Please send comments and inquiries to leaderpub@votf.org
Copy deadline for September 11 Vineyard is August 29

To receive the VOTF quarterly journal, call the
National office at 617-558-5252

In the Vineyard
August 2003

“Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people’s way.” Isaiah 57:14

This month In the Vineyard offers several invitations and much inspiration, all from the hands of our committed members. Conferences and reflections, statements of purpose and moments of “breakthroughs” – these have been the markers of a movement gaining in wisdom and community. Alongside steadily growing numbers of supportive Catholics across the country, VOTF is working to “remove every obstruction.”

Isaiah’s words are resonating wherever we look: the VOTF Structural Change Working Group (SCWG) has risen to the task of articulating our most controversial goal – “To shape structural change within our Church”; East regional readers have an opportunity to “build up” at the Pastoral Summit in Boston, MA and the October tri-state conference of NY/NJ/CT in New York, NY; and the Tucson, AZ affiliate offers its own blueprint for “clearing the way” as they progress a mutually respectful conversation with their bishop.

To our far-flung supporters and readers, we share all of these invitations, updates and stories both as models for your region and as a gesture of inclusion and action-based hope. As always, we invite coverage of any events in your area that you feel are re-shaping our Church for the better.

Please note the inclusion this month of a prayer section – compliments of the Winchester, MA area affiliate on the installation of a new archbishop in Boston, MA. We think it’s a good idea to include your prayers, whatever the wellspring, in this way – what do you think?Let us know at leaderpub@votf.org.

Peggie L. Thorp, ed.

• The Structural Change Working Group tackles what we mean by “change the Church” and takes first steps toward realizing the third goal of VOTF. Read More
  
  
• Affiliate News – Vince Guerra from Northshore Affiliate, MA captures the VOTF spirit in one sentence. Can you find it? And Tucson, AZ is walking with their bishop – what’s their secret? VOTF Virginia Beach, VA is finding a VOTF impact in the Richmond diocese and the Bay Area FL affiliate is finding measured support from a local pastor. VOTF “Down Under” – a report from the VOTF piece of the Mullaney trip and an Aussie response.
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• Events – Plan ahead for your RSVPs to the October Pastoral Summit in Boston, MA and the NY/NJ/CT tri-state conference. And don’t forget the gift of music on September 28. AND the NJ/NY/CT affiliates are up to something big – what are you doing October 25?
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• Survivor Support – If you couldn’t visit with survivor Steve Lynch during his fast, Steve Sheehan captured a few moments for all of us in his reflection on “The Healing Tree”; what is SOS?; Paul Baier reports on Survivors Forum success.Read More
  
  
• Letter from VOTF president – What have we learned one year after the July 2002 Convention? VOTF president Jim Post has learned a lot and shares his thoughts. Why not share yours – send your response to leaderpub@votf.org.
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• Archbishop O’Malley takes his seat in Boston, MA. VOTF was there in prayer and action.
  Read More
  
  
• Letters to the Editor – a call for reflection and a call for action. Read More

Survivors’ Support News

****A Musical Tribute
Submitted by Steve Sheehan

On September 28, 20003 at 5:00 pm, a chamber music concert will be performed at the Edward M. Pickman Concert Hall, 27 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA.

Admission to the concert will be free. Concert attendees are asked to make a good will offering to support SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests).

The program will be presented by John Ferrillo, Elizabeth Ostling and Elita Kang of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Carol Rodland of the New England Conservatory, and Hugh Hinton of the Longy School of Music.

The program will consist of works by Bach, Schumann, DeBussy, Barber, Loefflre and Messiaen. PLEASE HELP TO MAKE THIS EVENT A SUCCESS!

For further information please visit the survivor pages of the VOTF web site or contact Steve Sheehan at: sheehan1777@aol.com

****Survivors Speak – Wellesley, MA
Submitted by Paul Baier

In a panel discussion sponsored by Survivors First, seven men and women who have reached settlements with the Church shared their thoughts with fellow survivors. The group met at the Wellesley Public Library on Saturday July 19. Panelists discussed the lessons learned in their respective civil suits. Prominent among the many lessons noted were the following:

• Settlement is not nirvana for relieving pain. The recovery process involves dozens of steps. Many victims thought their pain would go away after the settlement and found they had more work to do.
• A support system of friends, family, and other survivors is critical. Several survivors contemplated suicide during the settlement and mediation processes but were buttressed by those who stood with them.
• Do not blindly trust your lawyer or Church officials. Get smart by talking with many other survivors who have been through the process. Being informed is empowering.

****Message on recent Supreme Court decision
Reported by SNAP

United States Supreme Court Case DOES NOT AFFECT Civil Cases

The United States Supreme Court handed down the Stogner v. California decision that invalidated use of retroactive statutes of limitations in CRIMINAL cases. As a result, many perpetrators will escape the criminal punishment that they deserve. In this way, Stogner is a horrible decision. In any case, I write to you to assure you that the Stogner decision DOES NOT AFFECT CIVIL cases. Stogner specifically distinguishes civil cases as not being impacted. What Stogner does do is emphasize the importance of civil litigation in this critical area of childhood sexual abuse. In fact, for many, filing a civil lawsuit is the only option for exposing the abusers and those who assist them. We need to keep the faith that the
journey upon which we have embarked will result in heightened protection of children. Keep making those police reports. Keep reporting crimes. If the criminally, we will prosecute civilly. Stogner has no impact whatsoever on a survivor's ability to bring a civil lawsuit.

The Healing Tree
A reflection by Steve Sheehan, Survivor Support Working Group

In front of the official residence of the Boston, MA Archbishop, on a tiny strip of grass separating the sidewalk from the traffic-laden Commonwealth Avenue, stands a tree. It is not a very large tree, and it is not a very imposing tree. In fact, it is quite unremarkable when compared to the hundreds of trees that border this impressive thoroughfare that stretches from the Public Gardens in Boston to the Wellesley town line.

Nonetheless, this is a very special tree, and what makes it special is a very special person, Steven Lynch. Twice in his life Steve has made this tree his shelter and his shrine.

In 1999, Steve spent 40 days under this tree in a meditative vigil, in protest of the intransigence of the Archdiocese of Boston in dealing (or failing to deal) with the survivor community in their search for justice in the continuing scandal burgeoning in the Roman Catholic Church. At that time, Steve was dealing with a great deal of anguish and rage resulting from being brutally abused by a priest, and the failure of the Church to admit its complicity and provide for the healing of its victims.

This year, beginning on June 26 and ending on July 6, Steve sat beneath this same tree, fasting and meditating, not to express anguish and rage, but rather to gain, for himself, inner peace and tranquility. Steve asked that friends, supporters and other survivors join him from time to time in meditation and bring, if they so desired, small offerings of a meaningful nature to affix to the tree, to increase its healing energy. That so many did, speaks volumes about the efficacy of simply coming together in love, in peace and in togetherness.

The result was a tree bearing the fruit of many personal spiritual artifacts, memories, hopes and pleas – a tree that represented the spirituality of all who visited and spent time meditating under its welcoming branches, a tree that brought together many diverse personalities and backgrounds and created out of them a community of love, hope and peace.

Steve left this site on July 6, and the artifacts were removed from the tree, many who visited taking with them some article in remembrance of their personal experience in the shade and companionship of the “Healing Tree." Whether Steve will return once again to the tree is uncertain.

What is certain is that the tree still stands. It still sheds it cooling shade over this small plot of land. But much more than its mere presence is detectable here. The energy given to the tree by Steve, his friends, and the many objects that hung from its branches during this ten-day period continues to be dispensed by the tree to those visiting or passing by, should they take the time to stop and sense its effects. For the energy once accumulated and set in motion continues to radiate and spread to all who are willing to accept it.

This is the true message of the "Healing Tree." This is the message of Steve Lynch. This is the message that needs to be heard.

Thanks to Survivor Supporters for the “Support Our Survivors Walk” The final tally for the SOS Walk is in. After all expenses were paid, the profit is $4745.00!

