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I
hope all of our readers enjoyed some summer pleasures – as
did I, thanks to Sally Vance-Trembath, VOTF vice president.
Sally’s convention planning coverage during the months
of July and August kept our Vineyard nourished. With
the current issue we return to regular coverage inclusive
of some highlights you might have missed when the fish
were biting or the wind was just right for a quick
sail. Please let me know if there is a story not included
here, which you feel should be shared with readers.
Write to pthorp.ed@votf.org.
And welcome back!
IN THIS ISSUE: Abuse settlements in the Los Angeles and San Diego
California dioceses reveal again the ongoing
toll of failed pastoral responsibility and accountability;
only 26 days to the VOTF Convention; Financial Accountability
Resolution passed by VOTF; Australian bishop speaks out
for change; a survivor speaks as “A Victim No More” (in
Commentary); everything’s coming up Synods! (see
SITE-Seeing, Etc.); and more.
VOTF National Notes
San
Diego CA: In the sexual abuse settlement announced
this week, the archdiocese of San Diego will pay $198.1
million to 144 abuse victims whose allegations date from
1938 to 1993. In addition, the Roman Catholic Diocese
of San Diego will release records of perpetrators. Average
payout will be $1.38 million per person for the lawsuits,
which were filed in 2003. The settlement comes after
a bankruptcy judge harshly criticized diocesan actions
related to document releases.
 Convention – Disciples
in Action, October 19-20, 2007, Providence RI.
Haven’t registered? Haven’t selected
the workshops you will attend? Accommodations questions?
Suggested readings? Speaker information? Following
recommended actions prior to the convention (including
a diocesan survey conducted by affiliate
leaders)?
Planning to purchase some convention DVDs? Anything
else? To answer all of your questions, click
here. If you can’t find what you want, please write
to pthorp.ed@votf.org.
NOTE: ALL
the discount rooms set aside for the VOTF convention
in Providence are booked. BUT YOU
CAN STILL BOOK A ROOM. There are several reasonably
priced hotels near the convention center. We have
identified some of the less costly ones. Just go
to the VOTF
Convention website. You will find a list of
hotels there with the distance to the convention
center marked.
Calling
Eucharistic Ministers. If you would like
to serve, please send your name, email address
and/or phone number to prayerfulvoice@yahoo.com.
We
are pleased to announce the Award recipients for
the VOTF Priest of Integrity Award and the VOTF
Catherine of Siena Award! We have three priests
of integrity: Fr. Ken Lasch, Fr. Richard
Reissmann, and Fr. Steve Stanbery. To see why it was so difficult
to pick just one recipient, read the announcement here from the Support Priests of Integrity Working
Group. It is also our honor to name Carolyn
Disco of New Hampshire as the winner of the Catherine
of Siena Lay Person’s Award. If you have
not yet heard of the wonderful work Carolyn has
performed, see the announcement here.
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The VOTF
National Representative Council passed a “Resolution
on Effective Church Financial Management Systems.” Read
more.
VOTF has hired a new Executive
Director. Read
the VOTF statement on the hiring of Donna Doucette. The
VOTF Convocation Implementation Committee doesn’t
seem to have vacationed at all this summer. A Convocation
Implementation team was charged in 2005 with building
the words of the 2005 Indianapolis Convocation into actions
for VOTF affiliates. Those actions continue to animate
the Convocation’s Financial Accountability and
Protecting Our Children goals. Click here for VOTF Actions
Now and see a little of what “Disciples in Action” might
look like.
AFFILIATE
Highlight: Looking for ideas
to build up a lay voice in our Church? VOTF North Shore,
Lynn and Seacoast
(MA) affiliates begin the fifth year of a Faith Formation
program in collaboration with Boston College Department
of Theology. “Living Christ’s Mercy Today” will
run from Sept. 30 through May 18. For details, contact
Vince Guerra at vfgmd@aol.com or
Jim Callahan at jcall2@comcast.net.
| Calling
all working group correspondents: We need
somewhat regular updates from Prayerful Voice, Survivor
Support, Priests Support, Structural Change, Protecting
Our Children, and Voice of Renewal/Lay Education.
Please limit your text to 250-300 words. Send to
pthorp.ed@votf.org. |
DIOCESE/State
Watch
San
Diego CA: The archdiocese of San Diego is
paying nearly $200 million to settle sexual abuse
cases, per an announcement that came late Friday
afternoon, Sept. 7. Union
Tribune coverage notes that “$198.1
million will be paid to 144 abuse victims whose allegations
date from 1938 to 1993. The Roman Catholic Diocese
of San Diego also will release records of perpetrators. The
payments: $107 million from the San Diego
diocese. Catholic Mutual, the main insurance carrier,
will pay $76 million. The San Bernardino diocese,
which was once part of the San Diego diocese, will
pay $15 million. The awards: Average
payout will be $1.38 million per person for lawsuits
filed in 2003.”
Read
more inside at DIOCESE/State
Watch.
SURVIVOR
Community
VOTF
National Survivor Support Working Group issued a statement
on the San Diego sexual abuse settlement. See the
statement in this issue.
A
survivor defines “apology” and “forgiveness” in
ways only a survivor can appreciate. Yet there’s
something here for all of us. See Commentary for “A
Victim No More” by Bob Schwiderski.
SNAP’s
annual convention was a success and they are already
planning their 2008 gathering. Watch www.snapnetwork.org
for photos and coverage of the 2007 gathering and get
ready early for 2008. SITE-Seeing,
Etc.
Synods
are in the air:
- VOTF
Northern California provides
a report on an inspirational
Lay Synod held in San Francisco in June;
- National
Catholic Reporter has recent
coverage of “synods by
and for the folks in the pews.” ;
- FutureChurch
is working to raise awareness at the October
2008 “Synod on the Word” about
the invisibility of women’s biblical
leadership and preaching. The organization
is offering some armchair activism on behalf
of a lay voice for the agenda that is now in
the works. For more information, click
here.
- Additional
information on the Synod “Lineamenta” is available
here. For a brief overview of synods,
the function of a “lineamenta” and
a chronology of next steps and deadline
for input on the Synod (November), click
here.
Read more SITE-Seeing,
Etc. QUOTE
for our time: “Believe that
discipleship, like motherhood, demands a readiness
to endure anguish and pain; it requires the
willingness to risk your life…your very
self, in order to give birth and rejoice in
the lives that God will bring into the world
and into the church through you.” Meg
Guider, O.S.F., Weston Jesuit School of Theology,
Associate Professor of Missiology, as noted
in Light and Life, Spring/Summer 2007.
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