The next issue of In the Vineyard will appear in late June to accommodate reports from the US bishops' conference in mid-June and the Vineyard editor's travels. Copy deadline is June 4.

In the Vineyard
May 2004

"I've still got some ideas to suggest about this Church we love, and I want to be part of what I believe is an imminent and wondrous rebirth." Bishop Untener of Michigan, weeks before his death on March 27, 2004

These are good news/bad news days for Catholics - while US bishops seem to be turning their backs on the USCCB-appointed National Review Board, one can still find Bishop Untener's vision for "imminent and wondrous rebirth" everywhere in Voice of the Faithful. It would seem that VOTF is more important than ever. Our two-year old organization is gaining in purpose and recognition - a good news item for the future of our Church. A brief overview makes the case.

The Voice of the Faithful Handbook is moving along its review path and the Primer training sessions are progressing (see April's Vineyard); the office communications team again spoke for stunned Catholics in April and May press releases - one on the divisive language coming from bishops and the other on the inconceivable removal of Fr. Tom Doyle from his post as a military chaplain; educational conferences and workshops continue to draw VOTFers - this month the Vineyard publishes a report from the Boston College conference on leadership issues (In fact, with Boston College events frequently attended by overflow crowds, the College has extended its two-year "Church in the 21st Century" initiative at least to the 2004-2005 academic year) and an overview of a Fairfield University talk given by author David O'Brien and Yale University professor Bruce Russett; and the Voice of the Faithful quarterly Voice will break a little more ground with its June focus on the organizational structure of our Church. Readers can follow all of these developments in this issue of In the Vineyard and on our Web site.

Not to be outdone, the genesis story of Voice of the Faithful Keep the Faith, Change the Church is on a roll - two anonymous donors are underwriting the distribution of 1000 copies apiece. Having read the Muller/Kenney book, both want to get the word out to as many as possible. (If you don't have your copy yet, it's not too late. Rose Walsh in the National office is waiting for you, or you can visit the home page of our Web site at www.votf.org.

On top of all of this, Voice of the Faithful welcomed its 200th affiliate! VOTF now has more affiliates in the US than there are dioceses (195) - "imminence and wonder," to borrow again from Bishop Untener.

One might ask - whence all this energy? A critic once said that Voice of the Faithful is known by the company it keeps - how true. We've been studying the company we keep and we find it enviable, enriching, empowering and bright with promise for our Church. Examples follow:

In April, Voice of the Faithful took a booth at the National Catholic Educational Association gathering. The NCEA convention brought several Voice members back to the site of our own 2002 convention. Religious educators from all over the country as well as Canada and Europe attended, availing Voice of important and rewarding networking opportunities;

On May 10, VOTF president Jim Post shared a stage with the executive director of the Office of Child and Youth Protection of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Kathleen McChesney at a VOTF Winchester, MA meeting (May 10th was the two-year anniversary of the consistently creative Winchester, MA affiliate - even a quick look at pastVineyards makes the point);

On May 16, Chicago, Il VOTF will host a reception for interim chair of the National Review Board Illinois Justice Anne Burke and Bishop John Gorman, following a Mass of Healing and Renewal;

On May 22, tri-state Voice (NY, NJ and CT) hosts a call "A Call to the Bishops: Preserve the National Review Board and Build Trust in the Church" with speakers Illinois Justice Anne Burke; Rev. Joseph A. O'Hare, S.J., President emeritus, Fordham University and Associate editor of America magazine; and New York attorney Pamela D. Hayes, member of the National Review Board; (see details under EVENTS LINK)

And in June, Voice will attend the annual Bernardin lecture at Catholic University in Washington, DC. The June 25 evening is part of Cardinal Bernardin's legacy in the Common Ground Initiative.

It's all here In the Vineyard. Imminence and wonder, indeed!

Peggie L. Thorp, ed.

WORKING GROUP and NATIONAL NEWS

• VOTF notes NRB reports on bishops’ broken words read National Catholic Reporter story at www.ncronline.org; Jim Post was quoted to approving readers of the Boston Globe "It is discouraging to see the archbishop [Bp. Sean O’Malley/Boston, MA] using archdiocesan resources to run this campaign against gay marriage and to speak out in a way that is so divisive." While acknowledging that this is not a VOTF issue, Jim noted, "we can't do our work without acknowledging the deterioration in the environment in the Catholic Church." Read the whole story in www.boston.com.

• VOTF Meets the Press – April Press Release challenges bishops’ divisiveness in Atlanta, GA and Boston, MA. Within weeks, Bishop O’Malley in Boston explained himself to offended laity (see The Pilot story at www.rcab.org and choose “The Pilot” from the menu.) VOTF joins flood of supportive correspondence for VOTF Priest of Integrity Fr. Tom Doyle. Read VOTF president Jim Post’s statement. Also, visit both the SNAP and the Linkup websites at www.snapnetwork.org and www.thelinkup.org.

• Survivor Community News - SNAP identifies a model bishop. Read more about Bishop Paul Bootkoski of the Metuchen, NJ diocese; SNAP also has some tips for writing letters to editors; Steve Sheehan reports on upcoming gatherings of survivors and survivor supporters.

• Prayerful Voice offers a reflection on the beginning that Easter is – why we continue to say “Happy Easter!” Read “Easter- Now More Than Ever”

• On Monday, April 26, 2004, members of Voice of the Faithful met with Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin. See Events East

• VOTF will be at the sixth annual Common Ground Initiative lecture, to be delivered on June 25, 2004 by National Catholic Reporter’s Rome correspondent and CNN Vatican analyst John Allen speaking on “Common Ground in a Global Key: International Lessons in Catholic Dialogue.” Read More.

AFFILIATE NEWS

• VOTF volunteer Goz Gosselin, our VOTF e-news anchor, retires from the post that has helped make VOTF a great place to learn. Read More.

• The mouse that roared has a fresh look – a small prayer room built in a parking lot. The response by parishioners to what appears to be the imminent closing of their parish church, Holy Family in Lynn, MA, has drawn regional and national media attention. Read more

• VOTF New Jersey has its own cable TV station. Maria Cleary tells all – including, “It costs NOTHING.” Read More.

• Chicago, Il VOTF representatives met with Cardinal George and developed a model for dialogue with your bishop. Read More.

• On May 22, tri-state VOTF (NY, NJ and CT) hosts a call “A Call to the Bishops: Preserve the National Review Board and Build Trust in the Church.” Read More.

COMMENTARY AND LETTERS

• Commentary: Mike Gustin of VOTF Westford-Chelmsford has come up with eight thoughts for lay engagement in your diocese. Read More.

• Interestingly, Br. Sofield believes that too many people are concerned about ‘building a parish. Read more in Donna Doucette's coverage of the BC conference on leadership issues in Couldn't Make It? then write to leaderpub@voiceofthefaithful.org; and Cathy Fallon reports on the David O’Brien/Bruce Russett talk at Fairfield University, CT. Read more.

• Letters to the Editor – Paul Kendrick writes, Each and every financial decision we make must be followed by a simple question, How does this decision affect the poor?"; readers react to bishops’ refusal to include women in Holy Thursday ritual; a Knights of Columbus member wonders where the K of C has been on the Church crisis; Bishop Ronald Fabbro of the Diocese of London, Ontario gets kudos from VOTF Canada. Read more and keep writing to leaderpub@voiceofthefaithful.org.

• Sign the VOTF petition.

• To receive the June 2004 hard copy issue of Voice, call the VOTF office at 617-558-5252 or email leaderpub@voiceofthefaithful.org.

• Donate

• Join

• The VOTF postal address is P.O. Box 423, Newton Upper Falls, MA 02464-0002

• Please send comments and inquiries to leaderpub@voiceofthefaithful.org

EASTER - Now More Than Ever

We are an Easter people, and Easter is not a day out of the year but a full assent to the good news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are in the "season" of Easter, the 50 days of the church's liturgical year that culminates in the celebration of Pentecost, this year on May 30. Easter is not an event, but a call to understanding ourselves and our world in relation to our acceptance of the paschal mystery of Christ's life, death and resurrection. At liturgy this Easter season, we hear the Gospel of John proclaimed. The post-Resurrection events are recounted. It begins with Mary Magdalene who weeps alone at the empty tomb. Two angels ask her why she is weeping. "They have taken my Lord and I don't know where they have laid him." Mary then turns and sees Jesus standing there, "but did not know it was Jesus." (Jn 20:11)

John's gospel reports a series of post-Resurrection appearances of Jesus to those closest to him. His appearance to Mary has elements similar to all of Christ's post-resurrection appearance, notably that he is physically present but not recognized at first. John attempts to communicate to us that Jesus is truly present, but somehow altered. It is only when Jesus speaks Mary's name, that she clearly recognizes him as "Rabbouni." It is in the profound simplicity of human interaction and exchange that Christ is revealed. Christ reveals himself to us, his friends and disciples, in a way that is personal and accessible. Then, Christ gives Mary a mission. She must go and announce to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord." She is the first witness to the resurrection.

Further on, Christ appears to the "seven disciples" and, again, is not recognized fully until he prepares breakfast for them over a charcoal fire on the shore. (Jn 21; 9-14) He is not "spirit" but a human being, existing in the physical world, yet, altered. He enters rooms locked in fear and offers "peace." (Jn 20; 19) In all these appearances Jesus offers comfort yet also makes demands. There is the need to communicate to his grieving followers that their work, His work, continues, and that life means continuing to spread the Good News and build up the Reign of God. In contemporary terms…get on with it! Follow my teachings. Lower the nets. Do the work. With the comfort comes the challenge. They are always together.

This Easter Season message should resonate with all of us in VOTF. We are an Easter people, but have we been alert to the powerful presence of the Risen Christ in our midst? What have we done with the "Alleluia" of Easter? Have we allowed ourselves to be comforted? Have we allowed the pain, discomfort and anger that brought VOTF into existence grow into recognition of Christ in our midst? Do we live out our assent to the good news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ? What Christ offers is "peace." It is out of this "peace" that hope is born and nourished. Do we allow hope to flourish? How powerful it would be to live and act out of our knowledge and experience of the Risen Christ. We do bring this faith to all our work at Voice of the Faithful, but do we allow this faith to energize and lead us? It is because we have individually and collectively experienced the presence of the Risen Christ in our movement that we have been able to move forward with certainty and conviction. Christ at the center - it is the only way. Christ has appeared to us and continues to be in our midst. Will we recognize him? We are blessed with God's faithfulness to us, but we must, in turn, truly BE FAITHFUL to experience and make present the power of the Risen Christ. Susan S. Troy, MDiv.