Each of the 5 organizations that The Survivors Appeal oversees:
SNAP (Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests), Linkup, CCS (Coalition of Catholics and Survivors), STTOP (Speak Truth to Power), SF (Survivors First)
will each receive $949.00 to benefit their group.

Special thanks to John Olbert at Merrimack College for helping us to arrange this event and to the Merrimack College administration for being so generous with their beautiful facilities. Also, we are so grateful to Ed Connolly of Connolly Insurance of Westford for the generous contribution of $250.00 toward Event Insurance.

Thanks also to Paul Baier from Survivors First, Anne Barrett Doyle from CCS, Ann Hagan Webb from SNAP, John Sacco from Linkup, Ruth Moore from STTOP and Andrea Johnson from VOTF who provided us with wonderful enrichment by explaining their various survivor advocacy groups, and what they do, in speeches they made at the SOS Walk.

This event was carefully planned, organized and staffed by the dedicated Westford Chelmsford Area VOTF Monday Morning Meeting group. It was generously sponsored by Westford Chelmsford Area VOTF, No. Andover (St. Michael's) VOTF, Andover (St. Augustine's) VOTF & Seacoast Affiliate VOTF.

Walkers, please take the time to thank your sponsors personally. Their generosity and your many laps around the field at Merrimack College truly show how much concern and goodwill there is for the many victims of clergy abuse.

Many thanks to all who made this event worthwhile and successful in both the public awareness we raised and the money that was earned. We look forward to seeing everyone next year!

Sincerely,
Lauren Franceschi
Stacey Quealey
Co-Coordinators, SOS Walk

VOTF Working Group
Goal #3 – Structural Change
Submitted by Margaret Roylance

What does VOTF mean by structural change? Many lay Catholics express concern about this issue. They are reluctant to become involved with any group that might damage our precious heritage of faith, even as they acknowledge that the events of the past year have revealed profound flaws in the human institutional life of our Church. A year ago, the Representative Council of VOTF directed that a group be formed to clarify what VOTF wishes to change, and how we intend to go about changing it. That group was the Structural Change Working Group or SCWG. Its membership was drawn from four states, and its first eight months of existence was dedicated to preparing a statement on what VOTF means by structural change. That statement was approved unanimously by the Representative Council at its meeting on February 22, 2003.

Since the unanimous passage of the statement last February, the SCWG has been working with great dedication to put the words of the statement into action. VOTF and the SCWG said that we would work to empower active, collaborative, effective and representative pastoral councils, finance councils, and safety committees in every parish in the US. In order to achieve this national goal, we recognized that we would need to provide significant educational support and resources, and that we also needed a forum for a national discussion about these issues.

The first step we took was to expand our membership from the original nine members to more than twenty. Since our membership is spread across a wide area of the country, we have relied heavily on technology to communicate with each other and coordinate our efforts. Between monthly meetings we use e-mails, chatting and teleconferencing to stay connected. The photo shows SCWG member Mary Freeman of Kingston, RI, chatting electronically with members of the group within the SCWG that is working on supporting parish pastoral councils (PPCs).

Mary leads this group, together with Gaile Pohlhaus, who lives in Wayne, PA and teaches theology at Villanova. They are currently designing a questionnaire to learn more about the status of PPCs throughout the country. We have discovered that no such survey has been carried out since the 1980’s, and understanding more about how PPCs actually function across the country is a critical first step in helping to renew them. We have strongly encouraged individual VOTF members to become members of their PPCs, and we hope to provide them with solid suggestions for operations and best practices when they do.

Similar groups have been formed within the SCWG to support finance councils and to form and support safety committees. Every parish should have a finance council, according to Canon Law, but increased breadth of representation, openness and accountability may be required to ensure that we are prudent stewards of the gifts God has given us. Parish safety committees are new lay groups, formed in response to the current crisis that work to ensure that all members of our faith communities understand the importance of protecting our children and are committed to it. We believe these committees are of the utmost importance for the safety of our children and anyone who may be at risk, and that they offer an opportunity to begin rebuilding the trust in our Church, which has been so badly damaged by all that has come to light.

In the structural change statement approved last spring, we promised to provide a Primer (a guide that seeks to impart a basic understanding of a subject) on Church Structures. We identified the need for such a resource early on when we realized that, despite many decades of Catholic education among us, we didn’t fully understand how our Church functions as a human institution. If we are to propose changes, we must first understand what we seek to change. For example, if we are aware that Diocesan Statutes actually carry more legal weight than policy directives from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, we will focus our energies for change where they will be the most effective – on dialogue with our local Bishops. We are currently going through a final review of the Primer with Fr. Ladislas Orsy, S.J., who has been retained by VOTF as a professional outside consultant in canon law and related matters. We hope to make it available to affiliates across the country some time in September.

In response to the need for a national forum on shaping change in our Church, we have developed the Structural Change Network or SCN. The SCN has been operating in a test phase for the last several months, and will be officially launched on September 8, 2003. The SCWG would like to thank those VOTF members across the country who have participated in the SCN during this period. During the test phase, many issues have been addressed, and there will continue to be room for creative, free form discussion. Initially, there will also be four focused topics for discussion on the SCN: pastoral councils, finance councils, safety committees and lay involvement in pastoral selection. Each of these topics will have a facilitator, who will keep the discussion on track and give a monthly report to the SCWG on suggestions or recommendations that have emerged. The SCWG will try to provide the best of these ideas with the national attention and recognition that they deserve, since a good idea from Michigan might be used to solve a problem in Connecticut, or vice versa. If you are interested in being a part of the SCN, you must have an account on Yahoo (available at no charge) and request membership at SCN_Moderator@yahoo.com. In order to participate in the launch, you must join by August 28, 2003. If you wish to propose a new discussion topic for the SCN, and are willing to moderate, or have any other questions or comments, please contact us at scn@votf.org. If you would like to read the VOTF Structural Change Statement, please go to the VOTF website at http://www.votf.org/Structural_Change/structural.html

VOICES, VOICES EVERYWHERE!

National Parish Voice has identified four U.S. regions for purposes of affiliate coordination, communication efforts and future regional definitions and representation:
WEST
Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico,
Colorado, Wyoming, Hawaii, Alaska
CENTRAL
North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan,
Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio
SOUTH
Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama,
Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida
EAST
Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia

VOTF “DOWN UNDER”

VOTF Travel – Down Under
Submitted by Kathy and Mark Mullaney

NEW ZEALAND
On June 15, 2003, Kathy and Mark Mullaney, co-founders of VOTF, met with Mike Nicholas and family and Kevin Campbell in Christchurch, NZ. Mike and others throughout New Zealand’s North and South Islands have been following the Catholic Church sexual abuse situation in NZ and around the world for several years. New Zealand’s Catholic Church has experienced the same abuse and recycling of pedophile priests as in other countries. Through VOTF, he is hoping to get advice and support on how to extend their lay network and reach out to Church hierarchy to increase lay participation in the workings of the Church. The Bishop of Christchurch is not receptive to this lay appeal. As with most hierarchies, they state that they have no more abuse and they have new controls to be sure that it will not happen again.

AUSTRALIA
In May of 2003, a report was made to the Australian Bishops’ Conference indicating that the Catholic Church had received 1200 complaints in the previous 10 years. The Bishops Conference stated that this figure should not be misunderstood because “a number of such pedophile priests and other Church personnel abused multiple victims.” Rather than calming the laity, this issue of repeat offenders was the most upsetting aspect of the scandal.

In 1996, the Melbourne Archdiocese, possibly the first in the world to introduce such a protocol, established Professional Standards entitled “Towards Healing.” The real question is whether these are being followed. Only voluntary acceptance by the various religious orders was requested. The Jesuits never signed it. The same week the Mullaneys were in Sydney, an accusation was made against a Jesuit in Melbourne. Initially, the Jesuits followed the advice of their legal advisors and avoided responding, withdrawing from an agreed-upon televised appearance to discuss the accusation. Within a week, at a meeting with VOTF President Jim Post who was speaking in Melbourne, a Jesuit spokesman apologized, saying they had paid too much attention to their legal advisors.

