priest, deacon, nun or other vowed religious or lay employee of the Archdiocese and also their families". A reception closed the event. Archbishop Harry Flynn of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis did not respond to a written invitation.

Sipe's talk "The Blessings and Curses of Forgiveness" had as its central theme forgiveness and healing, principally forgiveness of sexual abuse by priests, bishops and religious including 10 steps that can lead to healing. The full text can be found on his web site, www.richardsipe.com/lectures/

The panel fielded questions from the audience for over an hour. The questions dealt with a variety of topics from what signs or signals indicate there might be a problem and how do you help a victim to what is the story on the statute of limitations. The apology service included music by a harpist, scriptural readings and individual apologies delivered in the name of the Catholic Church. The apologists included priests, nuns, a Christian Brother (FSC) and lay people. More than twenty people went forward to receive apologies.

[*Richard Sipe is a psychotherapist and former Benedictine monk and priest. For more than 30 years, he has been engaged in research on the institution and practice of priestly celibacy.]

VOTF Cleveland/Akron, OH
Submitted by Tom Byrne

Fr. Donald Cozzens addressed the Cleveland First Friday Club on Nov. 4 on "Church Structures and the Abuse Crisis." Exploring beyond a theme he has talked about previously, the medieval structures of our institutional Church, he provided the Milwaukee Archbishops' story as understandable in light of Archbishop Weakland seeing himself as "lord of the manor." But we are not serfs, and Cozzens underscored the outstanding educational level of American laity. Fr. Cozzens noted that our lay voice needs to engage the hierarchy, not confront them. He cited 20th century philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein who once referred to a street preacher in England: "If he really meant what he was shouting, he wouldn't be speaking in that voice."

Holding his new book Faith That Dares To Speak, Fr. Cozzens implored us to continue the dialogue on the issues in our Church today.

VOTF Dayton, OH
Submitted by Kris Ward

Judge Michael R. Merz, a Daytonian, who is one of the four new appointments to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops National Review Board, was the guest at the November meeting of the Dayton Affiliate. The meeting took place just days before Judge Merz was introduced to the body of bishops and attended his first National Review Board meeting.

Judge Merz told the affiliate a letter from Jim Post acknowledging his appointment to the National Review Board was the first letter he received and the Dayton Affiliate's meeting was his first public appearance as a National Review Board member.

Judge Merz answered Dayton Affiliate members' questions for an hour an a half. He told the affiliate he would consider it his "support group" and added, "and that means giving me a swift kick if you think I need it." He provided all affiliate members with his email address saying he welcomed the members contact with him.

The Dayton Affiliate is also planning for a parish financial accountability seminar. Talks are underway with the University of Dayton and two national accounting firms.

VOTF South

VOTF Nashville, TN
Submitted by Jim Zralek

Our group elected new officers: co-presidents Elizabeth Warren and Anita Sheridan; Vice-president Florene Johns; and sec/treasurer Barbara Frazier.

We are beginning recruitment for new members by each present member promising to have one-on-one conversations with interested people.

We are planning a speaker event for January 2005. Our next meeting will be January 12, 2005 at 6:30 pm at St. Ann's on Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN. Anyone wanting more information, please contact Elizabeth Warren at elizabethswarren@comcast.net

VOTF East

VOTF Scituate, MA
Written by Roger Twyman and submitted by Kathy Cerruti Contact: dkcerruti@comcast.net

"It's none of your business," said his Irish grandmother when asked by the priest in the confessional why she missed Mass the previous Sunday.* And so it went in Father Timothy Joyce's talk on Celtic Spirituality at the St. Mary of the Nativity Parish Hall, Scituate on Thursday, November 11th. It was an evening of serious discussion of the origins of Celtic spirituality punctuated by tales of Irish folklore, family traditions and practices, and shared experiences. The stories had many in the audience laughing, smiling, or nodding in recognition of familiar themes.

Father Joyce talked about the conditions that formed the Irish psyche. He talked about the love and esteem Irish society bestowed on artists, poets, and musicians. He told about Queen Elisabeth I's efforts to eradicate Celtic culture by making her first targets of suppression the story tellers, poets, and musicians. The deep attachment to the land and to the melding of the land with the spiritual was integral to the history of the Celtic people: "thin places" like mountain tops and ocean tides that help us understand more fully the wonders of God's creation; "thin times" were illustrated by describing old Irish wakes, where family and friends gathered to help the deceased make their journey to the other side a comforting transition.