Survivor Community News

From Ron DuBois, Paulist Center, Boston, MA VOTF:

Recently, Olan Horne, a childhood victim of the pedophile priest, Father Joseph Birmingham, addressed the Paulist Center Voice of the Faithful Affiliate in Boston, Mass. He told of the seductiveness of Fr. Birmingham in setting up this vulnerable and troubled eleven-year old for abuse by pretending to be his best friend and confidante. Some thirty years after the abuse ended, Horne began to prepare himself for going public with his story. He began calling former classmates in the Lowell parish where he first met Birmingham. As others began to admit that they, too, had been abused by this man, they began to call men in other parishes where Birmingham had been stationed. They discovered at least 128 men who admitted to having been abused by Birmingham when they were children.

Because of his continued work with these victims/survivors, Horne insisted that the true story of this scandal is the pain and suffering of the survivors and their families. Research has indicated that fully 87% of these survivors are alcoholics and/or drug abusers. And because of their suppressed anger, many are abusers of their wives and children. Their pain and suffering does not end because of a legal settlement. Many, if not most of them, will need continued therapy and even residential treatment from time to time. Yet, the diocese is not staffed or funded to meet all these needs. The true story, according to Horne, is that the diocese has been and continues to be more concerned about protecting itself than about caring for suffering human beings.

When asked what we can do, Horne answered, "Don't just wring your hands or point fingers. Do something." He suggested that a real need is for help for the parents and families of these victims/survivors. Many of the survivors have left the church, but their parents and families still hang on to the church and want some answers and some relief. He said there is need for support groups for these people. He suggested advertising and starting such a group. He even indicated that a Voice of the Faithful group in Springfield MA had done just that and it appears to be meeting a real need.

We will be following up with the group in Springfield. We would also need some professional counselors to volunteer to help lead such a group if we were to start one. If anyone has further ideas or suggestions, please send an email to the PCC_VOTF listserv.

As all of our readers know, Fr. Tom Doyle has been the best face of the Catholic Church for over two decades as he stood by and spoke for the survivors of clergy sexual abuse. His dismissal as a military chaplain provoked a great rush of support from survivors, survivor organizations and their supporters, VOTF and countless others. [See the VOTF Web site for additional coverage on Tom Doyle's dismissal.] Steve Sheehan, a VOTF activist in the Survivor Support Working Group was moved to write the following tribute to Fr. Tom Doyle:

Standing

We must stand behind the man who stood behind the victims of clergy sexual abuse when there was no one else to stand up for them.

We must stand behind the man who challenged the hierarchy of the church he loves and discarded his chances of ever becoming a cardinal.

We must stand behind the man who stood with us in the Hynes Auditorium that wonderful day in July 2002.

We must stand behind the man who stood in front of cathedrals with us to demand justice, compassion and accountability from the bishops and cardinals of our church.

We must stand behind the man who on numerous occasions has had the humility and honesty to take a microphone in his hands, lean forward and say "My name is Tom, and I'm a recovering Catholic."

We must stand behind a man who doesn't preach love, but lives it.

We must stand behind a man who now is an injured brother, who has spent the last 20 years caring for his injured brothers and sisters.

We must stand and be counted.

D-DAY JUNE 6, 2004 - Steve Sheehan notes:

A major event is being planned by SNAP, STTOP and other participating survivor organizations for Sunday, June 6, in pursuit of their goal of convincing John McCormack and Francis Christian to resign their positions in the Manchester, NH Diocese. The event will take place in front of the cathedral of Saint Joseph on Pine Street, Manchester, NH. For information contact Steve Sheehan at: sheehan1777@aol.com

An informal, silent gathering is planned in front of the chancery of the Archdiocese of Boston, 2121 Commonwealth Avenue, Brighton, MA to impress upon the archbishop and others in the hierarchy of the church that many of the laity are still concerned about the lack of regard that the institutional church demonstrates for the concerns of its members.

Specific items to be addressed are the continued lack of bishop accountability; the failure of the diocese to provide information as to the actions taken or proposed against accused priests, where those accused abusers are now residing, and the extent to which we, the laity, are still supporting them financially and otherwise; the offensive words and actions taken by members of the hierarchy, which denigrate women.

The remaining gatherings at the Boston chancery will take place from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM on Friday, May 21 and Tuesday, May 25.

Want to write a letter to the editor but don't know where to start? Here are some tips from the SNAP website at www.survivorsnetwork.org.

Be brief, be quick and leave your phone numbers. These are the three most important things to remember when writing letters to the editor. Be brief, because there's a lot of competition for a small amount of space; be quick in writing because the best letter in the world won't get run if the newspaper gets it weeks after the original article it refers to was printed; leave your number since many papers won't print letters unless they can call the author to verify that he or she wrote it, so, sign the letter, and leave both your day and evening phone number.

Other tips: 1) Use statistics sparingly. They can get confusing and overwhelming very quickly; 2) Mention an article already printed by the paper. This dramatically increases the chances that your letter will be run; 3) Remember your audience. In most cases you're trying to sway the public, not your adversary. Therefore, you should take pains to seem moderate and fair. This doesn't mean you should be bland. But you should write with the average person in mind, and use phrases and arguments that resonate with them. You don't want John Q. Public to be turned off your rhetoric and think, "Well, both sides are extremists"; 4) A catchy first line is helpful. Instead of "I'm writing to respond to the Star Tribune editorial of August 3rd," try "As a gun owner, the August 3rd editorial left me wondering if Star Tribune editorial writers live in the real world"; 5) Don't mention criticism that has been leveled against you or your client. Avoid saying "I am not a crook, thief and a liar as reported in last week's Star Tribune." Better to say "Star Tribune readers wonder who's telling the truth in the controversy over___"; 6) Use short punchy sentences. This makes it easier for the reader to follow your thinking and easier for the editor to cut your letter if necessary (and better to have an edited version of your letter printed than none at all); 7) Many papers accept letters by fax and email as well as U.S. mail these days. It never hurts to send your letter via both fax and email. Feel free to follow up with a phone call to make sure the appropriate person got your letter.

Some e-mail addresses for several key newspapers across the country: Boston Globe letter@Globe.com; New York Times letters@nytimes.com; Washington Post letters@washpost.com; Wall Street Journal editor@edit.wsj.com; USA Today; use the form on their web site, USATODAY.com; LA Times letters@latimes.com; Chicago Tribune TribLetter@Tribune.com.

SNAP NEEDS OUR HELP

Submitted by Marge Bean, co-chair of the Survivor Support Working Group

An opportunity to support survivors is yours. As co-leader of the National Survivor Support Working Group and in keeping with VOTF Goal #1, I ask that you pass the hat toward scholarships for survivors to attend their National Conference. The SNAP National Conference will be held in Denver, Colorado, on June 11- June 13, 2004. The Conference is provided for Healing, Fun, and Information; it will feature Conference Sessions, a delegate Assembly, Renowned Speakers, and Support Group Meetings for survivors, friends, and family of survivors. Catholic laity and general public are welcome. Some sessions will be for survivors or their loved ones only, with alternative sessions offered for others.

The Conference itself is about $125, which does not include transportation, accommodations, and other expenses involved. Please help to bring survivors to Denver! You can contact your local SNAP chapter, or the National Chapter. The National Office number is 312-409-2720; the SNAP Web site is www.snapnetwork.org. Make sure you designate that the money should go towards the Conference Scholarship. You can also contact margebean@cs.com for additional information.

EVENTS, ETC.

****From the VOTF office: VOTF National office continues to fill orders for Keep the Faith, Change the Church. Don’t miss this story – it’s about all of us (that’s you, too). You can order your copy on line or call the office at 617-558-5252 and place an order. The cost is $24.95 for an unsigned copy and $50 for a signed copy. If you wish to order ten or more books to be mailed to the same address, we are offering a special price of $19.95 per book. Rose Walsh is handling the sale of this book and can be contacted at the Newton office by phone (above) or online at rwalsh@votf.org.

**** Convention Planners Needed! We are seeking volunteers to serve on a VOTF Convention Planning Committee. In Phase 1, members will formulate a recommendation for the date and site of VOTF's 2005 International Convention. We are seeking representatives from across the US. (and internationally) to serve on this committee.

Beginning in June, committee members will "meet" via conference call approximately twice per month (likely the second and fourth Tuesday or Wednesday of each month). Between calls, committee members will conduct independent research and complete other assigned tasks. Travel to potential convention sites is not anticipated. The anticipated workload is two-three hours per week, for two-three months.

While not required, it is desirable that committee members continue their involvement in convention planning after the work of the exploratory phase is completed. Above average knowledge of VOTF and membership in a Parish Voice affiliate are also desired, but not required.

This will be an exciting endeavor! If you are interested in serving on this committee please contact Ann Carroll (VOTF Treasurer) at anncarrollvotf@yahoo.com

**** Mary Ann Keyes encourages a look at “The Catholic church loses a visionary” a National Catholic Reporter editorial on the death of Bishop Untener of Michigan. It appeared in the April 9, 2004 edition. Go to www.natcath.org. While you’re there, be sure to read John Allen’s “Word from Rome” columns, especially those of 4/23 and 4/30.

EAST REGION

**** Suzanne Morse, VOTF Communications Manager reports: On Monday, April 26, 2004, members of Voice of the Faithful met with Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin to discuss the parish closings in the archdiocese of Boston. Secretary Galvin provided Executive Director Steve Krueger, VOTF-Boston Steering Committee Chair John Hynes, and Communications Manager Suzanne Morse insight and information into the archdiocese’s history with civic authorities. Importantly, he asked essential questions about financial transparency and the future of the archdiocese. Secretary Galvin was forthcoming, honest, open, and helpful, and Voice of the Faithful-Boston looks forward to working with him in the future. Keep an eye on the VOTF Web site for ongoing coverage of VOTF on the Hill]

**** On May 13, (TONIGHT!!!!) Seacoast VOTF will host VOTF president Jim Post at Sacred Heart Church (lower hall) of Holy Family Parish, Amesbury, MA, on "Being Catholic in a Time of Crisis" from 7-8:30 pm. Please check the VOTF website for additional details. On June 3, Jim will speak on "What Is the Future of the Catholic Church?" at the Wellesley Free Library, 7:30 pm, hosted by St. Paul Wellesley Parish Voice.