On June 28, Kathy and Mark met with Terry and Othelia DeSouza and attended Mass in Terrey Hills, 15 miles north of Sydney, Australia. Terrey Hills is a unique community of faithful led by Passionist priests. Most parishioners come from other suburbs and parishes, some as far as 30/40 km away, who have been drawn to this parish because of its dynamic character – the integral features include 26 Family Groups and strong Youth Activities, all forming a close-knit community. Terry and several other parishioners have been communicating with VOTF and considering how to make effective changes in their archdiocese to ‘open the books’ on the full history of abuse, finances, and participate in the establishment of preventive programs. The Sydney Archdiocese has not been responsive to inquiries or to proposals for inclusion of laity.

Terry worked with his pastor, Fr. Brendan Connell, to arrange for the Mullaneys to speak briefly after several Masses and to lead a Listening Session with a group of 45 from a wide area who had been informed of a VOTF presence. The Mullaneys addressed the question of “how VOTF is relevant to Australia’s faith community.” They provided the history and status of VOTF, including ongoing work with survivors and priests, prayerful voice activity, alternative charitable donation methods and education programs.

During discussion, it was clear that in the Sydney vicinity, there has been very little cooperation from the hierarchy. In fact, they are where Boston and the US would be if not for a Boston Globe Spotlight report to expose the Church’s cover-up. Even after the revelations in the US, the hierarchy has resisted every effort to take responsibility and allow lay involvement in the effort to ensure that this never happens again. Australian Church leaders too are disregarding all similar efforts. The response has been consistent and, to many, suggestive of a centralized response coming from Rome.

At the conclusion of the Sydney gathering, these Catholics, the usual collection of survivors, social workers, educators, former priests and everyday faithful asked for advice on how to successfully approach Church leadership. They are exploring ways to work within their parishes to establish programs that will ensure the safety of children. They are also studying the legal avenues for prosecuting criminal behavior. Terry is in regular contact with VOTF as they consider the possibility of becoming a VOTF affiliate.

An interesting comment came from one of the participants following the listening session. While speaking to the Mullaneys, he commented that it was poignant to have a married couple addressing a Catholic community on these leadership efforts…a sign of things to come.

VOTF president Jim Post received a letter from Terry DeSouza, an Australian VOTFer from Terry Hills, Australia, just outside of Sydney. Terry attached the article below from the August issue of his parish (St. Anthony of the Fields) journal The Terrey Graph. Terry’s cover letter noted that the Mullaneys were “excellent ambassadors” during their June visit. The Mullaneys’ visit coupled with Jim Post’s earlier visit encouraged Terry to write this comprehensive article (excerpted) in order to facilitate the establishment of an affiliate there. He noted that the parish priest is already supportive of this effort. He closed his note to Jim with “God Bless you and your labours in the Vineyard!” While much of the information is not new to our readers, it nonetheless gives us a sense of the energy and the hope left behind the visits of our traveling members.

” In the last issue of The Terrey-Graph I reported briefly on the meeting at St Anthony’s on Sunday. 29 June when we heard our visitors from America, Kathy and Mark Mullaney – founding members of VOTF – give us a brief introduction to the Voice Of The Faithful, explain its goals, and discuss the relevance of VOTF to Catholics in Australia.

A similar meeting was held in Melbourne on 27 June, where Dr Jim Post, President of VOTF, gave his views on what the Catholic Church must confront in future and what Voice Of The Faithful has to offer us for a way ahead.

The significant interest generated by these meetings encourages me to provide more information on VOTF and report more comprehensively on the meetings held in Sydney and Melbourne – and on recent developments.

Through groups of dedicated Volunteers and an active professional web site www.votf.org Voice Of The Faithful has spread to 21 countries ….We have only 55 members registered on the Australian database including about 20 in Sydney and NSW. Adrian Farrell, Regional Coordinator for VOTF in Melbourne, is now in the process of establishing an affiliate of VOTF in Melbourne while I have been requested to consider the feasibility of forming an affiliate in Sydney….

The Meeting at St Anthony’s – 29 June, 2003

When I was informed that Kathy and Mark Mullaney – founding members of VOTF – would be willing to speak to us while on a brief visit to Sydney, I immediately sought the approval and support of Fr Brendan and Bro Damian – who incidentally are members of VOTF – to arrange for them to speak at our Church. They very kindly gave me their full support and assisted me in the promotion of the visit of the Mullaneys over the weekend of 28 & 29 June. Fr Denis Travers, Passionist Provincial, was also very helpful in introducing me to Sr. Angela Ryan, Executive Director of The National Committee for Professional Standards, who provided me with much information and material, including the document ‘Towards Healing,’ which sets out the principles and procedures that form the basis for the Church’s response to complaints of abuse. I make mention of this matter as these protocols established in 1996, revised in December 2000, have, I believe, been significantly successful in creating a culture and environment to deal more effectively with these issues.

Around 120 people attended a meeting in Melbourne addressed by Dr. Jim Post, president of VOTF, on 27 June. There was overwhelming endorsement by a show of hands that a VOTF affiliate should be formed in Melbourne. ABC Radio National interviewed Dr. Post at some length on 2 July where the VOTF objective of structural change was discussed. Dr. Post …explained that VOTF is not talking about changing fundamental doctrine but about changing the human administration of the Church.

Why VOTF is Relevant to Australian Catholics

The experience of the North-American Catholic Church is indeed relevant to Australia. An article in the Sunday Age on 24 May 2003 presented information obtained from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. According to this report the Church has received 1200 complaints during the past 10 years. The view of VOTF is that the only way to make progress is to stay clearly focused on the one issue that unites all Catholics, and that is the need to reclaim the moral integrity of the Church by eliminating this evil. It should no doubt be noted that the Church in Australia has apparently been more pro-active in dealing with this problem than the Church in North America, particularly as the protocols I referred to earlier, ‘Towards Healing,’ were introduced back in 1996, while in USA it was only in June last year that America’s Catholic Bishops met in Dallas to hammer out a policy on dealing with clerical sexual abuse.

However, victims and survivors do still exist here. This was brought painfully home to us when ‘The 7.30 Report’ on ABC TV reported the sad tale of Lucien Leech-Larkin, who was abused by a Catholic School teacher 35 years ago at St. Aloysius College, a Jesuit institution in Sydney. When he reported the abuse to the school principal no action was taken – on the contrary, he was asked to leave the school. Over the years Lucien suffered several nervous breakdowns, alcohol problems, and an attempt on his own life. Recently he wrote a series of letter to Jesuit superiors seeking some form of reconciliation but continued to be rebuffed. He discovered that the Jesuits had refused to sign the Church’s protocols, ‘Towards Healing’ – they had a vastly different three- page protocol. However, the publicity and exposure of the TV program had significant consequences. The Jesuit Provincial, Fr. Mark Raper, wrote to Lucien a profound apology on behalf of all Australian Jesuits. Fr. Raper also appeared on ‘The 7.30 Report’ on 1 July and admitted it had been sheer folly to let the ‘legal area’ dominate the ‘pastoral area.’ As the presenter, Maxine McKew said ‘this was a genuinely transforming moment on television.’

Lucien recently made contact with me to thank VOTF for the support and assistance we have offered him and expressed his wish to join VOTF. He also told me that Fr. Mark Raper had called on him at his home on 6 July to personally apologize to him and to his mother and offered them his sincere sympathy.

How Do We Respond?