His stories and anecdotes had a serious intent - to portray the history, development, and growth of Celtic spiritual practices. From the early days of St. Patrick in the 6th century to today's Irish Catholics, Father Joyce took the group through the travails of the Irish people. Slavery, destitution, suppression, and abject poverty were all part of the Irish experience. He reminded the listeners of the fact that the experience of inner city blacks is still colored by the experience of their ancestors as slaves; America's new wave of immigrants are following a path that should be very familiar to the Irish, who have succeeded in overcoming the curse of discrimination. And he exhorted the audience to take up Christ's call to feed the hungry and comfort the afflicted.

Throughout his talk, Father Joyce shed an introspective light on current-day Irish Catholic religious practices and mores - the emphasis on rote prayer, unflinching obedience to clergy, and "pay, pray, and obey" attitudes. He believes that these attitudes grew out of earlier Irish affliction and struggle and that they became survival tactics for a displaced people. Father Joyce called for a return to a healthier Celtic spirituality with an emphasis on imagination, discussion, collaboration, and community. He connected Celtic spirituality with the hope and promise of Vatican II in its emphasis on the role of the laity and its call to live the Gospel. Father Joyce noted that both Celtic spirituality and Vatican II have the potential to open windows and breathe life into a wounded Church.

Father Joyce, a Benedictine monk, is the Prior of the Glastonbury Abbey in Hingham. He has written several books on Celtic history and spirituality. The lecture was sponsored by the Scituate Affiliate of Voice of the Faithful and was attended by over 100 people.

[*She had misplaced her false teeth.]

VOTF Winchester Area, MA
Submitted by Bob Morris

The Winchester Area VOTF continued its weekly Monday night meetings in November. Clergy abuse survivor Gary Bergeron spoke on November 8 about his book Don't Call Me a Victim: Faith, Hope & Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church and the T.R.U.S.T Foundation he has established to aid other abuse survivors. Gary's story and hope for the future touched the 60 people present.

The Winchester VOTF is inaugurating a monthly series of faith sharing sessions, in order to fulfill VOTF's mission of being "prayerful people, attentive to the Spirit." The first session took place on November 29. On November 22, Professor Jane Regan of Boston College highlighted for about 50 people the importance of adult faith sharing, and the need for adults to have a place where honest conversations about their faith can occur. Many thanks are due to Bill Murphy for organizing this important program.

We are continuing to sell our Winchester VOTF Christmas cards. All proceeds will benefit clergy abuse survivors.

For information about Winchester VOTF, visit our web-site at www.votfwinchester.org, or contact Bob Morris at rmorrisvotf@aol.com.

 

VOTF Montgomery County, MD
Submitted by Judy Miller

On November 14, the eve of the 2004 general meeting of U.S. bishops in Washington, DC, nearly 300 Catholic laypersons gathered at a nearby site in Chevy Chase, Maryland to grapple with the manifold issues that remain unresolved from the clergy abuse scandal.

Five local affiliates - Bowie, MD; Greater Baltimore, MD; Holy Trinity, DC; Montgomery County, MD; and Northern VA invited national spokespersons from academia, the lay and survivor communities, and the bishops to address the question "Are the Wounds Healing?" All but the bishops were represented. Bishop Malooly (Baltimore) and Bishop Farrell (Washington, DC) declined the invitation because of weekend meetings in preparation for the USCCB meeting. The purpose of the symposium was to assess the church's progress in reconciliation and healing since the abuse scandal became public in January 2002.

David O'Brien, Loyola Professor of Roman Catholic Studies at the College of the Holy Cross, gave the major presentation, "American Catholicism: Crisis and Beyond," followed by responses from president of VOTF Jim Post, founder and president of SNAP Barbara Blaine, and pastoral theologian and author Rev. Donald Cozzens.

At the conclusion of the symposium the VOTF affiliates awarded its first Award of Compassion to Mary Liz Austin, founder and president of Healing Voices in recognition of her dedication, devotion and compassion to the survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Healing Voices, headquartered in Frederick, MD is an organization dedicated to providing hope to survivors for healing, and to building a community of caring individuals dedicated to healing the wounds of clergy abuse, advocating for justice, and providing prayerful presence.