****VOTF MEMBERS, Parishioners! All five regions of RCAB are invited to participate in a discussion "Reclaiming and Rebuilding Our Parishes" on Tuesday, May 18 from 7:30-8:30pm at St. John the Evangelist, Philbin Hall (school) Wellesley, MA. For more information on topics or to share any ideas, questions, etc., email Julie and Frank McConville at jfmcconville@comcast.net.

**** On May 22, tri-state VOTF (NY, NJ and CT) hosts a call "A Call to the Bishops: Preserve the National Review Board and Build Trust in the Church" with speakers Illinois Justice Anne Burke, the interim chair of the USCCB National Review Board; Rev. Joseph A. O'Hare, S.J., President emeritus, Fordham University and Associate editor, America magazine; and New York attorney Pamela D. Hayes, member of the National Review Board. This Forum for Education and Action on Recommendations from the Lay National Review Board; Changing Institutional Culture in the Church; Questions and Reflections; and Addressing the Bishops will take place on Saturday, May 22, 2004 1-4 pm in the auditorium of St. Paul the Apostle Church, Ninth Avenue at W. 60th St., New York City, NY. Your voluntary contribution of $20, or whatever you can offer, will be gratefully accepted at the door. Coffee/tea included. If you need to know why you shouldn't miss this VOTF Tri-State Forum read the Peoria, Il report in Affiliate News and then check out the Tri-State Forum press release on our web site at www.votf.org.

**** Sunday, May 23 - Our Catholic Community in Boston has been fractured once again. This time, it's the archdiocesan parish closing process. The Voice of the Faithful - Boston Council invites all Catholics to a vigil at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Sunday, May 16, 2004 at 1:00 pm. Contact Mike Gustin at WestfordChelmsfordVOTF@yahoo.com.

**** The VOTF Affiliate at the Paulist Center continues its series of video presentations and discussion on Vatican II using the video "The Faithful Revolution," produced by Thomas More Resources for Christian Living. These gatherings are held in the 3rd floor Library of the Paulist Center, 5 Park St., Boston, Mass. at 7 pm. The two remaining sessions are May 25 and June 15. All are welcome. The full series content follows:

• Part 1: Genius of the Heart - April 27th Bringing us back to those heady days when Pope John XXIII called the second Vatican Council and the first session of the Council
• Part 2: Human Dignity - May 11th Recalling the role of Pope Paul VI in continuing the Council after the death of John XXIII, it places emphasis on religious freedom, the Church in Latin American and Africa and inter-religious dialog
• Part 3: A World Transformed - May 25th Centering on the emerging role of the laity and the dramatic changes in the world taking place in the latter half of the 1960s
• Part 4: The Dynamics of Hope - June 15th Addresses the implementation of Vatican II with special emphasis on social justice, collegiality and dialog within the Church

Discussion Leader: Ron DuBois, MTh, PhD, Paulist Center Community Member. Handouts with relevant quotations from Vatican II documents will be provided. Optional background reading: Vatican Council II, edited by Austin P. Flannery; Vatican Council II, by Xavier Rynne (pen name for Fr. Francis Xavier Murphy) - an informative journalistic account that appeared in the New Yorker magazine while the Council was in session.

****On Saturday, June 5, 2004. SNAP and NJ Voice of the Faithful will present "Psychological Impact of Clergy Sexual Abuse: Healing Body, Mind and Spirit." This is an educational program designed for survivors of abuse, their family members, legal and health care professionals, clergy members, church employees and volunteers, and concerned members of the community. The program will be held at Overlook Hospital, Summit, NJ, from 9 am to 12 noon. Registration begins at 8:30 am. The cost is $10 per person and advance registration is suggested. However, tickets may be purchased at the door - no one will be turned away. Go to www.votfnj.org or email the NJ affiliate at info@votfnj.org.

**** June 9-27 "Sin: A Cardinal Deposed" coming to the Regent Theatre, Arlington, MA. See details and ticket information at www.acardinaldeposed.com.

****VOTF will be at the sixth annual Common Ground Initiative lecture, to be delivered on June 25, 2004 by National Catholic Reporter's Rome correspondent and CNN Vatican analyst John Allen speaking on "Common Ground in a Global Key: International Lessons in Catholic Dialogue." The respondent will be Mary Ann Glendon, professor of law at Harvard Law School. Glendon was recently appointed by the Pope to head the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. The lecture will be delivered on Friday, June 25th at 8:00 pm at Catholic University of America, Washington, DC. The Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Award will be presented to theologian and author Dolores Leckey. The lecture is free and open to the public. Read more at www.nplc.org.

****Update on Boston College Initiative "Church in the 21st Century" If you've been unable to get to these lectures and workshops, you can access many papers, reading lists and panel discussion summaries on the Boston College website at www.bc.edu/Church21. Also, the free periodical Resources is available for the asking at the same Web address. Resources reprints articles and presentations on the current crisis in the Catholic Church and the path to renewal.

The Church in the 21st Century-Beyond June 2004 When the Church in the 21st Century Initiative was announced in May 2002, it was intended to be a two-year project ending in June 2004. The C21 Advisory Committee has recommended that the project be continued beyond that date. A Fall 2004 event is being planned that will announce how the Church in the 21st Century Initiative will continued with a view to becoming a permanent part of Boston College's service to the Church. In addition, a conference on handing on the faith and a conference on the priesthood have been scheduled for the 2004-05 academic year.

CENTRAL REGION

**** Chicago, Il Bishop John Gorman will preside and present the homily at Saints Faith, Hope and Charity Church, Winnetka, 11:30 Mass, Sunday, May 16. Please join us in this Eucharistic Mass of Healing and Renewal to pray for the survivors of clergy sexual abuse and all those affected by sexual abuse. After Mass, attendees are welcome to hear remarks by Justice Anne Burke interim chair of the National Review Board. This reception is hosted by Voice of the Faithful. For more information, please call 847-446-7646.

WEST REGION

****May 14 at Santa Clara University - Conference, Santa Clara, CA, on "Sin against the innocents: Sexual abuse by priests and the role of the Catholic Church" will focus on lessons learned from the sex abuse crisis in the Church. The day-long conference will also launch a multi-discipline book by the same name. Parish Voice chair Mary Ann Keyes plans to meet other California VOTF members at the conference. Mary Ann is visiting the west coast to celebrate a grandchild's baptism. For more information on the Santa Clara conference go to www.scu.edu and also watch the June Vineyard for a hoped-for recap.

Couldn't Make It?

(Submissions, comments and/or inquiries can be sent to leaderpub@voiceofthefaithful.org)

Lay education is busting out all over and for many Catholics, it is impossible to take advantage of all that is being offered. The Boston College initiative of lectures on the Church in the 21st century alone would make a full-time commitment. In an effort to share with readers some of what's "out there," we will serialize coverage of one of the most pertinent of the Boston College workshops - on lay leadership. Donna Doucette from the Paulist Center affiliate has generously offered to recap the day-long workshop of April 3 on "Leadership Issues in The Church Today: Educating for Collaboration and Group Decision Making in a Redefined Church." What follows are the first two installments submitted by Paulist Center, Boston, MA affiliate member Donna Doucette. We will continue in June. The report immediately following Donna's is Cathy Fallon's coverage of a conference held at Fairfield University, CT on May 1.

Earlier in April, some of us from the Paulist Center attended a workshop on leadership issues hosted by Boston College's Institute of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry. The presenters, Br. Loughlan Sofield and Sr. Carroll Juliano conduct the workshops for the Fr. Judge Missionary Cenacle; they were humorous, informative, and so full of ideas that a summary is a challenge.

The focus of their workshop was "Leadership Issues in the Church Today: Educating for Collaboration and Group Decision Making in a Redefined Church." As you may guess from the title, it's a broad topic. So instead of trying to cover everything in a single posting, it might work better to cover the workshop in pieces. Two appear in this issue and the remaining two will follow in June.

In this first posting, I will cover the groundwork Br. Sofield and Sr. Juliano said must go into the foundation for building collaboration, which, they emphasize, goes beyond the idea of lay ministry: "We are talking about lay leadership." (An aside: Br. Sofield at one point noted that in all their travels throughout the world presenting their workshops and collaboration programs, the regions with the most vibrant and vital parishes are the ones with the fewest priests and religious, where lay people run the parish and a priest may show up occasionally to say Mass. One priest was administering to 250,000 Catholics in this manner.)

To begin talking about leadership, they said, you must begin with your model of Jesus and how He leads. He was inclusive; He was humble; He took time for everyone. He calls the Gifted, which in the Church really means everyone, because every one of us has a gift. To participate in collaboration, we should discern the gifts in ourselves and in others and then put those gifts to service for the greater community.

To bring about changes that can lead to collaboration, you must be both direct and gentle, Br. Sofield noted. Too often people in ministry are gentle but never direct. You also must conduct a dialogue with respect. Another key is to remember that all gifts together are necessary. Jesus gathered a GROUP around Him almost from the beginning of His ministry. He did not do everything Himself. "And then after three years, He left them," Br. Sofield said, "He trusted them to continue, to go out and continue to grow and to learn. He did not CONTROL them." (Another aside: During this part of the presentation a number of attendees protested: "But he left the Holy Spirit!" Br. Sofield acknowledged this truth but his focus was on the trust Jesus showed his disciples, trusting them to continue while learning.)

GROUNDWORK FOR COLLABORATION

Br. Loughlan Sofield and Sr. Carroll Juliano noted essential elements for successful collaboration. They said you must begin from a position of mutual respect. If you attach a label to others (e.g., reactionary, liberal, dogmatic, infidel), you will react to the label and not to the person. You cannot collaborate with a label, only with a person.

You also must LISTEN to each person, hear what they actually say rather than what you expect "their type" to say.

In Boston, they added, there are additional obstacles to successful collaboration. We must deal with LOSS (parish closings) and ANGER (from the sex abuses and cover-ups). Anger saps the vitality of any organization. Later in the workshop Br. Sofield described the difference between anger, which may be justifiable, and hostility, which can stem from the anger and pose significant obstacles to collaboration.

Br. Sofield and Sr. Juliano described a model for collaboration, a model that begins with four Cs: Clarification, Conviction, Commitment, and Capacity/Capability.

CLARIFICATION -- Collaborative Ministry involves Gift (identify our gifts, release the gifts of ministry, and then unify); Ministry (the expression of our spirituality); and Mission (action).

Focusing first on our gifts, the presenters noted that each of us brings different gifts into ministry. This is not an old-time, full-time minister, Br. Sofield noted. We are ALL ministers; each of us is "called." Further, when we call people to their rightful ministries, those ministries will take different forms. Some may be carried out within the church or parish, but others will be carried out in daily life, not "in church."