The variations in our response are best expressed in the words of an editorial in a recent issue of the quarterly journal of VOTF when it said, ‘When the Faithful speak, we have no idea what languages we will hear. Once translated, we may find that we are not in agreement after all or that we misunderstood the original question or statement. We may find that we have much to say and begin the painful struggle to say it. We may judge our own silence as complicity or ‘just the way I am’. We may feel so overwhelmed by the subject at hand that we distance ourselves and retreat to the place where nothing is required of us. VOTF members speak all these languages, from outraged proactive positioning to praying the rosary to an unsure quiet. Some of us stand in silent vigils outside cathedrals; others enter the church, kneel and pray; many do both. Born of the survivors and their courageous ‘telling’, this is the VOTF family we are and the organization we hope to model for our Church. We are the place for all voices, across the broad spectrum of opinions and places held by Catholics. In such a Church, no one is marginalized – not the survivors, not the hierarchy, not the silent, not the demonstrators. It is vital to the healthy future of our Church that all prayerful voices, regardless of stands taken for or against any issue, are honored and heard. Healing without honoring is meaningless. Many wrongs remain. But right is surfacing. Remember what has been said elsewhere – if the people lead, the leaders will follow.’ We pray that this will be so.” Terry DeSouza

VOTF West

VOTF Salem, Oregon
Reported by Violet Carter

We are delighted to hear that Portland, Oregon now has a chapter of VOTF and we plan to attend their next meeting.

Queen of Peace recently heard a very informative report by Father Ray Carey explaining the beginning and effect of Vatican II. He stated that Pope Paul VI bravely and boldly opened many doors when he initiated such a gathering. Fr. Carey is a marvelous speaker and extremely knowledgeable regarding Catholic History and Theology and can be contacted to host another Open Forum. His captivating style and inspiring approach put him in great demand. We usually are fortunate to set a date within a year of contacting him.

VOTF Tucson, Arizona
Reported by Terrence Cardin

A delegation from Voice of the Faithful-Tucson emerged from its initial meeting Wednesday afternoon July 23, with Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas with a commitment to mutually explore “concrete” ways to continue working together to achieve more meaningful lay participation in the affairs of the diocese.

Specifically, the delegation and the bishop agreed to seek appointment of a diocesan official as liaison to the lay organization and to consider a meeting of VOTF and the diocesan Pastoral Council to explore opportunities for synergy.

The decision to move ahead came after a frank discussion of concerns previously expressed by the bishop regarding the establishment of a VOTF affiliate in the Tucson diocese and an explanation by the delegation of its three goals and how they might be implemented in the diocese.

It was agreed following this discussion that VOTF and the diocese are “not in opposition,” that they appear to have common goals, and that those affiliated with VOTF in Tucson are loyal Catholic laity offering their good offices to their bishop.

Bishop Kicanas agreed that “we need help” from the laity, especially in reaching out to victims of clergy sexual abuse, many of whom are reluctant to become involved with healing efforts sponsored directly by the church.

Specific issues discussed during the meeting were as follows:

The bishop’s concerns

Bishop Kicanas had been quoted in an article in The Northwest Explorer, a suburban Tucson newspaper, that formation of a Tucson affiliate of VOTF “might not be relevant or helpful in our area.” He explained to the delegation that his concerns were based on the formation of VOTF in the Boston Archdiocese under “unfortunate circumstances” that led to an oppositional tone in the relationship between the organization and the archdiocese. His concern regarding VOTF in Tucson, he said, was over the question of whether a national organization represented the “best” mechanism for improving lay participation in the affairs of the diocese.

The bishop expressed no objection when the issue of VOTF meeting in the various parishes and organizing parish affiliates was raised, though he expressed the opinion that some pastors might oppose such activities if they viewed VOTF as being in competition with the parish for the talents and energy of parish laity.

The delegation stressed the benefits of a national organization, which has the ability to share “best practice” information about models that have proven successful in other locations.

VOTF Goals

Support for victims of clergy sexual abuse: The delegation noted that VOTF has credibility and a relationship of trust with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) and can work with victims who have little or no trust in church-sponsored efforts to promote healing and reconciliation. The Tucson affiliate is assisting in the formation of a Tucson SNAP chapter. Bishop Kicanas noted that any and all assistance to the diocese in helping victims to heal was welcome. He suggested that VOTF members active in pursuing this goal might benefit from a future meeting with Dr. Paul Duckro, director of the diocesan office of child, adolescent, and adult protection. The bishop expressed particular concern for the victims who have come forward without legal counsel to seek assistance in healing. He questioned the justice of distributing most of the assets available for healing to those who engage in litigation.

Support for priests of integrity: The delegation noted that diocesan priests—as with Catholic clergy everywhere—are isolated and overworked and in need of all the help they can get. Lay Catholics have the skills and the willingness to relieve some of the burden but many priests lack the skills or the temperament to delegate effectively. To overcome these obstacles, VOTF envisions ongoing dialogue with priests to gain a better perspective of their problems and establish a relationship of trust. It was noted that VOTF affiliates in other parts of the country had reported success with “priest roundtables” in which five or six priests of varying ages and geographic assignment in the diocese discuss the challenges they face in the current environment.

Achieve structural change in the Church: The delegation reported that this is a work in progress and that VOTF had not developed specific comprehensive proposals for achieving desirable change—though it is clear among the membership that this is a very high priority. Essential to any change, however, is increased meaningful participation by the laity in the secular aspects of Church governance. Structural change will evolve naturally and incrementally from such participation, it was suggested.

Members of the VOTF-Tucson delegation were Terrence S. Carden, Jr., MD, of St. Pius X Parish; Maureen Nichols, of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish; John O’Rourke, of St. Joseph’s Parish, and Mary Grace Wendel, of the Newman Center at the University of Arizona.

VOTF SOUTH

Bay Area VOTF, Florida
Reported by Dee Esteva

Our affiliate here in southern Hillsborough Co., FL, started as the Prince of Peace affiliate. The first organizational meeting was held in June 2002. Last March the membership voted to rename it the Bay Area VOTF. This was desirable so as to encourage membership from nearby areas.

During this first year of operation we have made some progress about changing
the attitude toward Voice of the Faithful among members of the clergy and
laity alike.

After several meetings with the steering committee, our pastor, Msgr. Bumpus
still feels we should not meet on Church property. Some of us agree, for this
will ensure our independence. The meetings with Msgr. have prompted his
support in various ways. For example, he celebrated a Mass of Solidarity with the
sexually abused sponsored by our affiliate; he gave a lecture about the Code of
Canon Law, at our request; he has supported Voice of the Faithful with a very
favorable "blurb" in our Church bulletin and agreed to post announcements of
our meetings in the bulletin. Three of our members are on the parish council
and, at our request, "executive sessions" have been discontinued at council
meetings.

A letter to our bishop led to a meeting with Fr. Alan Weber, the Secretary for Pastoral Programs (now also vicar general) for our diocese of St. Petersburg. This meeting produced some open and positive exchange of concerns and information and some points of agreement. We hope to meet with Bishop Robert N. Lynch early this fall.

Our affiliate maintains close communication with the local SNAP chapter and supported their efforts to amend Florida legislation to require clergy to report sexual abuse of minors and extending the statute of limitations for reporting such abuse. Two SNAP members made stirring presentations at our October 2002 meeting.

For the upcoming season we plan having outside speakers at several of our meetings. We hope to improve the organization of our affiliate by adopting by-laws and holding an election of officers. We will continue our efforts to establish contacts with other parishes in the Bay area, and hope to meet with representatives from other affiliates in West Central Florida.

We invite you to visit our website at: http://members.aol.com/Addfly1

VOTF EAST

VOTF Northern New Jersey
Submitted by Maria Cleary

All eyes are on October 25 here on the East Coast. That's the day of our big convention at Fordham University in NYC hosted by the NY, NJ and CT Affiliates. We are thrilled to have been welcomed with open arms by Fr. McShane, the new president of Fordham, who has offered us the facilities, including the large gym, on the day following his inauguration. Our committee is hard at work, already having lined up some notable speakers. Lots more on this to come, but circle the date. It'll be a wonderful get-together for our VOTF family!