Are the wounds healing? After listening to the presenters and to the questions and comments of members of the audience one could conclude that we have a very long way to go in the healing of our wounded Church. However, the symposium did inform us, challenge us and inspire us to continue to be a part of reconciliation and healing within our Church.

Planners of our first collaborative regional initiative felt we had achieved our goal of providing a forum for dialogue, despite the absence of the hierarchy. The event also provided an opportunity for press coverage - CNN and Reuters - and recruitment of new members.

In other news from our region, leaders from the Greater Baltimore-DC Metro region are participating in the Many Hands, Many Hearts initiative along with leaders from the Philadelphia and Portsmouth, VA affiliates and are currently involved in one on one campaigns. Email contact: chuck-judy@starpower.net

VOTF New Jersey
Submitted by Carole Rogers

Our NJ Speaker Series continued this month with a hope-filled presentation by Rev. Eugene Lauer, director of the National Pastoral Life Center. In his talk, entitled "Women and Minorities: Their Impact on the Development of Theology," Father Lauer said that the common denominator of the new approaches to Catholic theology, which began at the time of the Second Vatican Council, is the way they use human experience when interpreting the Word of God. In a talk filled with concrete examples and lightened with humor, he showed that the experience of women and minorities is of crucial importance in a field that had been dominated for centuries by white male celibate clergy.

Also in November, VOTFNJ initiated a new feature in our monthly newsletter. "Unsung Heroes" will introduce a different priest each month-someone who is quietly and with integrity trying to serve the people of God in our dioceses. We hope this feature will let our priests know that we see and appreciate all they do on our behalf.

VOTF NJ members are joining with SNAP members for a Candlelight Vigil on the evening of Saturday, December 4, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ, to show support for clergy sex abuse victims. VOTF members are also making phone calls and sending letters, faxes and emails to their state legislators to urge support for Assembly bill A-2512, which eliminates charitable immunity in cases involving the sexual molestation of a child. Supporters of the bill believe it is very close to passage. Stay tuned for updates! Contact: Maria Cleary, clearymf@optonline.net

December Book Review

Faith That Dares to Speak by Donald Cozzens, Liturgical Press

Last month, Jim Post said of Donald Cozzens after his presentation at a VOTF Chevy Chase, Maryland symposium, "Donald was, as expected, the warm face of the clergy we love to see - intelligent, thoughtful, and respectful of the audience." If you missed the symposium, Faith That Dared To Speak will give you all of the above plus some.

Cozzens is a priest's priest and clearly a shepherd by avocation. His earlier book The Changing Face of the Priesthood pleaded a case for awareness of and compassion toward the multiple and often conflicting demands of the priesthood as well as a bold look at the identity and promise of a ministry under siege. In the end, Cozzens concluded, "Behind the changing face of the priesthood lies the saving face of Jesus the Christ."

Faith That Dares To Speak mirrors the same affectionate respect and honest appraisal of where the laity are, where we've been, where we might go and how we might get there. The sweep of his perception, however, covers the whole discipleship of Jesus - the message is a mild corrective for bishops and priests as well as their lay siblings. Here is the pastoral voice of community that promotes humility ("a graceful freedom to live fully in the present"), listening ("When Canon Law emphasizes the sacred character and role of prelates and priests, listening and speaking, the fundamental elements of dialogue, become skewed"), and silence ("Contemplative conversation, conversation that emerges from silence and prayer … disarms defensive postures of rectitude").

Cozzens identifies speaking out for justice a virtue. He lauds National Catholic Reporter as well as Commonweal and America magazines, the National Review Board and others for speaking truth to power. Curiously, while Cozzens speaks a loving embrace for the survivors of sexual abuse by clergy, he does not mention SNAP and the other survivor support organizations whose courage first enabled public awareness.

He notes the roots of a feudal clericalism that will only continue to befuddle and diminish the institutional Church. Were it not so tragic, one might laugh at Cozzens' imagined assessment by Church leaders of the emerging Voice of the Faithful - "The serfs were organizing." Accountability is prominent in these pages and is levied not only on the heads of bishops but on the laity. Cozzens proposes the same adult discipleship for the laity that the latter expects (and demands) of its bishops.