Interestingly, Br. Sofield believes that too many people are concerned about "building a parish." Focusing on only the parish is an inward focus, upon ourselves. We should focus instead on sending people OUT, sending people from the parish out into the world, to bring Christ into the world.

Applying this concept of focusing outward, extending a mission into the world, Br. Sofield said the role of a Parish Pastoral Council should be to CALL FORTH THE GIFTS OF THE PEOPLE and not to be simply an organizational entity. The Pastoral Council, he believes, should pray and reflect on what it means to be "church," on building a strong community. Councils should be asking such questions as: What do we need to do to help people and to meet their needs? Once we know what their needs are, how can we call forth the gifts to meet those needs? So the Pastoral Council should be developing a mission statement.

If you have a strong sense of MISSION, for the parish, he said, then the appointment of a new pastor should not matter because the mission of that parish can continue, fueled by the gifts of its people and the vitality of its mission.

CONVICTION -- Sr. Juliano and Br. Sofield skipped this aspect of the four Cs. There's no need to convince you of the need for collaborative ministry, they said, or you would not be attending the workshop.

COMMITMENT -- As convinced as we are that "something must change," however, nothing will change unless we are also prepared to change ourselves. The most basic change required is that individuals must discern their gifts, respond to a call to use those gifts, and then act.

Having established this framework for fostering a collaborative ministry, the presenters then discussed some of the obstacles we will encounter when seeking collaboration. I will describe those when next I find a few minutes to add to this summary. Donna Doucette [What Do You Think? Write to leaderpub@voiceofthefaithful.org]

Bridgeport Diocese Conference Fairfield University, May 1, 2004

Roving correspondent Cathy Fallon reports:

More than 100 people came to the blossoming campus center of Fairfield University in Fairfield, CT on a beautiful May day to listen to Church historian David O'Brien talk about what's next for Voice of the Faithful, to hear the shocking stories of two victim/survivor members of SNAP whose witness ignites us to prayer and action, and to hear the insights of David Gibson, author of The Coming Catholic Church.

Joe O'Callaghan, chairman of the Bridgeport Voice of the Faithful affiliate, opened the meeting. He reported that each of the Connecticut bishops had been sent a letter requesting that parishes offer one Mass of atonement and repentance each month. Negative responses had come from each of the bishops. The Bridgeport Affiliate had raised $10,000 last year for its self-administered Voice of Compassion Fund that was distributed to four area charities. They hope to raise $12,500 in the coming year to be distributed to five charities.

David O'Brien, Church historian from Holy Cross College urged that every VOTF member read and become familiar with the Review Board report, which he called "an historic text, a new benchmark." The report detailed the cover-up, secrecy and payoffs of the bishops who failed to hold themselves accountable. There needs to be more study and data analysis of the data in the Report, O'Brien noted. We should take the time to sit down and write letters demanding continuing audits; fraternal correction simply won't work.

VOTF must continue to listen to victim/survivors, support priests of integrity, work for structural reforms and monitor local compliance with safe environment programs. O'Brien finds hope in some bishops acknowledging acts of abuse as crimes and sins. We should help the bishops understand that their own "zero tolerance" policy for priests must extend to bishops. The scandal will not become history unless and until bishops commit to meaningful reform, vigilant enforcement, and ongoing audits. O'Brien thinks VOTF could work on a policy for bishop selection by the laity.

O'Brien noted that priests throughout the country need to organize themselves to find their voice. Professional lay ministers are also unorganized and need to develop a strong voice of their own. Among O'Brien's recommendations are these:

• Organizing the unorganized would be doing the Church a great favor. He recommended being in dialogue with religious order priests, brothers and sisters. The internet may be a way to begin, but nothing beats face-to-face listening sessions. He suggests that we ask priests and professional lay ministers what we can do to help them.
• Try to contact some of the 63 members of the USCCB National Advisory Council that meets twice a year to advise the bishops. What do they do? How were they selected? When do they meet? Build a relationship with the Catholic Common Ground Initiative, now chaired by Abp. Daniel E. Pilarcyk of Cincinnati.
• Try to help the press understand what is going on. They can be helpful.
• Overcome the laity's collective culpability for silence in response to the crisis in the church. The laity must mobilize to protect and commit to ongoing protection of our children.

The first afternoon panel included three survivors: David Cerulli, New York State Coordinator of SNAP; Michael Powel, from Florida; and Landa Mauriello-Vernon, new coordinator of SNAP in Connecticut, who has developed two SNAP chapters in four months. One of her groups has 36 members, and victims are still coming forward. Cerulli reported that SNAP chapters are developing in Rockland and in Long Island. SNAP now has five full-time employees and plans to restructure the organization at their June meeting in Colorado.

SNAP is also wondering what the consequences are for bishops who have covered up or moved priests around. "If zero tolerance applies to priests, why not to bishops?" he asked. Why, Cerulli wondered, is Bishop Lori still keeping Msgr. Martin Ryan as pastor of a church in New Fairfield, CT after two credible allegations have been filed?

The testimony of Michael and Landa greatly moved everyone in the audience. Michael has lost two brothers - one to HIV, and the other to suicide - as the result of abuse that he and they suffered at the hands of priests. Michael's pain is palpable as he speaks of his treatment for brain cancer - truly, too much sadness for one man to bear. Landa was abused not by a priest, but by a nun at the parochial school she attended. The perpetrator tried for a year to seduce/induce this young woman to join the convent. Each of these survivors received appreciative standing ovations, and many in the audience waited in line to embrace them, to thank them for sharing their searing stories and to assure them of their prayers.

The second afternoon panel introduced David Gibson and Bruce Russett. Gibson, author of The Coming Catholic Church, converted to Catholicism in 1989 after working for Vatican Radio in Rome for five years. Gibson says he is encouraged by looking back to early 2002 and seeing how far VOTF has come. Sometimes it's hard to be a person of faith in such a chaotic world where many denominations are splintering (Zionism from Judaism, for example).

Gibson questioned where is Voice of the Faithful now? Whither are we going? He likens us to pilgrims on a journey. He noted that in the past, religious orders were the agents of church reform. More and more the laity is being heard from. VOTF itself is interesting. It is organizationally adopting the Roman Catholic model - making strides in developing parallel structures with the church - affiliates in parishes. Another way of looking at VOTF is as an advocacy group model - activist, lobbying as a matter of conscience.

Still another way of looking at VOTF is as a corporate model of integration and expansion into existing church commissions and committees.

Additionally, Gibson said, a fourth paradigm might be worth considering. VOTF has the capacity to become like the University of Phoenix for the Church by emphasizing lay education. He proposed a VOTF On-line Institute. He suggests we could become the AARP or the AAA of the Catholic Church providing a nonpartisan means of communication and education, having experts offering seminars. He suggests aligning with (or looking at) the RENEW program of Plainfield, New Jersey. Dues to support the Institute might be $25/ year for individuals, $500 for a parish.

Bruce Russett of Yale University, co-editor of the Proceedings of the 2003 Yale Conference on Governance, Accountability and the Future of the Catholic Church called the Catholic Church the mother of all international relations. He noted that Voice, in speaking up and insisting on being heard, requires long-sustained efforts.

After the conference ended, a Mass was said in the beautiful campus chapel - a perfect ending to an inspiring day.

[What Do You Think of David Gibson's idea for a VOTF On-line Institute? Write to leaderpub@voiceofthefaithful.org]

AFFILIATE NEWS

VOTF's first e-news anchor Goz Gosselin is retiring from his post. Parish Voice Chair Mary Ann Keyes speaks our thanks for his indispensable service:

Goz Gosselin, better known by his e-mail name terriandgoz, is stepping down as our daily reporter of the national and international news on the Church crisis. What started out two years ago as a few people receiving news clips from Goz grew to be a list that probably reaches over 1000 people. Each time we had a new Regional Coordinator come on board, Goz would add the name and that regional coordinator would then pass the daily e-mail on to all the affiliates in his region. Each affiliate leader would forward it to all of his/her members. One member passed it on to over 150 people each day. The benefit of this service was the realization that the history recorded in the National Review Board report was not history and the crisis in the Church continues.

Goz was also the leader of an affiliate and one-time Regional Coordinator of the state of Florida; we are deeply grateful to Goz for his commitment to Voice of the Faithful, a movement kept alive through the dedication of volunteers. Goz is the personification of all that is good about this movement, its volunteers and the gifts we bring to each other.

Suzy Nauman in the Parish Voice office reports: VOTF's 200th affiliate has arrived! The Mid-Michigan affiliate in Midland, MI was formed under the leadership of Harry Grether. But we haven't stopped there - in the past two weeks, we have added Tulsa, OK, Lancaster, PA, and Englewood, OH. To date, Voice has members in 39 countries, 50 states, and Canada.

VOTF New Jersey
Submitted by Maria Cleary

Greetings VOTF Family! This month, we'd like to put everything else aside and share news about an important marketing tool we've been using. How would you like to have aFREE WEEKLY TV SHOW FOR YOUR VOTF AFFILIATE? We have one here in NJ, and every VOTF group can have one, too, by following these simple steps:

1. Call your cable TV operator, and find out the name of the "Public Access Coordinator."
2. Call that person and say that you'd like to produce a weekly, half-hour talk show for your non-profit group.
3. Get details from the Access Coordinator about procedures; how to fill out an application, the location of the public access studio, how and when to begin training. The Access Coordinator is hired for this specific reason. It's your cable dollars at work!
4. Get together a group of about 4 people minimum (you can use more) who are willing to be trained as a television crew over the course of 4-6 weeks, perhaps one evening a week. (If you already know people with TV production experience, you're well ahead of the game.)
5. Schedule training sessions, and go for training in how to operate the studio equipment.
6. Find a host for your show.
7. Book guests and studio time.
8. Tape your shows and have them broadcast.

Each cable TV operator serves a certain number of towns in what's called a "franchise area." Find out which towns are served by your company. Then call the surrounding towns and get the names of their cable operators and Public Access Coordinators. You can then send your tapes to the other cable companies, and ask that they be broadcast on their system - as long as you have a VOTF member residing in their viewing area. Within no time, you can be all over the state!

This takes time, no doubt, BUT IT COSTS NOTHING and the results are truly worth the effort. You'll be the beneficiaries of channel-surfing. I can't tell you how many people have told me they've seen our show - and we're on opposite "60 Minutes"! (….that's going to change…you can request a specific air time, and if it's available, you'll get it.)