Two hundred people, many of them new members, came for our first meeting in the Archdiocese of Newark (where we are banned) at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. Their gracious pastor, Fr. John Negrotto said upon inviting us, “It seems to me that Jesus would not only have found a supper room for such a meeting, but also would have been physically present there to hear the cries of His people.” We agreed.

Our roster of attendees is up past 500 now, and doesn't show signs of stopping. We continue to push forward, and encourage all in the tri-state area to contact us if you're thinking about setting up new affiliates so we can do as Jesus asked and "go forth to proclaim the good news." Blessings to all from New Jersey!

VOTF Northshore, MA
Reported by Vince Guerra

Our VOTF-Northshore affiliate has now reached its first year of operation and is reflecting upon its achievement. We are a regional group, based at St. Rose of Lima parish in Topsfield, Mass., meeting for plenary sessions once monthly plus another meeting of the steering committee during the month. We draw participants from a variety of parish and faith communities in this area, largely in mid-Essex County and more recently from a few coastal towns.

Our emphasis has been primarily educational and we have brought in both clerical and lay speakers to address the group. For example, in November of last year, VOTF-Northshore recruited Dr. Joseph Kelley, lay theologian from Merrimac College. In February '03, we heard from the familiar Father Roger Haight, S.J. from the Weston Jesuit School; in April from Father John McGinty, pastor of Sacred Heart in Lynn; and in June from Dr. Bernard Swain, lay theologian and parochial-diocesan consultant. Their topics dealt with the relevant issues in today's Catholic Church, especially those emerging from the devastating scandal.

In the intervening months, meetings were devoted to discussion and reflections
on the previous speaker's presentations. For the most part, their messages pointed out that the path for the laity is characterized by an uphill struggle but our faith will strengthen and sustain us through difficult times ahead and our efforts for ongoing dialogue will be rewarded. So far we have profited immensely from what we have learned and we are hopeful that the Holy Spirit will guide us toward renewal in our institution. Voice of the Faithful has kindled a meaningful purpose for our involvement in the Church and we will continue with as much commitment as possible.

Our group is also engaging in a North Regional association of Parish Voices and will host the planned September gathering. Frank Brophy, our North Region coordinator, has been very visible and very supportive in all of our activities. Our steering committee remains enthusiastic and our leadership under chairwoman Jolene Guerra and her council delegate husband Vince will continue over the forthcoming months. We look forward to the new challenges ahead and remain resolute in implementing the goals of VOTF.

VOTF Winchester Area, MA (representing 22 towns)
Submitted by Bob Morris

The highlight of our activities in July was an Evening of Prayer on July 28 for the new Archbishop of Boston, Sean O’Malley. The service focused on the possibility for renewal and reconciliation, from the opening hymn (“We Will Rise Again”), the first reading (Jeremiah 23:1-6, “I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble”), the psalm (Psalm 23, in a version written by John Baldovin, S.J. of the Weston Jesuit School of Theology), the communal song (“Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”), and the prayers of the faithful. Members had been encouraged to write prayers or the service, or to post them on our web site. One of the prayers read at the service was written by Svea Fraser, and perfectly captured our hopes and aspirations: “Dear Lord, please continue to make our new servant leader Sean O’Malley a channel of your peace; and may all your people in Boston join hands and hearts in mutual support for Your glory and the good of all the Church.” Regina Pontes with assistance from Mary Lou Burke, Judy Eisel, Clare Keane, John Mahoney, and others prepared the brilliant order of worship. Bonnie Rogers of our group presided. After the service, attendees signed a card for the new Archbishop. Bonnie thereafter delivered the card, prayers for the new Archbishop posted on our web site, as well as a stole made for him, to the Archdiocese’s offices in Boston. (Some of the prayers submitted appear in this issue under “Prayers for a new Archbishop”)

We welcomed two guest speakers in July. On July 7, Sister Betsy Conway CSJ, and Sister Dorothea Masuret, CSJ, Assistant Director of the Office for Pastoral Ministries for the Archdiocese of Boston, discussed their different perspectives on their experiences in the sisterhood, and the challenges ahead for Sisters and the Church. Sisters Betsy and Dorothea provided a wonderful example of dialogue and respect for those in the Church who do not see eye to eye on a number of issues. On July 14, we welcomed Edward Vacek, S.J., Professor of Moral Theology at the Weston Jesuit School of Theology. Fr. Vacek addressed the Church’s teachings on sexual ethics, and explained how teachings on a wide variety of issues have changed over time.

Finally, on Sunday afternoon, July 20, one of our members hosted a picnic at his house. About 50 members and their families enjoyed beautiful weather, good companionship, and, of course, hot dogs and hamburgers. This day reminded us that we in VOTF are becoming a community within the larger community of Catholics, and that we need to nurture and cherish each other.

VOTF Virginia Beach, VA
Submitted by Candice Neenan

The South Hampton Roads Regional Voice of the Faithful Affiliate (based in Virginia
Beach, Virginia) has been busy in the last several months. In April, along with prayer and a listening session, we hosted a talk by nationally recognized psychologist,
Paul Dell, Ph. D., who specializes in working with victims of child sexual abuse. He spoke on “The Long-term Effects of Child Sexual Abuse.” The meeting was the kick-off for our group and was followed in May by a meeting in which the members brainstormed ideas of how to address the three goals of VOTF.

On Monday, June 9, a letter to the editor by one of our coordinators was printed in The
Virginian Pilot newspaper outlining the goals of VOTF and challenging an
earlier opinion piece, which had stated that VOTF is “known to call into question some of the teachings of the Church” and which had insisted that, for the laity, “there are no opinions to voice.” On June 10th, a priest/psychologist, Rev. Jim Gordon, joined us to have a conversation around the goal of supporting priests of integrity. The concepts of trust and relationship were broken open within the group, with the recognition that priests are human, with the strengths and weaknesses and need for love and understanding that we all share. Several members shared that they had always expected more from priests than they would from anyone else and for that reason had accorded them more respect. Some individuals insisted that priests, as religious leaders, should be held to a higher standard than everyone else, though the point was made that all are called to the same standard by virtue of our baptism. Before the meeting adjourned, the forty or so participants were invited to write down questions for the three coordinators to take to their meeting with Bishop Walter Sullivan later in the week. The members also completed commitment forms indicating the areas in which they wish to invest their time and effort. Plans were discussed for a workshop in the summer and a major prayer event for the fall.

On Thursday morning, June 12, the coordinators of our VOTF affiliate met
with Bishop Sullivan at his home in Virginia Beach. The bishop was welcoming and open in his discussion about the goals and actions of our group, though he insisted that he did not believe that people were really leaving the Church over the issue of abuse. Bishop Sullivan admitted that he has had a difficult time understanding how abuse affects a person over a lifetime.

The local paper carried a good article about our meeting and quotes from us and from the bishop. The day before our meeting, the bishop had his 75th birthday and
submitted his mandatory letter of retirement, though it remains a question whether the pope will allow him to retire. The weekend after our meeting, another pastor was removed from a Virginia Beach parish due to allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. The openness with which this removal was addressed by the bishop and his vicar, Monsignor Thomas Caroluzza, is an indication that VOTF has, indeed, had an effect on the way the diocese of Richmond is currently responding to this crisis.

VOTF St. Agnes in Reading, MA
Reported by Elia Marnik

The Parish Voice of St. Agnes in Reading, MA, celebrated a “Welcoming Mass” on June 25th. All members of our parish and beyond were encouraged to attend via announcements by our priests at scheduled masses, and by notices in our parish bulletin. Our pastor of 28 years, Rev. Arthur Flynn, officiated at the liturgy. He expressed support for VOTF goals and great hope for the future of our Church through prayer and guidance of the Spirit. Following the liturgy, a meeting was held summarizing the past year’s events and discussing possible future programs. On display at this meeting was the Bishopsearch book, the product of hundreds of hours of work by members of our steering committee, and initiated by Marie Collamore. This beautifully illustrated book highlights the qualities deemed necessary in the selection of a new bishop, and contains responses from people polled throughout the archdiocese of Boston. The book will be presented to the new Archbishop of Boston and be sent to the Papal Nuncio in Washington, D.C., where it will be forwarded to Rome.
Our affiliate and its members (numbering over 100 registered members) held monthly programs over the last year directly pertaining to VOTF goals.

