REGIONAL News

VOTF Rockford, IL from Dee O’Neal, Naperville, IL (Joliet diocese)

Our brothers and sisters in Rockford, IL have petitioned their bishop (Bishop Doran) at least 4 times in the past 2 years to be able to hold VOTF meetings in parish halls or other Catholic church property. In every case the bishop has denied them permission sending his replies to them thru intermediaries. Bishop Doran has also refused to meet with any representatives and/or members of the Rockford VOTF group, even though these folk are Rockford Diocese parishioners (i.e., "the sheep of his flock").

Well, apparently they are "sheep" no longer. They have decided that the time for action has arrived. Hence, they are planning a "witness action” for Pentecost Sunday. Rockford VOTF members are asking that VOTF members and friends from all over IL join them in attending the 11am Mass on Pentecost Sunday, May 15 at the St. Peter's Cathedral / Rockford (wear RED in honor of the EMPOWERING blessing of the HOLY SPIRIT on the first Pentecost.

After the Mass, the Rockford VOTF group (and friends from all over Northern IL) will attempt to hold a very short meeting on Cathedral property.

Janet Hauter, VOTF Chicago, IL notes the following:

What do we hope to gain? The word Pentecost means fifty: referring to the fifty days following Easter and Jesus’ resurrection and so it is a time ready for something to happen. The first Pentecost, we are told, the disciples had signs of being a new people. We have that opportunity this Pentecost, to be disciples and stand with voice for what we believe. Pentecost is the time of unification where diverse people become one. Pentecost is a time of forgiveness of the institutional Church for its lack of justice, forgiveness of those who choose to be silent and passive in the face of the scandals and the mis-management of the Church we love so much. Pentecost is a time for wisdom to act as Jesus would and call for a return of the Church that Jesus founded. Pentecost is a time of evangelization; a time to leave our fear behind and risk the Gospel message with zeal and deliberate focus to be witnesses of our faith.

As Justice Anne Burke has said this is the time for “No More Silent Catholics!” We are called to act out of our faith and work with priests of integrity to rebuild our crumbling institutional Church while maintaining the faith and the dogma we hold so dear. For details on the “Speak Out” contact Mike Mastroianni at mdm5517@insightbb.com

Concerned Catholics of NH in the diocese of Manchester, NH from Leo Hudon, Hudson, NH

More than three years ago, a group of Catholics in the Manchester, NH diocese determined from the unfolding revelations of clergy sexual abuse that their own bishop and his auxiliary failed to discharge their fundamental moral obligations and pastoral duties. Eighteen months ago, this same group of concerned Catholics petitioned the Holy See to have their bishop and his auxiliary removed. In the absence of a substantive reply, the signatories decided to exercise Canon 212, which states that the laity “have the right also to make their views known to others of Christ’s faithful …on matters which concern the good of the church.”

Click here to read a document that is the product of this effort, inclusive of the signatories, past correspondence, etc. If, after reading the document, anyone finds merit in the case, those people are asked to forward it to as many people as possible. If you would like to see all of the documentation and file regarding abuse in NH and MA please click here. To read the Canon Case to Remove Bishops McCormack and Christian, click here.

LI VOTF has been supporting Project Millstones - more
information is on LI VOTF web site

Project Millstones states with compassionate conviction: Unless and until the bishops who - at least after 1985 - have been seriously negligent and complicit leave office, the respect and trust rightly due the body of bishops will be sadly in short and severely strained supply.

MILLSTONE'S PROPOSALS

First, Project Millstones calls upon the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to expand the charge to its National Review Board to investigate claims against bishops who were complicit in the abuse scandal, at least after 1985 when it became clear that priest predators should not be in active ministry. The Board would then make recommendations for removal or resignation based upon the facts in each bishop's case.

While we are troubled with the notion of zero tolerance, we accept it reluctantly as an appropriate response to abusive priests in the wake of life-long damage to the thousands of innocent victims of sexual abuse. Yet we insist that accused clerics be accorded the due process that is their right in Canon and Civil law and that allegations be investigated by an objective, professional and non-church affiliated entity. Only then will “zero tolerance” have credibility and be a reflection of justice for victims.

With Bishop Gumbleton, we are dismayed by the readiness of our bishops to impose this penalty on abusive priests while at the same time exempting themselves from any sanction beyond a public apology which conforms more to empty institutional rhetoric than to heartfelt compassion. Fraternal correction surely should include the courageous expectation that bishops complicit in a cover-up would humbly resign from their position of leadership.