We are most willing to help out any affiliate who's ready to embark on this mission. It is much less daunting than you might think, and more fun than you may imagine! Please be in touch with Maria Cleary at clearymf@optonline.net if you'd like more information.

Many blessings from your VOTF sisters and brothers from New Jersey.

VOTF Winchester Area, MA
Submitted by Bob Morris

One of the highlights of our meetings in April was a presentation by Sister Mary Johnson, Associate Professor of Sociology and Theology at Emmanuel College. About 85 were in attendance. Sister Mary discussed two books by Ruth Wallace, Professor Emeritus at George Washington University, regarding the appointment of men and women throughout the United States to manage parishes. Such appointments are fully consistent with canon law, and are almost certainly to increase in number as the shortage of priests shows no signs of abating.

Earlier in the month, Terry McKiernan, a co-founder of Bishopaccountability.org, addressed about 60 people regarding the group's origins, current activities, and goals. Terry led a lively discussion on a wide range of topics touching on the importance of bishop accountability.

We are still busy planning three major events in May and June -a pot-luck supper for priests on May 22, a coffeehouse fundraiser for abuse survivors on June 4, and a meeting for leaders of parish voice affiliates in the Archdiocese of Boston on June 12. As of May 13, we will have been meeting weekly for two years, with at least 20 people in attendance at each meeting. Simply put, it's not history!

VOTF Winchester Area - Anniversary Report (May 13, 2004)
Submitted by Alice Wadden

This Winchester Area Voice of the Faithful had its second anniversary meeting on Monday, May 10, 2004 and Bob Morris, in his introduction, reminded us that we had 90 meetings, so far. We were content to see that survivors were there and that they knew that we wanted to listen to them. Many other Parish Voices also joined us such as Wellesley, Needham and Cambridge. We also recognized the kindness of the entire faith community of St. Eulalia¹s for hosting our meetings for two years, even though this Parish Voice has members from many other towns and parishes.

The two speakers were Kathleen L. McChesney, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Office of Child and Youth Protection of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and James E. Post, Ph.D., President, Voice of the Faithful . The topic was "The Audits, the National Review Board Report, and the John Jay Report: What Do They Tell Us? Where Do We Go From Here?"

The first speaker, Dr. Kathleen McChesney spoke of her work on the National Review Board and the twelve Catholic professionals who interviewed sixty experts to create a framework for a second NRB study to answer the question, Why did this happen? Dr. McChesney said that early conclusions suggest a failure in screening prospective candidates for the priesthood and failures in formation. She also noted the breakdown of communication between dioceses.

Among several NRB projects being considered for the future are the establishment of guidelines for the 196 Diocesan Review Boards; how to implement the Charter for the Protection of Children; and background checks for everyone (a significant problem is that 20% of the priests come from outside the US where it is difficult to check the credentials.

Dr. McChesney complimented VOTF and said that we were energetic, imaginative and dedicated.

Dr. Post began his remarks by praising Bob Morris, Marge Bean and Suzy Nauman . Dr Post said that a sense of disbelief connects us and repeated "How do we help the survivors?" and "There is still so much left to be done." He believes that abuse of a child is life-altering and reminded the audience that survivors will be with us for the rest of our lives.

Dr. Post spoke of VOTF Priest of Integrity Fr. Thomas Doyle and his recent removal by Archbishop Edwin O'Brien from his military chaplaincy position. Dr. Post wrote to Archbishop O¹Brien to say that Fr. Doyle's dismissal had the appearance of being punitive. He also addressed the importance of VOTF's third goal, standing behind the work being done by the Office of Child and Youth Protection, the vital importance of lay involvement in our Church and the need for transparency and openness in Church governance.

How can we create a wonderful religious experience in the Roman Catholic Church? We can't, unless we continue to become more informed, continue to pray together, continue to support VOTF's three goals and continue to speak out together. PHOTO HERE

VOTF Northshore, MA
Submitted by Vince Guerra

The three VOTF affiliates in the Northshore completed a highly successful series of collaborative programs by sponsoring a total of six Faith Formation lecture presentations entitled "The Living Christ, and We His Disciples" from Fall 2003 to Spring 2004.The first two talks were hosted by VOTF-Northshore in Topsfield in October/November and featured Father Michael Himes of the Boston College Department of Theology on the humanity and divinity of Jesus. In January/February, the Lynn area VOTF group hosted Father John Baldovin from Weston Jesuit School of Theology who spoke on Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Seacoast VOTF covered the final two events - the affiliate engaged theologian Father Tom Leclerc of the LaSalette order to present the theology of the Gospels and the Epistles of St. Paul. Beginning in the Fall, the series will expand to eight presentations to be held at the same three affiliate locations, all relating to vital faith formation topics that help strengthen our Catholic identity.

On April 25, VOTF Northshore held a meeting highlighted by three survivors who shared their experiences and hope for the future. It was a very moving experience for everyone in attendance. On Thursday, May 13, Seacoast VOTF will have as guest speaker Jim Post, president of VOTF, giving his address on "Being Catholic in a Time of Crisis" at Holy Family parish, Amesbury, Mass. [Watch the June issue of In the Vineyard for photos and coverage]

VOTF Boston, MA
Submitted by Carolyn Shipley

To open the first meeting of the Boston Voice of the Faithful Council, April 12, 2004, we asked each person to introduce themselves, say which parish they are from and share one word that describes how they feel about the current situation in the Archdiocese of Boston. The words people chose ranged from "anxious," "sad," and "hopeful" to "thievery," "leaderless," and "steam-rolled."

The focus of the meeting was to be on Reconfiguration but there was a lot of energy around responding to Archbishop O'Malley's statements about feminism and his exclusion of women from the feet washing ceremony on Holy Thursday. It was decided that we would work on that issue as well as reconfiguration.

We then broke into small groups to answer the questions: 1) What do you think are the challenges and concerns facing the Archdiocese of Boston because of reconfiguration?; 2)What should VOTF do in response to the recent statements and actions of Archbishop O'Malley regarding women in the RCAB?

We reviewed and summarized the many answers that the groups produced. We summarized them and voted on them. The women's groups decided to focus on two action steps: 1) Write a letter/Op Ed piece describing how the Archbishop's statements and actions affected women in the RCAB. 2) Plan an event that would highlight the concerns of women in the RCAB.

The Reconfiguration groups produced conceptual ideas and actual specific action steps that came out of the discussion. Conceptual ideas included: 1) organization of parishes to create new roles for the laity, provide education on the appropriate role of the laity in assisting the priests in administering the parish; 2) addressing the burdens and responsibilities on parishes that remain open; 3) addressing the loss of community in suppressed parishes; 4) supporting VOTF affiliates in closed parishes; and 5) requesting explanations of how the decisions to close parishes were made and call for transparency, especially in financial accountability.

Ideas for action included: 1) proactive issue-specific committees at the parish level; 2) resist/reject closings - advocate for alternatives; and 3) produce press releases to take advantage of media coverage. We asked people to complete a feedback form about the first meeting and solicited input for future agendas.

VOTF Cleveland, OH
Submitted by Fred McGunagle

"You can't understand the church in America unless you understand the history from which it comes," Father Jack Leahy told the St. Christopher (Cleveland) Parish Voice at its April 27 meeting. "You have to ask yourself why what happened, happened." Mostly what happened, he said, has been a clash between European paternalism and American egalitarianism.

Father Leahy is both a veteran educator and pastor emeritus of St. Bartholomew Church. He now teaches in the Institute of Catholic studies at John Carroll University. The university's namesake was the first American Catholic bishop - and he was elected to that position by his priests. Popes, who had been distracted by European matters, soon put an end to that sort of thing.

"The church in Europe associated itself with the aristocracy," Father Leahy told an audience of about 50. "Bishops and priests from Europe came with a European mentality." At one point, 23 of the 28 American bishops were Europeans, and they quickly put the kibosh on attempts to give laypeople a greater voice. Later on, priests educated in Rome were inculcated with the European mentality. Back home, they resisted efforts to democratize the church. "When you're educated in Rome, you do as the Roman do," he said. "They wrote to Rome," and the Pope intervened.

At the Vatican I Council, American bishops were upset by the move to declare the doctrine of papal infallibility. "They said, 'We can't explain this to our people,'" Father Leahy reported. When the vote was scheduled, "twenty-three bishops wrote the Pope, "We respect you, you're our Pope, but we're going home tomorrow," and they sailed for America before the vote. Ninety years later Pope John XXIII told the Vatican II Council it could deal with everything except contraception and abortion. "The Curia heard that and they went wild," Father Leahy said.

When the news leaked that a series of papal commissions had told Paul VI that the ban on contraception should be removed, American priests were overjoyed that they would no longer have to defend the unpopular teaching. Paul's defense of the ban in Humanae Vitae was a blow to them and a major factor in subsequent resignations. "You had priests who said, 'That's it!'" He attributed Paul's decision to override the experts to an American: "John Ford, a Jesuit, got to the Pope. He said, 'We have put people in hell for hundreds of years because of this and we cannot change it now.'"

Father Leahy has a doctorate in history and has taught at Borromeo College, St. John College and John Carroll. He has also been president of St. Mary High School in Akron and director of Parmadale Children's home in addition to parish work.

The next meeting of the Parish Voice will be May 27 to hear Father Thomas Tifft, president-rector of St. Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology, talk about "Priestly Formation in the Church Today." He will describe changes in seminarians over the 21 years he has taught them. He will also discuss recent changes in the wake of sex scandals to screen candidates and prepare priests to deal with their sexuality.

The St. Christopher Parish Voice is now the only VOTF unit in the Cleveland Diocese holding public meetings and as such draws VOTF members from other parishes. The April 27 meeting included members from five counties.

VOTF CENTRAL

VOTF Chicago, Il
Submitted by Terry O'Connor - VOTF Coordinator Archdiocese of Chicago

The following message was sent by Chicago, Il VOTF to members and supporters:

On March 11th, five Chicago members of Voice of the Faithful met with Cardinal Francis George. It was in one sense an historical event comprised of the original Parish Affiliates along with VOTF business and community leaders from each corner of the Archdiocese. It was a meeting of dialog on the issues of the crisis in our Church.

This meeting was eight months in the planning and when it was over an hour and a half later, we all prayed together that with God's help, we are able to heal the many victims of this tragedy.

