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Please
send comments and inquiries to pthorp.ed@votf.org.
“The
chief problem in my view, however, is that Benedict
typically focuses on the sin of the abuser to the exclusion
of the sins of the overseers—the bishops—whose actions
enabled those abuses to propagate like a virus.” David
Gibson, author of The Rule of Benedict. See Interview with
David Gibson in this issue.
In
this Issue:
NATIONAL/Global
News
Pope
Benedict XVI speaks out with force on clergy
sexual abuse: "It is important
to establish the truth of what happened in
the past, to
take whatever steps are necessary to prevent
it from occurring again, to ensure that the
principles of justice are fully respected and,
above all, to bring healing to the victims
and to all those affected by these egregious
crimes." For the complete text, click
here. See more about the context
of the Pope's remarks under DIOCESE/State
Watch - Ireland.
Fall Actions in the Accountability Campaign are
touching most parts of the U.S. Find
out what’s going in your state. If
your state’s not listed, contact your
affiliate leader.
In
Brief: VOTF welcomes a new affiliate
in the diocese of Youngstown, Ohio with the
addition of the Mahoning Valley Affiliate; VOTF
withdraws participation at the upcoming
annual gathering of CTA – VOTF president
Mary Pat Fox explained the officers’ decision
in a letter
to leadership on 10/30; CORRECTION – The
10/19 issue of In the Vineyard moved
Delray Beach to California (in DIOCESE/State
Watch). Delray Beach remains in Florida.
Thank you to Ed Hill for the catch and apologies
to readers.
The
Congressional scandal around Rep. Foley is
advancing a global consciousness of the impact
of the Catholic Church’s handling of clergy
sexual abuse. The Mediterranean island of
Malta is only the most recent country to
join this never-ending story. See more in DIOCESE/State
Watch.
- Visit
our website home
page for recent VOTF statements, including
a joint release with SNAP calling
on legal authorities to investigate former
Congressman Foley’s abusive priest; and the
VOTF statement on the Congress/Church parallel.
Churches
might be going back to school to learn Financial
Accountability. “Roman Catholic universities
are offering management courses to lay church
workers and clergy. Read
the story at Chicago Tribune website.
- Speaking
of financial accountability, parishes around
the U.S. continue to grapple with financial “blind
spots.” The Chicago
Tribune updates
one such instance in Chicago where bail has
been set for a pastor accused of parish theft:
The Palm
Beach Post noted
the difficulty of parish oversight..
The
breakdown in communications between priests
and Cardinal Egan in the Archdiocese of
New York is indicative, arguably, of the
greatest hurdle for the Church in the 21st
Century – the absence of dialogue. (See New
York coverage under DIOCESE/State
Watch.) Meanwhile, Bishop Ricardo
Ramirez addressed that very subject and its
critical place in the life of the Church. The
bishop made his remarks at the 10th Anniversary
celebration of the Catholic Common Ground Initiative.
See Quote for our Time in this issue.
Setback
for lay ministers?: Catholic News Service
reports: “At the direction of Pope Benedict
XVI, extraordinary ministers of holy Communion
will no longer be permitted to assist in
the purification of the sacred vessels at
Masses in the United States.” Read
more and at EWTN.
A 2004 response on the EWTN
site clarifies terminology: Also, see
the USCCB
site.
“US
bishops will vote next month on a proposal
to release one-third of the money earmarked
to study the causes of clergy sexual abuse
of minors in the States.” Go to the USCCB
website for more information. |
DIOCESE/State
Watch: VOTF
Ireland stated their expectations from their
bishop (as he headed to Rome for his ad limina visit)
to the vocal objections of fellow Catholics; Malta – the
Maltese diocese will investigate the priest involved
with US Rep. Foley; tragedy continues to unfold
in Mexico and Los Angeles, CA;VOTF New
York responded to the noise heard ‘round the
world when Cardinal Egan, Archdiocese of New York,
received an anonymous letter from priests in the
diocese critical of the Cardinal’s diocesan leadership; Springfield,
MA – Fr. Scahill (2005 VOTF Priest of Integrity
Award recipient) and VOTF’s John Bowen of Longmeadow,
MA address what the Church might learn from the
Foley scandal; VOTF was a participant in a collaboration
of voices at a recent Ohio Parishes United
gathering; Los Angeles, CA - $10 million
later, abuse cases are settled; Boston, MA – Cardinal
O’Malley breaks a rule and wins applause from the
community; Louisville, KY – the Courier
Journal reports that the Archdiocese of Louisville
has released its final accounting of more than
four years of sexual-abuse related litigation to
the cost of $29.7 million. AFFILIATE NOTE: Need
some ideas for your gatherings? Visit the VOTF
Winchester, MA website for
a recent lay-led faith-sharing group discussion
and much more, including VOTF note cards (Christmas
cards will be available soon).
BOOK
Notes: David Gibson’s much-discussed book The
Rule of Benedict: Pope Benedict XVI and His Battle
with the Modern World. David and his publisher
HarperSanFrancisco (a division of HarperCollins
Publishers) have provided Vineyard readers
with an interview about this first critical look
at the current papacy. Look for a VOTF book review
on The Rule of Benedict in the 11/16 Vineyard.
QUOTE
for our time: “Basically, I have learned the
importance, yes, the necessity for the Church to
be always in dialogue. The bishop has to be the model,
the catalyst and the one who promotes dialogue in
his diocese. The challenge is how to be an authority
without being authoritarian. For the bishop, dialogue
happens in the balance of listening and teaching,
engaging and leading, to establish a community of
justice and love in the name of Jesus Christ.” Bishop
Ricardo Ramirez speaking in August at the Tenth Anniversary
of the Catholic Common Ground Initiative. Click
here for the full text of the address
and to learn more about the work of the National
Pastoral Life Center.
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