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EPIPHANY
VIGIL
from Dick Taylor, VOTF Philadelphia, Penn.
January 6 is the Feast of the Epiphany in which we remember
the vulnerable baby Jesus, who was not only adored by wise
men and shepherds, but nearly killed in Herod's massacre of
infants, his parents turned refugees and having to flee with
him to Egypt.
Forty members and friends of Voice of the Faithful of Greater
Philadelphia gathered on a cold and blustery day to commemorate
Epiphany and to remember the vulnerable baby Jesus and all
vulnerable children, especially those sexually abused by
mentally and morally ill clergy, whose leaders covered up
their crimes.
The prayer vigil took place at noon in front of Cardinal
Justin Rigali's downtown office. Those who gathered carried
many signs
and two very large banners, "50 Years of Abuse and Cover-Up" and "Protect
Our Children."
Leaflets were distributed for passersby and archdiocesan employees
to explain the reason for the vigil: to note that VOTF/GP had
sent the Cardinal a letter 70 days ago and had not yet received
a reply. The letter proposed four ways that the Cardinal can
address the sexual abuse crisis in more depth: (1) support
new laws to hold accountable both perpetrators and enablers
of abuse; (2) reach out to survivors with a sincere apology
and a willingness to work out a settlement; (3) endorse parish
Child Safety Committees, elected by parishioners rather than
imposed from above; and (4) admit publicly that the Philadelphia
hierarchy conducted an unconscionable and immoral cover-up
of abuse that further damaged our children.
The vigil program began with a reflection on Epiphany by
the mother of an abuse survivor. Next, two VOTF officers
led everyone
in a litany expressing our grief, praying for accountability
in the Church, and for God to empower us to be silent and
passive no longer. An "open mike" closed the speaking
part of the program. Nearly a dozen people came forward to
pray
or offer thoughts. They included another mother of an abused
child, the brother of a victim, two Catholic Sisters, and
a university professor. A survivor who chose not to speak
cried
throughout; everyone was deeply moved by these prayers and
reflections.
The one-hour vigil ended with the announcement that the vigils
will continue on the first Friday of each month "for as
long as necessary." Participants were encouraged to
write Cardinal Rigali, asking that he be willing to meet
with VOTF.
They also were encouraged to go to a website, www.pa-cares.org,
which has excellent information on how to support state legislation
to provide greater justice and to protect children more adequately
against abuse.
As things were winding up, five VOTF members entered the
office to request a meeting with the Cardinal. The Cardinal's
office, apparently forgetting that VOTF had sent a letter
70 days ago, told them that they would need to write a
letter to ask for an appointment.
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