The five-member Chicagoland-VOTF -Dialog group, are grateful for the encouragement of supporters to proceed with a plan of consensus from across the Archdiocese. The letters and e-mails kept us focused and on track. We are also grateful to all the priests of integrity and victims that came forward and asked how they might help; friends in Arlington Heights, Chicago, Evanston, Inverness, Libertyville, Naperville, Oak Park, Palatine, Winnetka, and Zion who supported the plan as advisors and consultants; and last, but not least, to Cardinal George for welcoming us as we shared our thoughts, concerns and recommendations in a very straight forward manner. Terry O'Connor

What follows is an excerpted summary of the VOTF Chicago meeting with Cardinal George. It may serve readers as a prospective model or an eye-opener for others engaged in similar efforts.

Cardinal George and VOTF Dialog Team Talk about the "Dynamics in Chicago"

On March 11th five Chicago Catholics who are members of Voice of the Faithful met with Cardinal George. It was in one sense an historic event comprised of the original Parish Affiliates. It was a meeting of dialogue on the issues surrounding the crisis in our Church.

Last year's focus and objectives

We were critical of the lack of attention given to victims of abuse.
We communicated our concerns in one of our first letters to Cardinal George, only to hear shortly thereafter that he was meeting with victims of abuse and had been for the previous nine months, while planning to provide approximately 25 million dollars to victims of abuse in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

We were also critical of the lack of control and accountability of order priests.
A few months later, Cardinal George announced that under the new rules in the Archdiocese of Chicago, all people associated with the work of the church would be held to the same new standards. Order Priests were specifically mentioned.

We were concerned with the lack of any proactive changes in the process of how the church acts. As a wise person once said, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got."
The mission of healing is tied to the laity being more involved in the decision making process at every parish in the Archdiocese. An Archdiocesan Synod is very much a topic with Cardinal George as well as with VOTF in Chicago.

Meeting with Cardinal George

The meeting began with everyone introducing themselves and sharing their involvement in parish life in the Chicago Archdiocese. Cardinal George suggested we begin and we did so by communicating that we were at this meeting as friends who are also in pain.

We began by asking the Cardinal what were his plans for the archdiocese and how we might help.

The Cardinal recounted the areas where the diocese had made strides in the protection of children. Some of these are as follows: a plan for background checks for all employees and volunteers who work with children or who would be seen as in a position of trust by children; implementation of the VIRTUS program to ultimately train employees and volunteers on the warning signs of sexual abuse and the necessary precautions to take with regard to the protection of children. This plan will be closely monitored by the archdiocese and everyone is mandated to participate; the archdiocesan website now has connections to VIRTUS training and also provides a way for victims to check on a particular priest as to whether they had ever been implicated in previous incidents of sexual abuse; all parishes have been directed to regularly publish hotline numbers for victims to call the archdiocese.

During the Bishops' Conference in Dallas, the Cardinal was quoted by the press as saying, "Bishops who moved priests around as a means to manage sexual abuse must be held accountable in some way for it." We acknowledged our interest in working toward bishop accountability. We asked if the Cardinal would support this effort actively so we could get closer to the healing process.

The Cardinal responded that bishops are looking at this question in two different ways. There was a time when counselors and therapists advised that some priests could be placed back in ministry, he said, and the Cardinal noted that this was no longer acceptable. On the issue of accountability only, the Cardinal said that only Rome can replace a bishop.

The Chicago Archdiocese, dealt with many instances of sexual abuse in the early nineties. This foresight has provided Chicago the opportunity to have less of a tragedy than what other parts of the United States have gone through. We asked the Cardinal about maintaining this leadership posture rather than simply being satisfied that Chicago has had less of a tragedy? We said that we believe we are sitting on a moment in history and Chicago Catholics are waiting to hear from him.

The Cardinal responded that making history is not what he is worried about; his concerns are for the priests and Catholics in the Archdiocese of Chicago and that is where he believes his energy must go. Today, the priest on the altar has the respect of the parishioners. Parishioners know he is a good priest or he wouldn't be there. This is the strength of the Church today in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

We noted that there are a lot of issues that Rome needs to think about. People are further depressed by some of the delays around those issues in Rome. The Cardinal reminded us that Rome moves slowly.

In our correspondence leading up to our meeting, we shared thoughts on an Archdiocesan Synod* in Chicago, as a vehicle to invite greater lay participation in the decision-making process. We asked the Cardinal where he stood on such a synod.

The Cardinal said that efforts are already under way with the Archdiocesan Pastoral Councils. He said there is a need to network among them more closely so they are connected with better communications in the recommendation process. It would be the first time in 100 years that a synod was formed here.

We expressed our concern for balance in the network (synod) with delegates or delegations from other lay groups that may not always agree with the Cardinal. The clergy should also be involved with such groups as the Association of Chicago Priests. Priests having a greater voice in the process would negate the need to operate as a separate organization. Balance is the key to believability in our opinion.

The Cardinal noted that we also need to remember that the Hispanic and Polish communities are active and a large part of our Catholic community. We need to consider immigrants, our hospitals and our universities so the entire Catholic community is involved.

We expressed concern for the Church in the US over the next two years and the prospect of waiting that long for a synod to get off the ground. Our feeling was that issues such as bishop accountability can't wait 12 to 16 months. Everyone is looking for Church leadership on this issue.

The Cardinal explained that the issue is very complex and repeated that only Rome can replace a bishop.

The issue of money is another key point in the crisis and in our Church. We asked the Cardinal if he anticipated greater openness on the financial side of every diocese and parish.

The Cardinal replied that if Canon law had been followed, there might still have been a problem, but it would have surfaced and been corrected in a more timely manner. Money in the amounts used in the current crisis should have gone through an approval process that was not always followed and, in effect, violated Canon Law. The Cardinal said that there are in place today financial councils in most parishes and they are beginning to play a greater role.

We presented the Cardinal with the book A Human Being Died Last Night and thanked him for listening, answering our questions and dialoging with us. We agreed to have another discussion in the near future as issues arise. Cardinal George then asked if we would pray with him before we left. He led us in prayer as we asked for God's help in healing our Church and all the victims of our Church. The following week the Archdiocese of Chicago made a sizable donation to Linkup's "The Farm" for healing victims.

Our discussion was to try to get across to the Cardinal our passion for the Church and the importance we feel needs to be placed on these topics. Cardinal George is making the effort to talk with many lay people; that is a good start and holds promise for our local Church and the greater Church. Let us continue to pray for the People of God, we the laity, our priests and parish leadership, our local Pastoral Councils, Cardinal George, and most importantly the victims of abuse and those who support them.

Chicagoland-Voice of the Faithful-Dialog Team
Marion Flynn-Evanston Representative
Joyce Gradel-Oak Park Representative
Patricia Houston-Chicago Representative
Robert Houston-Chicago Representative
Terrence J. O'Connor-Inverness Representative

Please Note: If you know someone interested in receiving this and other summaries in the Archdiocese of Chicago please have them sign up for membership in Voice of the Faithful at http://www.votf.org. If you or they are also interested in starting a Parish Affiliate or Listening Group in the Chicago and suburban area please contact toconnor847@mynex.net for more information.

[*A synod is a gathering of Church leaders to decide or advise on matters touching the life of the Church. Diocesan synods, as opposed to world-wide synods, offer the bishop of the diocese advice and might include clerical and lay people, including religious.]

VOTF Archdiocese of Peoria, IL
Submitted by John Ryan

On April 23, we held "Community Forum on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church: Lessons Learned, in Bloomington, IL."

Justice Anne Burke was our luncheon speaker, and what we saw and heard was not the same Anne Burke we saw and heard earlier this year at the City Club luncheon in Chicago. What we saw and heard was the Anne Burke reacting to the recent decision of the bishops to "delay" the second audit. Those of you who will see and hear her at the Fordham event on May 22 are in for some fighting words from the Chair of the National Lay Review Board.

It is important to note that Anne Burke sees Voice of the Faithful as representing the voices in the Church that need to be heard these days, and particularly on this issue. I hope that we will be marshalling our resources nationally and at the affiliate levels for a full court press on the bishops to consider the grave consequences of their serious miscalculation, not only in the area of rebuilding some sense of trust and confidence in our Church, but also, and more importantly, to keep their commitment to create safe environments for children.

At the affiliate levels, we need to mount campaigns with our local bishops urging them to commit voluntarily to a second audit of their own dioceses regardless of what the bishops collectively decide to do at their June meeting in Denver. We need to urge our local bishops to go to Denver prepared to vote in favor of at least a second (2004) audit, and to lay the groundwork for continued independent lay oversight for the next several years.

The audio of Anne Burke's talk will be posted on our website at www.votfpeoria.org.

Letters to the Editor

Please send comments to leaderpub@voiceofthefaithful.org.

"We are proud here in Canada of the work accomplished by Bishop Ronald Fabbro of the Diocese of London, Ontario. During the appointment of Bishop Emeritus John Michael Sherlock, a clergy-abuse scandal was pending for over four years. The Swales case has been well publicized in London and on the CBC News program "Disclosure," which was aired Jan. 20, 2004. Shortly after this documentary, in February, the Superior Court favored the Swales brothers with a judgment of $1.3 million dollars to be awarded to the Swales family. Talk of further court proceedings came to an end when Bishop Ronald Fabbro , represented by vice-general of the diocese Rev. Tony Daniels, announced that the diocese would not appeal the case.

On the same program, we witnessed the case of a confidentiality agreement where a woman revealed her story behind a shadow and told how the confidentiality agreement came about. On March 5, 2004 the headlines in the London Free Press read 'Church lifts gag order on abuse.' This was the work of Bishop Fabbro.

I must report that in the documentary mentioned above, Rev. Tom Doyle is interviewed on this very subject and states that such prohibition would be laughed at in the US. I'm sure some of the clout, in this lifting of the gag order for the first time in Canada, belongs to our VOTF-award-winning priest of integrity, Tom Doyle O.P. Nevertheless, Bishop Fabbro deserves credit for listening well and acting in accordance with what appears right and true." MaryAnne Gervais, Saanich Peninsula Parish, British Columbia, Canada

"As a member of VOTF, I was outraged to read about Archbishop O'Malley and his refusal to allow women on the altar at Holy Thursday Mass for the symbolic ritual of the 'washing of the feet.' When I had read about the bishop in Atlanta ordering his parish priests not to allow women to participate in this ceremony, my immediate thought was, well, 'maybe, in the South, but not here in Boston.' Was I wrong when I picked up the Globe and read what happened at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Holy Thursday.

