| As
most of our readers know, VOTF will mark its
fifth anniversary this year. Our emergence was
occasioned by the horrific revelations in Boston,
Massachusetts on January 6, 2002 of a long-standing
practice in the Catholic Church of clergy sexual
abuse of children and the moat built by some
bishops and priests around those crimes. See
Commentary for “VOTF: Five Years Old”.
VOTF NATIONAL News
VOTF
has appreciated the twenty months of genuinely
pastoral care by Executive Director Ray Joyce.
Ray will be leaving VOTF for another opportunity
and to spend more time with his family. Long-time
VOTF member Mark Mullaney will step in as interim
Executive Director. See Mary Pat Fox’s announcement
here.
Remembering
VOTF’s beginnings - Boston VOTF
to host a fifth anniversary Mass in the church
where VOTF began. The first meeting was called
on the heels of the Boston Globe’s disclosure
of clergy sexual abuse and its cover up. The VOTF
Boston Council is sponsoring a day of remembrance
for all those who have been wounded by this tragedy.
A Mass will be held on SATURDAY, JAN. 6, 9 A.M.,
AT ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST CHURCH, 9 Glen Rd. in
Wellesley, MA, (just off Rt. 16) followed by a
RECEPTION in the St. John school basement (Philbin
Hall) where the first listening sessions were conducted.
Survivor
Community News – A
message from SNAP New England on the fifth anniversary
of the Boston Globe’s disclosure;
an exhibit at Weston Jesuit School of Theology
titled “Heart
of Sorrow, Heart of Wisdom: A Memorial of Hope
and Renewal for the Sexual Abuse Tragedy”;
new leadership for the VOTF National Survivor
Support Working Group; Mary Gail Frawley-O’Dea,
a psychologist who works with survivors of sexual
abuse, comments in the Dec. 29 issue of National
Catholic Reporter; “Hand of God” documentary
details. Carolyn Disco, VOTF NH, reviews "Hand
of God".
“SOME-Things” to
Think About:
One
of the longest serving and most pastoral voices in
the Church has been removed from his
parish. Read
about Bishop Gumbleton’s upcoming
departure; and his own
remarks to National Catholic Reporter, where
his “Peace Pulpit” column will continue.
More on the Bishop Bruskewitz/Cardinal Re
excommunication story at Commonweal; also
Bishop Bruskewitz responds to the excommunication
move against Call to Action and other reform
organizations in the diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska.
See National
Catholic Register.
“Pope Benedict XVI’s personal
preacher, it was reported recently, asked the
pope to declare
a day of fasting and penance to atone for the ‘abominations’ committed
inside the church ‘by its own ministers and pastors.’” Several
correspondents have objected to what they see as
misplaced responsibility; one said, “Why should
I do penance for the transgressions of pedophile
priests and the criminal bishops who shelter them?” See National
Catholic Reporter for this story and let
us know what you think at pthorp.ed@votf.org.
Church finances continue to alarm: Kris
Ward sent the following story from the Cincinnati
Inquirer: “Money is so tight at the Archdiocese
of Cincinnati that the central office is now taking
a bigger share of donations from its parishes’ Sunday
collection plates.” Read
more.
Villanova
University’s Charles Zech’s
study of church embezzlement is noted at these
sites: Catholic
Online and National Catholic Reporter:
Remember the little church that roared? The
recent story about St. Stanislaus Kostka ran on KMOX. “KMOX’s
Berta Collins takes an in-depth look at how things
have changed for St. Stanislaus Koska, and for
the priest who’s been leading the faithful.”
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