Goal 1
In June 2002, survivors Arthur Austin and Susan Renehan honored us by coming to speak about their experiences. We were one of the first VOTF groups to spend an evening listening to survivors. On a second more recent occasion, we gathered to hear the story of Carol Xenos, also a survivor.

Steering committee member Pat Coppola raised more than $1,300 for survivor causes by selling packaged Advent candles and prayer booklets in November and December.
St. Agnes affiliate members showed solidarity with survivors on numerous occasions, at the Boston Holy Cross Cathedral, in Manchester, N.H., and by participating in the Lenten vigil at the Brighton, MA chancery.

Goal 2
Steering Committee members Pete and Peg Moloney have organized a bi-weekly prayer service “In Support of Priests.” The service consists of a participatory hour of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. VOTF members are asked to host the service as available. The prayer vigils are held on the first Wednesday of the month at 3:00 p.m. and the third Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in our chapel. The format is flexible, honoring the need for spontaneous prayer. However, the service opens with a Bible reading, and every 15 minutes or so, there is another brief reading, including a thanksgiving and an excerpt from a biography of a contemporary model. The services have been well attended and continue to be publicized in the bulletin with plenty of lead-time so that people can plan to attend.

Goal 3
St. Agnes PV believes that the laity has a vital role to play in our Church and that continuing education is essential to that role. We are proud to be working very closely with our parish Adult Education Committee to reach this goal. Many notable speakers traveled to Reading to address large and eager audiences. These include Dr. Thomas Groome, Dr. Francine Cardman, Father Bob Bullock, Fr. Steve Salocks, Sister Farnham, and Fr. George Evans.

The above is a sampling, not an exhaustive list of actions. The steering committee (open to all) is working on our fall meetings. We are looking forward to a year of prayerful, productive, joyful and Spirit-filled programs and actions.

Events, Opportunities & News

VOTF National

National Parish Voice has identified four US regions for purposes of affiliate coordination, communication efforts and future regional definitions and representation. These are as follows:
WEST
Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico
Colorado, Wyoming, Hawaii, Alaska
CENTRAL
North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan
Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio
SOUTH
Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama
Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida
EAST
Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia

Parish Voice Tool Kits – Printed materials for Parish Voice Affiliates including the VOTF Tool Kit, the VOTF brochure and VOTF business cards may be ordered from Kwik Kopy Printing in Houston, Texas by calling 1-800-304-5945; by e-mail at kwikcopy13@aol.com; or via the Web at www.kwikkopy.com/1365/votf1.cfm. The brochure features the VOTF logo in color and may be customized with the contact info of your PV, a prayer, etc. Materials can be previewed at the Kwik Kopy website. Kwik Kopy Printing is owned and operated by Peter Evans, the father of Parish Voice Coordinator in MA and Regional Coordinator for VOTF in Texas, Emilie Gilbert.

National PARISH VOICE Report - For the past 2 months, Suzy Nauman and Mary Ann Keyes have held national conference calls with coordinators by region – West, South, Central and East. The purpose of the calls is two fold:

1. educational, listening and sharing (this month our focus was goal#1, for example) and
2. to enhance and nurture leadership within the regions in the hope that the coordinators in each region will continue these conference calls and stay connected.

We are pleased with how well received the calls were, and at the connections made. How wonderful it was to hear the many and varied voices interacting! The plan is to continue to hold one call per month, per region.

The growth of Parish Voices continues to be significant. We are now at over 182 affiliates, and counting. This week brought the news of affiliates in Western Oregon and Baton Rouge, LA. The winds of the Spirit are blowing internationally as well, with two affiliates now in Australia, and affiliates in the making in New Zealand.

Print Media Coverage – Be sure to check the website at www.votf.org for reprints and links to recent interviews with Jim Post and articles on VOTF in Newsweek, Commonweal, National Catholic Reporter and St. Anthony Messenger, AND the Herald Sun in Melbourne!, to name but a few.

VOTF East
VOTF Long Island, NY to sponsor a “FAITH CONVENTION” on Saturday, September 27, 2003 at the Huntington Hilton Hotel, 598 Broadhollow Road (Route 110), Huntington, NY, 8:30 am to 4 pm. Keynote speaker: Richard McBrien. Inspirational speaker: Sister Pat Duffy. See the LI-VOTF website for additional information.

October 25, 2003 - VOTF NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY and CONNECTICUT will jointly sponsor “Being Catholic in the 21st Century: Crisis, Challenge, Opportunity” at Fordham University, Bronx, NY, 8AM – 6PM. We invite you to mark your calendars and join us for a day of stimulating, thoughtful dialogue about our past , present and future Church. For our friends who had already marked a November date, the new date allows us to access the Fordham University Gym (and a greater seating capacity) and was personally suggested by Father Joseph McShane, the very new president of Fordham University. October 25th is the day after his inauguration!

Our diverse speakers, panelists and breakout sessions will explore a variety of timely topics including priestly sexual abuse, accountability of bishops, supporting survivors and building the church of the future. The conference day will end with a mass of healing and hope.

Registration, hotel, travel and other information will be available on our conference website which will be accessible in the near future. Save the date and come join us in New York on October 25th, 2003…the place to be for concerned Catholics in 2003!

October 6-8, Boston, MA invitation: It is with great pleasure that I invite all VOTF members to attend the PASTORAL SUMMIT 2003 at the Marriot Copley Hotel on October 6-8, Boston, MA. This Lilly Endowment-sponsored event brings together both Protestant and Catholic pastors and lay leaders for three days of workshops, worship and powerful keynote speakers. The project is the result of a two-year study conducted by Paul Wilkes, the director/founder of Pastoral Summit, and author of Excellent Catholic Parishes (Paulist Press) and Excellent Protestant Congregations (Westminster/John Knox Press). Paul would be the first to admit that there are many parishes in Boston that would qualify for the book, but time limited those he and his team could visit. In 2001 the following Massachusetts churches were listed: St. Rose of Lima in Chelsea, St. Mary's Immaculate Conception in Lawrence, St. Mary of the Assumption in Milford, OLHC in Newton, Sacred Heart in Roslindale, and St. Patrick in Whitinsville. Father Walter Cuenin and Father Bill Waters, OSA will be presenting workshops. Lew Finfer will also co-lead a workshop about faith-based community building (those of you who were at the June Council meeting know how effective his approach is). AND VOTF WILL BE THE FEATURE OF A WORKSHOP ENTITLED "THE FLOWERING OF LAY INITIATIVES, Voices Rising from the Wilderness" with Jim Post as the presenter. There will be an opportunity to spread our news at a table set up during the conference. What a great time to gather VOTF members (and we don't have to organize the event!!!).

You can log onto www.pastoralsummit.org for immediate information (please note that not all the Boston-specific workshops are listed in the brochure yet). Paul Wilkes has asked me to be the Boston Coordinator and I have lots of information I can give to you (there is a six-minute video and background information, as well as written brochures of what is on the website). I ask you to circulate this news widely! Invite your pastor to join you. This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the good that is happening at the parish level in our churches, and to share in prayer, in ideas and in friendship with our Protestant brothers and sisters. Contact: Svea Fraser, by email, or at 781-237-7560 or 617-306-3608.

Nashua, New Hampshire hosts Paul Lakeland – For those unable to participate in the tri-state conference (see below), here’s an opportunity to hear Paul Lakeland, the Fairfield University professor who inspired the June 7 Boston gathering in his keynote address. Come to Rivier College in Nashua on Saturday, October 25 for another opportunity to hear Professor Lakeland discuss "Vatican II: Back to the Future" at a 9-3 conference. The $30 cost includes lunch. There will be breakout sessions, one of which is expected to be on canon law as it relates to Church structures, laity, etc. Contact ariggs@rivier.edu for more information.