I think the VOTF needs to address this. Women are 'Church,' too. If O'Malley thinks this segregation on the altar is a way of healing the Church in Boston, he is sorely wrong. I have to believe that there are many of us Catholics, both male and female, who were offended by this gesture." Susan M. Schmidt

"As a committed and contributing member of Voice of the Faithful, I was appalled to read Eileen McNamara's column in the 4/11/04 Boston Globe regarding Archbishop O'Malley's decision to exclude women from the symbolic Holy Thursday washing of the feet ritual, as well as his remarks during a recent homily. It is my hope that he was misquoted or, at the very least, that his words were taken out of context. However, if that is not the case, I would encourage VOTF to address these issues with him directly to express our concerns.

In a time when the Church professes to be committed to healing, especially in the Archdiocese of Boston, what a beautiful opportunity was missed in not including women in the ritual washing of the feet! Additionally, to identify 'feminism' as a secular evil in the United States was to encourage divisiveness and further demean the position of women within the Church, an effort that hardly needs more fodder. As a 'baby boomer' myself, I am highly offended by the remarks attributed to him. Especially now, we need to welcome and encourage ALL Catholics to become involved in the Church, not dismiss whole generations of them with hurtful words.

My guess is that other VOTF members are distressed as well, and I hope that we will be responding as an organization to these affronts." Shanna O'Grady Frost

[Ed. VOTF did indeed address the bishops' mistakes. The press release appears on our website at www.votf.org]

"I took a course last year at Sacred Heart Seminary called 'The Nature and Mission of the Church' that covered the major documents of Vatican II. There were 18 people in the class - three were studying for the priesthood, three or four studying for the deaconate, the other 10 or 11 were working on degrees or special programs.

What struck me after being away from the classroom as a student for about 35 years was the fact that virtually every student in class, and I think in the entire seminary, was focused on being involved in the institutional church. There is a kind of insulation from the world, from the incarnational aspect. It was ironic for me that 75% of class discussion and lecturing was on the nature of the church and 25% on its mission in this world. 'Thy kingdom come' was given short shift. This was the case even though the very documents that we were studying pointed to 'the world,' 'the culture,' 'humanity,' 'the nations of the world,' and 'enculturation.'

I am happy that VOTF is confronting and challenging the church in our time because there is a great need for us to hear the call of the Holy Spirit of Vatican II and to

turn outward to the world that Christ came to transform. Yes, to answer this call prayerfully and thoughtfully requires changing the very structure of the church, presently out of balance. Let us keep up this very important work, knowing that it is the work of the same Spirit who calls each of us through Baptism into the mission of His Church." John Clancy

"Keep up the good work. We need to force the issue about the bishops' responsibility in the abuse of the children. The parish pastoral council survey is an excellent start. A wonderful Easter to you and all the VOTF staff." Jim Marrinan

"My parish has no Parish Council and no Finance Council. There are no staff meetings, no newsletters, no web site. Pulpit announcements are kept to a minimum. The pastor only promotes selective events like the Pancake Breakfast and HIS adult education course. He never speaks about our Baptismal call to serve, religious formation, life-long journey, stewardship, evangelization, etc., much less on social justice, sanctity of life.

I pray for him and for myself. As the only full-time employee and a member of this parish since 1975, I won't desert this parish. As a widow I can't risk my job. I would like to see REAL accountability as recommended by a recent task force on lay ecclesial ministers in Cincinnati. The recommendations will be presented to the Bishop and Priest Council shortly. Probably nothing will happen. Easter is a time of HOPE and surprises. I will keep praying." Carolyn Meyers

"As always VOTF is a strong reassuring example that the Holy Spirit continues to guide us. Keep up the good work." Dr. Joe Murray

"I believe it was on 'Meet the Press' where Bishop McCarrick stated each parish has a parish council. At the time, I thought it a ridiculous comment on his part, based on my experience. I am a life-long Catholic (60 years), have lived in four major metropolitan areas in the East, West and Mid-West, and have belonged to more than seven parishes. I don't recall being informed of a parish council in any of them. If there were opportunities for lay involvement/input, I was never aware of it despite weekly Mass attendance and reading of parish bulletins. This is the area where something really needs to be done." Carol

"My Dad and my sister have been members of our Parish Council in different eras. It is clear from their experience that not much has changed over the years: Father will, and always has, run the Parish the way Father wants to run the Parish. Committees are told what Father will and will not approve at the outset and, even then, Father overrules them at times. A small example of how little say parishioners have in day to day decisions in our parish: Prior to Christmas week, my sister coordinated a group of people who volunteered to decorate the many evergreen trees that adorn the altar each Christmas season. No specific instructions were given; they knew that trees should be understated. Tiny white lights and uniform gauzy fabric draped around and from tree to tree had been done in the past. They chose tiny white lights and large but tasteful bows atop each tree, with ribbon streamers down the trees in the same beautiful ribbon. The group worked all morning and part of the afternoon to complete this labor of love and, at the end, Father told my sister that he 'liked the trees better in the past, without the ribbon' and he had her remove it.

I thought this a classic example of clerical 'control' issues. If the pastor cannot relinquish control on such an innocuous matter, how then can we dream that he will be willing to allow the true Church - the Body of Christ, the people in the pews - to have a voice in the important decisions? Pastors and the Church hierarchy repeatedly mistake themselves for the Church, when they should simply be the Church's servants." Lynn Norris

"Our pastor here in Los Alamos, NM suddenly dissolved our Parish Council and has rejected in writing a request to have one. He copied the Bishop on his denial. A number of folks are considering going to other parishes (at some distance in our spread out state).

Also, the decision of the Administrative Committee of the U.S. Bishop's Conference to delay authorization of the next round of audits for the National Review Board is outrageous. It is particularly noisome if, as the Washington Post reported, the effort to delay was spearheaded by Bishop Bruskewitz and Cardinal Egan. I think this should be a major issue for VOTF!" Bob Nunz

"Happy Easter, my friends. You give me hope." Theresa Capria

"I agree with Peggie Thorp's Commentary. It's ironic that the Church wants us to use our voices at the polls, but the hierarchy doesn't seem to want us to use our voices to suggest improvements in the structure of the Church!"

"I am a member of the Knights of Columbus and was active in our local council (various officer positions, involved in parish and grade school activities, etc.) until recently. For a number of reasons, I am limiting my activities.

I am interested in knowing whether the K of C, which promotes itself as a family oriented Catholic men's organization, has done anything to address the abuse of children by the clergy. My sense is it has not.

When I raise the question at the local and state levels of the K of C, being an organization that could promote positive and healthy change within the Church, I am met with silence. In the national K of C literature I have not seen any reference to the scandal, other than the occasional reference to the K of C being the protector and defender of the clergy.

It seems to me that if the K of C and other Catholic institutions and groups that have been in existence for some time had addressed the issue of clergy abuse, there would be little or no need for Voice of the Faithful.

In any case, I would be interested in following up with someone that could correct my perception of the K of C or confirm my suspicions." John O'Keefe

"In its quest to see that the American bishops take responsibility, VOTF is appealing to the pope. I believe this is the wrong approach because it presupposes that the bishop of Rome really has all this power. Religion as well as politics is really local. The truth of the matter is that Rome was not all that important a player in many of the large events of the church - Nicea, for example. In fact the reason infallibility was declared by Pius IX was due to a diminished papacy, which had its ups and downs. At any rate, anyone who studies the history of the church with any diligence will see that the Bishop of Rome, while holding a place of honor, has no real God-given power.

The point is there is plenty of precedent for local control. Sure it can get messy at times, but not messier than two world wars, the holocaust, the French Revolution, slavery and the like. This should be the issue, not begging Rome or the NCCB for a voice. Of course, it would help immeasurably if the American bishops would insist on their consciences rather than blind obedience." Bill Mazzella

"It seems that the only times that the Catholic Church attempts to affect this country's political system is when it involves sex-related issues. On other important issues, like the death penalty, guns, war, social and economic justice, they may speak out but rarely, if ever, take a strong stand on how Catholic politicians must vote. However, on issues like birth control, in-vitro fertilization, artificial insemination, same-sex marriage and abortion, they go right after the political process. Fortunately, most Catholics who think much about their responsibilities have learned that the Church does not always speak with the voice of God; they have to examine their own consciences to find the true Way."

"Recently, our bishop prided himself by posting a diocesan financial report on the Diocese of Portland (Maine) website. Revenues and expenses are itemized in the most general terms. The names of the members of the Finance Council are not posted on the website. Most (if not all) Finance Council members are favored by the bishop. They are not elected; the bishop appoints them.

Transparency and accountability does not come easily to the bishops, their staffs or diocesan lay committee members. Existing council members may be as entrenched in clericalism as are the bishops and their priests.

What can we do? We can begin to ask questions, one by one. My constant and unyielding vision is that we become a church for the poor. Each and every financial decision we make must be followed by a simple question, 'How does this decision affect the poor?'" Paul Kendrick

"As far as Church leaders' concern for Catholic voters, I would say to them, clean up your own house first. Make sure everybody is united on the fact that we are one, holy, apostolic Church before going on to ancillary roadways." Mary Anne Martin, Kingston, MA

"My family has been devastated by false accusations of sexual abuse, which came from 'recovered' false memories. Our parish priest was completely unprepared to offer useful advice on this topic. I think what we need to advocate is an entirely new way for the Church to look at all sexual matters, including sexual abuse and false accusations of sexual abuse. The Church has had such a confusing, hypocritical, unhealthy attitude about sex in general, which has contributed to negligent responses with regard to both sexual abuse and false accusations of sexual abuse." Michael Donnelly, New York, NY

COMMENTARY

What Do You Think? Reply to leaderpub@voiceofthefaithful.org

Mike Gustin from VOTF Westford-Chelmsford, MA recently responded to a flurry of e-mails revolving around a proposed rating system for bishops. Mike felt there were better uses for our time and suggested the following:

I believe we should continue to do what we have been doing:

1. Support Survivors of Sexual Abuse
2. Speak out in favor of due process for all priests who have been accused, removed from ministry, and remain in limbo awaiting a decision on their cases. Some of these men have been in this position for over a year!
3. Praise bishops who approach the crimes and sins of the era of clergy sexual abuse with honesty, compassion, and justice and who implement the teachings of Vatican II regarding the role of the laity in the Church.
4. Expose the bishops who have abused children, transferred child molesters, stonewalled investigators, refused to answer questions and refused to provide the names of known abusers that have been hidden by the Church. Hold them accountable for their actions. Publicize the facts. Carolyn Disco has done an outstanding job of this in New Hampshire (www.nhvotf.org ). Protest in front of their cathedrals. Make sure the media knows about them. Write letters to the editors. Create and circulate petitions for their removal. The Pope has said, "There is no place in our Church for anyone who would harm a child."
5. Encourage priests of good conscience to speak out for justice.
6. Encourage law enforcement to investigate bishops' and priests' activities, where appropriate.
7. Write letters to your legislators in support of changes in laws that ease/eliminate the statute of limitations for sex crimes.
8. Work with your local pastor to bring about change from within. Start a parish Safety Committee. Join the Parish Council or Finance Committee. Teach religious education. Become a Eucharistic Minister. Develop a lesson plan on Vatican II that can be used by Religious Ed teachers in your parish.

