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Catholics
the world over remember the November 16, 1989
El Salvador assassinations of six Jesuits, their housekeeper and her
daughter.
For information on commemoration plans, go to http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/10th-anniv.html.
In This
Issue:
Documented laxity among
Chicago IL Jesuits demostrates the ongoing crisis of clergy sexual
abuse; SNAP and VOTF join voices in Archdiocese of Rockville Centre NY;
Convention Recaps and Order Form for DVDs and tapes; VOTF National Representative Council meeting summary from October 2007 meeting in Providence RI; preliminary 2008 National Officer Elections; and more.
NATIONAL
News
Chicago
IL:
Another Trajectory of Shame
VOTF issued a press release on reports
released indicating “that three separate Catholic
institutions and ten Church officials were long aware of the sexual
abuse committed by Rev. Donald McGuire S.J. and did little to control him or protect
children from him over all those decades.” VOTF has also
objected to bail for the priest. For more coverage see these reports.
Rockville
Centre, NY
VOTF and SNAP joined voices to protest
the use of the pulpit by Bishop Murphy of the Rockville Center diocese
of New York during the annual Red Mass to argue against pending
legislation that would extend the statute of limitations. Newsday.com has the story.
ANNOUNCEMENT
OF NATIONAL OFFICER ELECTIONS
In a few days, the Nominations Committee
will announce the duties and expectations for each Officer position,
the criteria for nomination, the nominations schedule, and the process
and procedures for determining a slate of candidates. The
Trustees urge you to give prayerful and serious consideration to the
core membership responsibility to nominate and elect those whom you
feel are best-suited to carry out these critical leadership positions.
Read More
USCCB Meeting in Baltimore
VOTF calls on US bishops to "correct" one of their own. See the press release
distributed during the USCCB meeting in Baltimore.
Interim reports from the John Jay study on causes and context of the
sexual abuse scandal were reported at the USCCB meeting in Baltimore.
VOTF calls for continued funding to ensure valid data and analysis.
MORE
from “Disciples in Action”
“Women as Disciples throughout Church History” – Edward Greenan
“Dialogue with the Diocese: The Chicago Drama”
Catherine of Siena Award recipient’s acceptance speech is on
the VOTF web site. ( See recipient Carolyn Disco’s commentary in New
Hampshire’s Union Leader.)
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VOTF
Loses a Friend
Gerald Renner co-authored with Jason Berry a book that literally
reached the Vatican in its dogged tracking of clergy sexual abuse. Vows
of Silence remains on the short list of books that document as well as
humanize the horrific dimensions of seeking justice when one door after
another is shut. Gerald Renner died on Oct. 24. Both Jason and Gerald
were familiar faces at many a VOTF and survivor support gathering.
Voice of the Faithful extends our condolences to Gerald’s
family, friends and colleagues. Read
More at National Catholic Reporter.
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For your convenience we have included a DVD/CD order form in this issue of In the Vineyard from Resurrection Tapes.
AFFILIATE NEWS
VOTF
Winchester MA continues a 5-year tradition with the sale of a brand new
line of Christmas cards to benefit the survivor community benefit
survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Cards sell for just $15 for a package
of 12 cards. We are selling 4 different cards: You can buy 12 cards
with the same design or a mixed package with 3 cards of each of the 4
designs. Each card has the VOTF web address on the back. You can buy
cards at any weekly affiliate meeting in Winchester on Monday
nights, or by visiting the group’s website,
and printing and mailing the order form with your payment. Thank you
for your support! If you have any questions, contact Bob Morris at rmorrivotf@aol.com.
SITE-Seeing, Etc.
William A. Barry, S.J., author of several books on prayer, has reviewed Mother Teresa’s book Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta in the current issue of America magazine.
Boston VOTF leader Bob Ott corrected the Boston Globe coverage of the Providence RI convention in a letter to the editor.
QUOTE for our time:
From Fr. Ken Lasch, 2007 VOTF Priest of Integrity Award recipient
commenting “to the Chicago Sun-Times reporter Susan Hogan that
‘religious orders have long argued against ousting predator
members on the grounds that society is safer because orders can provide
close supervision…the trouble is that they don't, the Chicago
Jesuits and McGuire have been slapped with two lawsuits involving three
boys in the past 19 years.’” Read More |