For members and supporters of Voice of the Faithful, there is warm praise and a full section. Speaking of the many lay people who have discovered what it means to be an adult member of the Church, Cozzens says, "Sometimes all that is said [by these Catholics] can be distilled to Ad sum, 'I am here, I am present as a full, equal, adult member of the church - and I expect to be treated as such by church authorities.'" Among the voices of the faithful, Cozzens reviews Call To Action's compelling history and the beginning of Voice of the Faithful. He notes the challenge to church officials of VOTF's third goal - "the reform of church structures that no longer support the vitality and mission of the church." He goes on to say, "I propose the real issue church officials have with VOTF's third goal is control and power." Even with these words, Cozzens voice is one of contemplative compassion.

Cozzens best gift in this book lies in the language of self-perception and examination. For example, his understanding of the difference between willful and willing: Drawing on the work of Gerald May in his book Will and Spirit, Cozzens says, "Willfulness …is an exercise of will grounded in ego, mastery, and control …. Willingness emerges out of contemplative silence …. [It] recognizes that God's Spirit is the primary actor and source of all that is truly good and right."

Given the distance between so many in Church leadership and so many in the pews, Faith That Dares To Speak is an even-handed witness to communion. It is compassionate, hopeful, forgiving and invitational. It belongs in the conversation as all Catholics build a Church for the 21st Century.
PLT

Donald Cozzens is a priest and author of two previous books - The Changing Face of the Priesthood and Sacred Silence: Denial and Crisis in the Catholic Church. He is writer in residence at John Carroll University where he teaches religious studies.

Letters to the Editor

"In my life time (54 years), the Church has been a follower of community rather than its pillar or its leader. Such good ideas as we might have that are counter to the general public are left to a handful of strident voices or languish in small committees or go unheard at all.

We do little to offend the communities of which we are a part - even if the community vision is cloudy or darkened by simply just being American and middleclass.

It really would have been nice if the 'Body of Christ' (the Church) would have been as enthusiastic about confronting the community about war and poverty and justice as it is about confronting the bishop with its own desire to maintain its real estate. Stopping parish closings is probably noble in the sense that it is finally something growing among the visibly dead - I'm just not quite as convinced that it isn't just one more American "more about us"; do we fight as hard when it is for housing for others, schools for everyone, peace or justice or life - innocent life/guilty life/Iraqi life? It's easy to be in favor of one's gathering place in the "burbs." It's not quite enough to truly make it 'church.' It might be a start.

We don't need anyone to feel guilty. We need everyone to feel responsible

Church in community needs to be more about being willing to risk voice and leadership. It must be more than a place to be 'fed.' Americans are overfed and under responsible at many levels. We need to be the city on the hill and the light than shines even as we fill the streets.

Anyway - keep up the work. What we do now isn't the war, it's just a battle; it isn't a vision, it's just a glimpse; it isn't the goal, but it is a start." Linda, OSC

"Too little discussion on how a religious institution should serve the community? Maybe the elite has not discussed this, but we the people of God have, since the revelations of Vatican II, discussed (1) the awesome responsibility of mapping our own salvation and (2) how the institution can serve us as we journey to Christ. Lots of prayer and discussion ... just no way to communicate to the institution." Gail W Hunter

 

"I am surprised that VOTF had little to say about the attempts made by bishops and priests to influence Catholic voters in the presidential election. I was personally appalled to hear and read that some clerics were suggesting that Catholics had a moral obligation to vote Republican because of Bush's position on abortion and stem cell research, as if those were the only 'life and death' issues in the campaign. Given how important 'moral values' were to voters in this election, it is possible that the Church's position critically altered the vote.

This is a clear misuse of ecclesiastic power and dangerously borders on a violation of the ideal of separation of church and state. Isn't it time for VOTF to speak out on something besides pedophilia?" Sharron Jaskunas, Indianapolis

"We need more discussion on the matters of the Church and civic interest. I am concerned about separation of Church and State. It was very disturbing that the Catholic Bishops and a number of parish priests took a stand against a Catholic candidate in the recent Presidential Election. It is very confusing to me that that in the early 60's, the Church was eager to elect a Catholic to the White House and this year it was not. In light of its many abuses, is the Church any longer credible on moral issues?"