I'm sure most of you are already doing many of these things. I just think this kind of work is much more useful than rating bishops. That's just my two cents worth - your mileage may vary.

Council Minutes

Voice of the Faithful Representative Council Meeting Thursday, April 22, 2004,
St. Pius V Church, Lynn, MA

Acting Moderator Frances O'Leary opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. and thanked the St. Pius V community, especially Jack Whalen and his committee, for their hospitality. For the opening prayer, Jack read a reflection from Michael Novak's book Tell Me Why.

President's Report

In the absence of Jim Post who had a teaching commitment, Vice President Kris Ward presented a report. After thanking the host community, she noted her admiration for Jim Post's leadership of and commitment to Voice of the Faithful. She also mentioned that she will be attending meetings of leadership groups throughout her stay in Boston until Tuesday, April 27.

Kris announced that the Governance Committee had met in February and began addressing issues of the relationship among the various levels of governance, working toward a "checks and balances" model.

Kris spoke about the two-day conference held at the University of San Francisco. There were 500 people in attendance, including 120 VOTF members. Jim Post was the keynote speaker.

Looking to the future, Kris said that she believes that parish and diocesan issues of financial responsibility and use of discretionary funds may be among the next areas of concern for VOTF to address. She also said that there has been support for the possibility that the Robert Bennett/National Review Board Report includes areas for action by VOTF affiliates.

Kris turned to Mary Ann Keyes for two announcements: 1) Randi Simons has joined the parish voice affiliate office team; and 2) the 200th affiliate, Midland, Michigan, has just been formed.

Treasurer's Report

Ann Carroll said that she plans to report at the Council meeting on a quarterly basis, and to all Council members through email, then report on the website.

She announced that outside auditors are very close to finishing their work, and, when it is completed, the Fiscal '03 report will be posted on the website. We have also filed our first tax return, as required, although we pay no taxes as a nonprofit.

Executive Director's Report

Steve Krueger said he had met with VOTF leaders in Minnesota on a statute of limitations issue, before traveling to California. While in Los Angeles, he met with the editorial board of the Los Angeles Times, as well as with the communications director of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

He spoke about the recent development campaign. Direct mail, including a copy of the petition first published in the New York Times on February 29, was sent to 30,000 subscribers to the National Catholic Reporter and to 15,000 VOTF members. The responses continue to come in.

A major donor who read Keep the Faith, Change the Church called Steve to remark on the "fine people" involved in VOTF, as described in the book. He asked that we identify 1,000 people who "oppose or do not understand VOTF," and he will underwrite the cost of distributing copies of the book to them.

Steve said that a process for reviewing the Handbook for Action has been established. The Handbook is a living document, and its purpose is to serve the needs of the parish voice affiliates. It will be distributed when the review process is completed.

Affiliate News

Bob Morris of the St. Eulalia affiliate, Winchester, announced that planning is underway for a conference to be held at the Worcester Centrum Convention Center on November 13, 2004. Organizing meetings are ongoing, and Bob asked Council attendees to sign up to work on the event. The working title is "It's Not History."

Jack Whalen described the week of prayerful petitioning now taking place at Holy Family, Lynn, appealing for compassionate and insightful decision making in the closing of Archdiocesan parishes. VOTF staffed the prayer room on April 20. The vigil was to conclude with an outdoor Mass on Sunday, April 25. [See "Before Your Parish Closes" in this issue of In the Vineyard]

Update on Goal #2

Svea Fraser distributed copies of her presentation on Goal #2. The purpose was to get a "sense of the meeting" as to whether the wording - To support priests of integrity - should be kept or changed. Svea reviewed the process to date and the pros and cons regarding a change of wording. Discussion followed, and the "sense of the meeting" was taken, with the result of a nearly unanimous affirmation of the present wording. There were many comments that explanatory wording should be developed around our meaning of "integrity," much the same as has been done with the structural change goal.

Announcements

April and early May events at St. Albert's in Weymouth and St. Eulalia's in Winchester were announced.

May 13 - Holy Family Parish, Sacred Heart Lower Hall, Amesbury, 7:00 p.m. James E. Post, "Being Catholic in a Time of Crisis."[see "Events" in this issue]

May 18 - St. John the Evangelist, Wellesley, 7:30 p.m. "Reclaiming and Rebuilding Our Parishes, After the Suppression Step in Reconfiguration" - a plenary meeting for all five regions, followed by working groups. [See "Events" in this issue]

Frances O'Leary announced the names of those elected to the Representative Council Steering Committee, in alphabetical order: Henry Dinger, Ron DuBois, Elia Marnik, Gaile Pohlhaus, Anne Southwood.

The next Council meeting will be held on Saturday, May 22, at St. Timothy Parish, West Hartford, CT: Coffee at 9:30 a.m., with speaker David Gibson at 10:00 a.m. followed by our meeting from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

The closing prayer was a reflection attributed to Oscar Romero, read by John Moynihan. The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Before Your Parish Closes

What follows is the story of the Prayer Room built in the parking lot of Holy Family Church in Lynn, MA and peopled 24/7 by Catholics concerned about what appears to be that parish's imminent closing in the RCAB "reconfiguration" plan. Both regional and national media have been drawn to the "little space that roared." The following was written by Rob Dandreo and Jack Whelan.

On Sat., March 20, 2004, a group of 12 Holy Family parishioners held the first of several meetings that became a Gathering of Concerned Catholics.

The reconfiguration process in the Archdiocese of Boston was well underway. There had been several cluster meetings. It was determined by the Lynn Cluster that St. Michael's would be offered as the first closure, and if the Archdiocese deemed it necessary to close another parish in our cluster, it would be Holy Family. Ten years ago the Lynn Cluster consisted of nine parishes. Three have already closed and two more were respectfully submitted to the Vicar on March 8, 2004.

St. Michaels, Holy Family and many of the other parishes throughout the Archdiocese, that found themselves faced with the prospect of closing, reacted similarly.

Letters to the local newspaper, letters to local clergy, bishops, Archbishop O'Malley, Apostolic Nuncio to United the States Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, even the Pope. The only acknowledgement we received was from the secretary to Archbishop O'Malley. It came by way of a standard form letter signed by her. My calls to Bishop Irwin, spanning ten weeks, were never returned. Catholics from other parishes were left with a similar level of response, which is to say, next to nothing. We were not being heard.

I had spent a significant amount of time, prior to the announcement of the recommended closing list, meeting and speaking with clergy and parish vicars from all over. There existed an overwhelmingly high percentage of Catholics, laity and clergy alike, who are experiencing feelings of confusion, sadness, anger, betrayal and general negativity, with regard to the present condition of the Church, the reconfiguration process and the future of the Church.

The goal of our group was to gather and unite as many Catholic people as we possibly could, to stand together, pray together, support each other and voice our unified belief that all viable parishes must be preserved for benefit of the Roman Catholic Churches. While the focus was on the six remaining parishes of the Lynn cluster, 21 parishes and church groups were involved in this community dialogue.

Given the public bashing that our Church has withstood, we found it to be vitally important to proceed in a respectful, positive, constructive and prayerful manner. Our group is all about supporting the Church. We felt that we should be one-dimensional in our focus on preserving viable parishes, leaving the physical changes, which may or may not be necessary, for another time.

We are people of faith. We believe that God alone has the power to guide us and provide us with the strength and compassion necessary to face the problems of our Church. Perhaps the hierarchy would be enlightened to the plight and the desire of thousands of concerned Catholics.

We began planning a week of prayer. It would begin with Divine Mercy Sunday, with several parishes participating. It was an open invitation, verbally and physically delivered, posted in stores, rectories, churches, gas stations, anywhere Catholics might be. It would be the beginning of our weeklong vigil, seven days, seven nights, 168 hours of continuous prayer.

Following the Novena to The Divine Mercy, with each decade of the Rosary prayed out loud in a different language, an outdoor prayer vigil began in the church parking lot. The week would culminate with an outdoor Mass. Divine Mercy Sunday took a tremendous amount of planning and effort. A parishioner from Holy Family Church served as the chairperson of the committee.

The prayer room was visible to the public throughout this period and drew reporters from local as well as national media. It is constructed of wood and Plexiglas and adorned with flowers and ivy on the exterior. During the week, candles surrounded it and glowed warmly. The interior is heated, has a light, three chairs, one table, one kneeler, a Crucifix, the Bible, prayer books and a rug. Participants found it to be extremely spiritual and serene. Many expressed disbelief at how quickly time passed while inside, and requested extended time or return visits. All signed their names on the exposed wood framing. VOTF covered the vigil on Tuesday, 4-20-04. In addition to the people who participated in the Prayer Room, two to three people were assigned to be on the premises at all times to make coffee and keep watch. The number of people on the premises fluctuated from three to one hundred at any given time. It was truly a community coming together for the common good of our Church. People felt great!

The outdoor Closing Mass was con-celebrated at 3:00 PM on Sunday, April 25, 2004, at Holy Family Church with five priests from nearby parishes. Preparation included setting out 300 chairs for what turned out to be 500 attendees. We wired the belfry for sound, moved the organ outside, built an altar, closed down Bessom Street, and enjoyed a wonderful celebration! After Mass, we provided coffee and cookies for all. Again, people were feeling great! Smiles, hugs, thank you's… it was wonderful! Thus the prayerful vigil formally ended.

In all, we estimated that close to 3,000 people participated in this week of prayer. They represented over 20 parishes and Catholic organizations, all coming together in this time of great uncertainty to pray to God as a unified and concerned body of Catholics. As I said in my statement at the conclusion of our Mass, "Let us not view this day as an ending, but instead, as a new beginning." Robert Dandreo, Holy Family Parishioner [For more information, please log on to www.holyfamilychurchlynn.org. or direct inquiries to gocc@hotmail.com.]