A Franciscan to lead Boston, MA Archdiocese – see extensive coverage on our website at www.votf.org.

Wellesley, MA – Meeting Tues. AUG. 12: 7:30-9:30 for all working groups at St. John the Evangelist Church in Wellesley, MA. SEPT: No monthly or plenary meetings scheduled. OCT. 14: Monthly working group first meeting; to be held the second Tuesday of each month. MONTHLY PLENARY: the fourth Tuesday of each month; first meeting OCT. 28 will include our 12 Western Region Affiliates: St. Bernard’s, Our Lady Help of Christians, St Ignatius, Natick Affiliate, St. Joseph’s, St. Zepherin’s, St. Mary’s, St. Anselm’s, People’s Promise (Belmont), St. Jeremiah’s, St. Paul’s, St. John’s Contact: jfmcconville@attbi.com.

A Musical Tribute - On September 28, 2003 at 5:00 pm, a chamber music concert will be performed at the Edward M. Pickman Concert Hall, 27 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA. Admission to the concert will be free. Concert attendees are asked to make a good will offering to support SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests).
The program will be presented by John Ferrillo, Elizabeth Ostling and Elita Kang of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Carol Rodland of the New England Conservatory, and Hugh Hinton of the Longy School of Music. Attendees will hear works by Bach, Schumann, DeBussy, Barber, Loefflre and Messiaen. PLEASE HELP TO MAKE THIS EVENT A SUCCESS! For further information please visit the survivor pages of the VOTF web site or contact Steve Sheehan at: sheehan1777@aol.com

VOTF Maine Hosts Notre Dame Professor Fr. Richard McBrien. Voice of the Faithful-Maine announces that the Rev. Richard P. McBrien will visit the East Coast on Thursday evening, Oct. 2, 2003. In an address at St. Patrick's Church in Portland, Father McBrien will be speaking on "the role of the laity in the Church." St. Patrick’s Church pastor Fr. Tom Murphy has graciously provided the venue for this special occasion.
Professor of Theology at Notre Dame University, Notre Dame, IN, Fr. Richard McBrien is perhaps the most eminent, almost certainly the most widely-read, Catholic theologian in America today. A prolific writer, he has authored numerous books on, among other subjects, ecclesiology, the relationship between religion and politics, and the theological, doctrinal
and spiritual dimensions of the Catholic tradition. For more information, contact msweatt@votfmaine.org.

VOTF Central
Chicago, IL VOTF Action for Renewal/Voice of the Faithful is supporting a series of discussions of interest to Catholics. The second meeting focused on the role of the bishops in the Church crisis. The program, "Journey to Integrity," is ongoing and informal. It is held at St. Thomas Becket Parish Hall, Mt. Prospect. For information about future gatherings, call 847-690-9970. Terry O’Connor

Letters to the Editor

”Voice of the Faithful is a group of faithful Catholics formed in Boston in January of last year in response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis within our Church. As the people of God, as the Church and faithful Catholics must assume their individual roles in healing this wound to the Body of Christ.

The recent Supreme Court Decision in the Stogner matter has been another serious blow to those interested in Protecting Our Children. As a Catholic I liken this decision to Roe v. Wade. As a Catholic I am now calling on all members of my Church to mount the same type of intensive effort to demand that we focus attention to the living beings whose souls are murdered when as children they are sexually abused.

This decision now makes it clear to me that my Church, whom we have looked to for moral leadership, now must truly provide that leadership regarding all our children. I was personally disheartened by the remarks made by the Archdiocese spokesperson last week regarding the decision that any clergy affected by the decision would ‘not be allowed back into ministry.’ Then an attorney for the Archdiocese referred to the decision as ‘encouraging.’

These comments point out in BOLD HEADLINES that somehow the larger picture of the impact on our neighborhoods, communities and children is not a consideration to some of the leaders of our Church. About 800 individuals charged or convicted of sexual molestation are being released from their places of incarceration and are now ‘running free.’ Many remain unknown to the larger community. Our Church has not provided local parishes with information of those substantively accused and the dates and places that these priests have served.

In our positions as American citizens we must become pro-active and demand that our state legislatures, Congress, and the Supreme Court update whatever laws or statutes they must to remove any statute of limitations on the sexual abuse of children.

In our positions as Catholics we must acknowledge that the abused are in need of understanding, compassion and assistance – these victims are the Martyrs of this reformation – our Blessed Mother is acknowledged here in Los Angeles by our Church as a special patron for whom our Cathedral is named Our Lady Queen of the Angels. Mary is also known by the title ‘Queen of Martyrs’ and I trust she will embrace every one of these children who have been forced against their will to lives of long suffering and torture.

As Catholics we must be supportive and understanding of those priests who minister to our community with the love of Jesus in their hearts. We must, however, expect this same dedication and commitment from all of our ministers, all of our lay people, all of our priests, bishops and cardinals. We are all called to be imitators of Christ. It is time that we follow the example of the Good Samaritan and stop along our journey to tend to the wounded souls lying at the side of the road. Those wounded include those abusers who are clearly in need of understanding and compassion, treatment and intervention to keep them away from committing such acts ever again.

As Catholics we must be courageous and proactive in our efforts to be imitators of Christ; as we develop our patterns of love rather than judgment, our Church will renew itself by the Spirit of God working through all of the people and finally we can raise our heads and smile when we hear someone say, ‘See how those Christians love one another.’" Mary Jane McGraw, VOTF Southern California Regional Coordinator

“ As a VOTF member in Arizona, I strongly and vehemently urge VOTF president, Jim Post, to speak out about why the Vatican is setting aside the sexual abuse scandal, failing to make any meaningful or global reforms on that issue, while launching a global campaign and releasing a 12-page report on the immorality of gay marriages or for that matter, any other issue of morality whatsoever. This was done with the full blessing and approval of the Pope, so it is clear that any claims that he is too infirm to meaningfully respond to this scandal or to engage in swift resolution is ludicrous and even negligent.

The Vatican and it's many (too many) bureaucrats have zero credibility with me now, with this latest slap in the face and display of utter disregard for the truly faithful they are supposed to lead.

I increasingly believe that if we continue to play by "their rules" that we will lose. The rules are set up to exploit the masses and enrich the Vatican. If we continue this way, the dance will play out over many, many years, and we will ultimately get no place. Laity involved with VOTF across the country, indeed the world, are nicely requesting meetings with bishops, in some cases being completely ignored, as if we do not even exist. This preserves the status quo. We should be demanding change and demanding loudly and clearly that those bishops and other clergy who facilitated the sexual abuse of our young Catholics be removed from any position of authority in our Church.

For the Vatican to ignore our voices, to not even address the outrage of every moral Catholic over this scandal is unacceptable to me, and I hope it is also to this organization that I have turned to – VOTF – my last hope that there is a shred of integrity left in this Church.” Margie Schnell, Phoenix, AZ

The following letter was just received from VOTF Chairman of the Board of Trustees and VOTF co-founder Jim Muller. It reports substantive bishop dialogue and another beacon of hope for all Catholics. The editorial Jim notes is an excerpt.

Friends,

The following is an editorial from the Cincinnati Enquirer, that accurately reports on a meeting I had on Aug 8, 2003 with Archbishop Pilarczyk of Cincinnati, Ohio. Thanks to the work of Nan, Kristine, Sister Mary Jerome and others in “Cincy,” and a prior good meeting with Jim Post, he had already reversed an early concern about VOTF activities in Dayton. In our recent meeting he reaffirmed to me that he is "satisfied that there is nothing contrary to Church teaching in the work of VOTF". He said that he views VOTF as an "association of lay faithful" that "has the good of the Church at heart". He did not endorse VOTF, but leaves it to the discretion of his individual pastors to decide if they will permit VOTF to meet on Church property.