"We were offended when several homilists in the churches we attended tried to influence our vote during the recent election. Since we have no voice, we no longer support this Church."

"I congratulate you all for caring about the people (all of us) who make up the Body of Christ. Together we are Church." Pat Twomey, Cork, County Cork, Ireland

"I agree that the role of a religious institution and its interaction with the community needs more discussion. Also, the role of individuals within the religious institution when interacting with people must be discussed. For example, much has been said about child abuse but little has been said about adult sexual exploitation by persons within ministry."

"There are still too many offending priests who have ducked under the time-limit radar who are still serving as priests and too many in the hierarchy who covered up for them who haven't even been affected by the turmoil. They consider everything taken care of and are continuing on as though nothing has happened." Jim Schmidt, Norwood, MA

What Do You Think?

This month's commentary comes from George Byrne of Lyons, Wisconsin. Mr. Byrne is responding to the question raised last month regarding the role of the Church in society. Please respond to these comments and/or offer your own commentary at leaderpub@voiceofthefaithful.org.

Ladies and Gentlemen:
As far as the public image of our Church is concerned, it will be severely damaged unless and until some of the members of the hierarchy do hard time in prison for covering up crimes, for moving sex abusing clergy from one parish to another, from one diocese to another, from one country to another, all without warning the laity, and for secretly diverting funds for hush money or to settle law suits.

The current hierarchical stands opposing homosexuality are puzzling if indeed from 23 to 58% of the clergy is homosexual, as has been reported. It is more puzzling not because of the homosexuality of the clergy, but the types of homosexuals that are attracted to the priesthood and the overall impact they are having on the laity and clergy alike. Why would the institution of marriage be threatened if homosexuals of the same sex were allowed to marry? Then again, why is the Roman Catholic Church in the marriage business at all? Marriage annulments are agonizing for those who go through them and a joke to the rest of the world.

During the recent election campaign several bishops carefully pointed out the abortion issue and proclaimed that abortion is contrary to teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Yet, nothing was said of executions by the state, pre-emptive war, the slaughter of over 100, 000 Iraqis, violation of the Geneva conventions, or the terrible costs in human life and treasure of the war. I find it astounding that if St. Thomas Aquinas were in the U.S. today, he could not receive Holy Communion in some dioceses.

The lack of clergy in the Roman Catholic Church is apparent to anyone. Yet, the hierarchy is using the same strategy that it has used for over fifty years - pray for vocations to the priesthood and cajole boys to become priests. In our archdiocese, each parish now has a quota of seminarians. Will we have a lottery for the sacrifice? We need to address such issues as:

  • Who should be a priest? As it is now, neither Peter, nor most of the other Eleven or Junia, Paul's "fellow apostle" could be priests today in the Latin Rite. Must priests, with some exceptions of course, be celibate males?
  • Why do parents not want their children to be priests?
  • What should the role of a priest be?

Last year, Cardinal George of Chicago told me that he believed the reason so many Roman Catholics do not "practice their religion" is a lack of sound understanding of the teachings of the Church. I have thought about that and think young people understand the teachings of the Church (or rather some of the illogical, non-scientific, and non-theological positions of the hierarchy), reject them, and vote with their feet. An example of such a hierarchical position concerns the condemnation of artificial birth control and the advocacy of the rhythm method.

When these and similar issues are faced head on and addressed rationally, there is a possibility that the image of our Church can be restored. As it stands, the Church reminds me very much of laminar fluid flow: The hierarchy or bottom layer is headed South, the top layer or laity are headed North and many of the clergy are trapped in the boundary layer separating the two lamina. It is a pathetic image indeed for all the world to see, but to some it is unseen.

Prayer and Reflection

ADVENT PRAYER FOR CHILDREN

Response: O SON OF MAN save the children of humanity!

O Son of Man, you had nowhere to lay your head. Give a safe and comfortable home to all children. R.

O Son of Man, you and your disciples fled from city to city. Give refuge to all children who flee persecution and injustice.R.

O Son of Man, you said to the paralytic "Get up, pick up your bed and go home." Give medical care and hospitality to all children who are sick and dying. R.