Second, Project Millstones calls upon all persons to report to the National Review Board any incidents of episcopal complicity in the sexual abuse scandal with which they may be acquainted;

Third, Project Millstones calls upon all victims of clergy/religious sexual abuse who have not yet shared their abuse with anyone privately or publicly to come forward to the appropriate ecclesiastical and civil authorities. These persons wear a particularly heavy millstone around their necks, since they suffer needlessly in silence.

Fourth, Project Millstones seeks a further clarification by the Conference of Bishops and the National Review Board on the exact meaning of sexual abuse;

Fifth, Project Millstones calls for a deep dialogue to be engaged among the leadership and all of the members of the Church in the United States regarding the best way to share leadership in our Church. We stand in solidarity with VOTF in calling for a change in the structures of governance in the Church we have long served and deeply love.

Finally, none of this can be done outside the context of profound and shared prayer and to this we pledge ourselves as we launch Project Millstones.

PROJECT MILLSTONES COORDINATING COMMITEE

Rev. Patrick W. Collins, PhD, Diocese of Peoria; Rev. Thomas P. Doyle, OP, JCD, Goldsboro, NC; Rev. Robert M. Hoatson, PhD, Archdiocese of Newark, NJ; Rev. Kenneth Lasch, JCD, Diocese of Paterson, NJ

Also from LI VOTF: The Long Island Press for the second year in a row recently named Long Island Voice of the Faithful as one of the fifty most influential organizations on Long Island. While we appreciate the recognition, we pray that our efforts will continue to bring about much needed reform, console victims, and prevent future abuses. In an effort to comfort the victims and provide safety for our children, we request that the Diocese of Rockville Centre release all information regarding its knowledge of known sexual abusers who have worked for the diocese and identify those members of the diocesan hierarchy who were responsible for assigning known abusers to pastoral service.

Boston VOTF to consider a fourth goal from the VOTF Boston Area Council newsletter:

At the monthly Boston Area VOTF Council meeting, which all members are encouraged to attend, John Hynes, member of the Steering Committee, introduced the idea of a fourth goal for the Boston Area Council VOTF - modeling the church we would like to become. He invited members present to have a conversation about this fourth goal.

Members questioned the need for a fourth goal, asking if we are doing enough to implement the original three goals of VOTF. The pros and cons of this idea were discussed. Then, the small group brainstorming sessions focused on ways of renewing the Church in Boston and things Boston VOTF can do to model these practices and drew up the following considerations:

What are the changes we would like to see in the Church in Boston?

• Development of lay leadership
• Collaboration in selection of pastors
• Greater commitment to social justice and contemplative prayer
• Fostering multiculturalism in our liturgical and devotional practices
• Reviving certain traditional Catholic practices
• Offering more liturgical participation by the laity, e.g., washing of feet on Holy Thursday, lay homilies, greater use of the deaconate
• Teaching the history of women, recognizing their contributions in building and maintaining the American church
• Fostering the development of small communities, both within and separate from parishes
• Increasing community service activities by parishioners
• Formation in Scripture and Tradition through study and prayer
• Transparency in financial matters on parish and diocesan levels
• Recognizing St. Albert's and St. Anselm's as models of vibrant parishes

What can Boston Area VOTF do to model the Church we would like to become?

• Encourage lay leadership by calling on talents and skills of members, e.g., Mass on the Common
• Develop the Shared Wisdom model of Church by facilitating dialogue among a range of Catholic groups such as Opus Dei and the Association for the Rights of Catholics
• Advocate for greater inclusion of women in liturgy, e.g., letter to Bishop O'Malley asking the inclusion of women in washing of the feet
• Study and teach the history of the role of women in building the church
• Support vigiling parishes as examples of vibrant communities by participating in the vigils and attending Council of Parishes meetings
• Creating a governance structure for Boston VOTF built on transparency and accountability
• Continue adult formation activities
• Organize prayer services for members; reinvigorate devotional practices, e.g., litany for closing parishes
• Revisit three goals of VOTF: What have we achieved? What remains to be done?
• Meet with area bishops and parish councils to present the mission and goals of VOTF

The conversation is ongoing. If you are a Boston Area VOTFer and would like to receive this twice-monthly newsletter, contact Dorothy Kennedy at kendor713@yahoo.com. The next Boston Area VOTF Council meeting is Wed. June 8.

Milwaukee priests may be subject to searches from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Priests in the Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee can be required to consent to unannounced searches of their homes at any time of the day or night if church officials suspect or know they have been involved in sexual conduct, alcohol or drug abuse, or other behavior deemed inappropriate by Archbishop Timothy Dolan, according to a policy change announced to clergy last week. If you find something amiss in this proposed action, please share your thoughts. Send comments to pthorp.ed@votf.org.