O Son of Man, you came eating and drinking. Fill the starving children with good things. Give them safe water to drink. R.

O Son of Man, you are the Lord of the Sabbath. Give freedom to all children who labor in sweat shops. R.

O Son of Man delivered into the hands of men. Deliver the children who are victims of sexual or physical abuse from the hands of their perpetrators.R.

O Son of Man send forth your angels. Throw out of your kingdom all those who commit lawlessness against children.R.

O Son of Man coming in the glory of your Father with His angels, repay those who committed physical and sexual abuse against children.R.

O Son of Man betrayed. Expose all those who have betrayed our children. Bring them out into the light of truth and justice. R.

O Son of Man coming in your kingdom, grant that children who have experienced physical and sexual abuse will not taste death before they see the your justice and truth dawn. R.

O Son of Man, you spent three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Grant everlasting life to all children who die in poverty, abandonment or abuse.R.

O Son of Man, sitting at the right hand of power, coming on the clouds of heaven! R.

Written by Jack Rakosky

Message from VOTF president Jim Post

The past month has been filled with exciting, exhausting activities.

One of the best things about being a VOTF officer is the opportunity to meet with members and friends across this country and beyond. On November 7th, I had the good fortune to speak at two masses at St. Joan of Arc RC Church in Minneapolis. The masses were well-attended - each drew more than 1,100 people. The congregation was wonderfully diverse: old and young; people of many colors and races; people of many economic circumstances. My reflection was entitled "Keeping the Faith: The Story of Voice of the Faithful." I discussed the journey of the laity from a passive, accepting group of people to a body that is more engaged, more focused, and more determined to bring our Church closer to the gospel values we treasure. St. Joan of Arc has a motto: "Meeting you wherever you are on your journey." It couldn't be a more appropriate challenge to VOTF today - to understand where we are on that journey of faith and action.

Six days later (November 13th), New England had its first snowfall of the season ... and another test for VOTF event planning. Weather notwithstanding, nearly 1,000 members and friends arrived at the Worcester Centrum to participate in the New England Conference, "It's Not History -- It's Time for Renewal." The program was filled with wonderful speakers and commentators. Of special significance to all, however, was the "Priest of Integrity" recognition given to Fr. James Scahill of Springfield, MA. The audience recognized Fr. Scahill's courage in challenging his bishop to stop improper payments to a convicted child molester in the Springfield diocese by placing donations from parishioners in an escrow fund. Fr. Scahill's remarks to the audience in Worcester were electrifying as he challenged bishops, priests, and the laity --each one of us-- to be the people of principle that Jesus calls us to be.

The next day (Sunday, November 14th) brought me to Chevy Chase, MD for a program sponsored by Metro-DC Voice of the Faithful affiliates. The timing was excellent for media coverage - the USCCB meeting drew media interest to issues related to the Charter, election of the USCCB's new president, and financial accountability in light of bankruptcies in Portland, OR, Tucson, AZ, and Spokane, WA. Professor David O'Brien was the keynote speaker, accompanied by Barbara Blaine of SNAP, Fr. Donald Cozzens, and myself. Several hundred people turned out for an excellent program coordinated by the area's VOTF leaders.

On November 15th, the formal business of the USCCB meeting began in Washington, DC. Kris Ward, VOTF vice president, and Suzanne Morse, VOTF communications manager, held an early morning press conference to share VOTF's key concerns, including the Charter review process, bishops' accountability, and looming financial crises in American dioceses. Kris and Suzanne made many media contacts over the next few days and shared the VOTF story.

In less than 10 days, we communicated directly to more than 3,500 people and with thousands more through our electronic, print, and Internet media contact efforts.

Does this communication effort make a difference? I certainly believe it does.

Voice of the Faithful is becoming well-known for the clear and reasoned voice it gives to issues in the Church today. This was evident in Minneapolis, Worcester, Chevy Chase, Washington and many other communities in the month of November.

Your efforts to speak about our mission, goals, and issues is a vital part of our communications. Your support and financial contributions directly assist our efforts to spread the word of faith and the hope for change.

Thanks to each and every one of you who helps to keep our voice - the voice of the faithful - alive in the wilderness of our times.