These statements are of great importance for several reasons. First, in contrast to actions of those like Bishop Murphy of Long Island, who banned VOTF without meeting with VOTF leadership, Archbishop Pilarczyk, met with many leaders of VOTF to learn about the organization. He has also studied the VOTF website. He knows us well.

Second, he is a highly respected scholar and teacher.

Third, he is chair of Common Ground, which seeks to encourage dialogue between left and right in the Church, as does VOTF. (We discussed our mutual work with Cardinal Bernardin. I told him I hoped VOTF would someday work with Common Ground, which Bernardin founded.)

Finally, he is a national leader of bishops, who served as President of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops.

He agreed to meet again with representatives of VOTF in his diocese, and to another meeting with me. It is a good sign for the Church and for VOTF, that such a highly respected Church leader has made such positive statements about VOTF. Archbishop Pilarczyk, Bishop Daley and others, who have taken the time to learn about VOTF, and issued positive statements, are setting wonderful examples for leadership that will lead to a better Church. We must urge those Bishops who remain negative, or concerned about VOTF, to take the time to meet with VOTF leaders, and learn more about the organization.

I believe, the more they know, the more positive their view will be.

KFCC, Jim Muller


Sunday, August 10, 2003
Voice for change

“ The Boston-based Church reform group Voice of the Faithful is still banned in some Catholic dioceses, but VOTF founder Jim Muller received a cordial reception here from Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk Friday. The soft-spoken Boston cardiologist is no Martin Luther firebrand seeking schism, even though VOTF's worldwide movement sprang from outrage over priest sex abuse scandals in Massachusetts. Those scandals were echoed in dioceses across the country, including Cincinnati and Covington. The reform group is seeking more of a voice for lay people in guiding the Church, and more accountable Church leaders, to prevent cover-ups and other abuses….

Muller has impeccable credentials when it comes to advocating reform. He is a founder of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985. Who would fail to support VOTF's three core goals? Support sex abuse victims. Support priests of integrity. Shape structural change within the Church. VOTF wants to create democratic lay congresses at every level of the worldwide Catholic Church to advise Church leaders.

When people tell Muller the laity doesn't stand a chance, he says, ‘We have instruments reformers didn't have before.’ The Internet is already a powerful force for VOTF.

Muller argues the early Church was governed more democratically. Only later were lay people disenfranchised. He thinks Church leaders would be better off sharing power. With energized lay people, the Church could accomplish more good. Muller's is a voice worth heeding.”

Letter from VOTF president Jim Post
MAKING A DIFFERENCE ONE YEAR AFTER OUR CONVENTION

Dear Friends,
One year ago this week - at our first national convention on July 20, 2002 - VOTF truly became a beacon of hope and energy to Catholic lay people. Over the past year, the Internet (www.votf.org) and international media coverage connected tens of thousands of people who would otherwise feel isolated and without hope. This past month, for example, I was in Australia, where they are forming three new VOTF affiliates. Another is being formed in New Zealand. VOTF brings hope in distant places to Catholics who have despaired of being to able to influence the way their Church behaves. The voices of the faithful are being heard.

LESSONS LEARNED
VOTF was founded by people like you, who are determined to make a difference and to affirm the role of the laity through our mission, goals, and activities. Throughout the turmoil of the past year, we have remained committed, and we have learned some important lessons:
Change is difficult. Many fear that faith is at risk when discussion of change, loss of trust, and renewal occurs. VOTF's focus has always been to reform human aspects of our Church, not the divine. The crisis is attributable to faulty human administration, not faulty faith. Yet many priests, pastors, and bishops who have spent decades in a culture of deference find it difficult to listen to angry Catholics, to discuss their ideas, and to commit to change. Bishops still prefer closed meetings with a few select friendly laity. Thankfully, a few have begun to take small steps in new directions to increase dialogue with all God's children. But the pace is slow and frustrating.

Delay is unacceptable. Dioceses have proceeded very unevenly in their efforts to implement the Charter and Essential Norms for the protection of children and young people adopted by American bishops seven months ago. Response to survivor abuse has been worse. Some legal cases have been settled, but hundreds - perhaps thousands - remain unresolved. Justice delayed is justice denied.

The Catholic Church in North America is not a healthy institution. In many dioceses, key performance indicators highlight significant institutional failure:

• Attendance at Sunday Mass has dropped to some of the lowest levels ever recorded (e.g., 15% in Boston in 2002). 
• Weekly collections are off by 15-20% percent in many dioceses.
• Catholic philanthropy for major diocesan and national campaigns is down in many places. Rarely are "growth in giving" data shared.
• The Vatican has suffered financial losses, with a $15 million deficit in 2002, attributable, in part, to reduced giving from major donor nations. 
• Catholic school and parish closings are rising across the nation. 
• The morale of Catholics of all ages is in decline. Young Catholics, in particular, are disillusioned with a Church that will not be open, inclusive, and welcoming to all.
• Vocations continue to decline - young men and women are simply not being called to an institution that desperately needs priests and women religious.

Are these signs of failure "God's will," as some members of the hierarchy would have us believe? Or are they signs of human failings of our hierarchy that active participation by Catholic laymen and women, collaborating with their priests and bishops, can help reverse?

ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN
Newly appointed bishops, such as Bishop Michael Sheehan of Phoenix and Archbishop-designate Sean O'Malley of Boston, must energize, engage, and provide creative inspiration to Catholics. No bishop can heal a diocese alone. These bishops also have the opportunity to be leaders of meaningful reform in our broken American Catholic Church. And so, we believe bishops must:

• End the confusing and divisive bans of organizations of committed lay Catholics like Voice of the Faithful, and welcome all Catholics onto Church property for meetings as well as worship.
• Address the money issues:
  • Open the books through public audit, so that all can know exactly where the dioceses stand.
  • Use the expertise of lay Catholics to manage financial challenges brought on by settlements and declining financial support from the laity.
  • Create an accountable, transparent Church that people will want to support financially.
• Model the Church you want to create:
  • Humble.
  • Spiritual.
  • Cooperative.
  • Pastoral.
  • Inclusive and open.
  • Listening to all - clergy, survivors, laity.
• Bring justice for survivors.

SURVIVOR JUSTICE BEYOND SETTLEMENTS
All sexual abuse cases nationwide - indeed worldwide - must be settled fairly, and quickly. But settling cases is the beginning, not the end of the process.

Survivors of clergy sexual abuse range in age from teens to senior citizens. None will escape the psychological consequences of being abused. As a practical matter, the Catholic Church will have the survivors of clergy sexual abuse in our midst for at least six or seven decades. How will the Church evaluate, adjust, and continue programs that reach out to survivors of abuse? The living Church needs to keep drawing lessons from this experience. South Africa cannot forget its legacy of apartheid; the Catholic Church cannot forget its legacy of clergy sexual abuse.

A "DIFFERENT" CHURCH
The Church of the future must be different. New insights must be derived by examining the failures in human administration that led to this fiasco in the world's longest-operating institution. The Catholic laity's pent-up ideas, concepts, and experiences are ready for this challenge. It will take years to sort out the resentment, anger, and passion for change. But we must start somewhere - and soon. Every bishop must open his mind and heart to the laity's contributions.

A FOUR-SIDED TABLE
Bishop Michael Sheehan of Phoenix and Archbishop Sean O'Malley of Boston are in the vanguard of a new generation of American bishops who will have the opportunity - and responsibility - to guide the Catholic Church of the 21st century. The first piece of furniture they and their fellow bishops should purchase is a four-sided table, with room for clergy, survivors, laypersons, and the bishop to talk openly and honestly about the community and the Church.

There is no other way for a bishop to follow St. Francis' mission: "Repair my Church." We must all work to repair the Church. That is why Voice of the Faithful was created and why we urge all members to put faith into action. St. Francis offers us another thought as we assess the daunting challenges ahead: "First, do what is necessary, then do what is possible, then you are doing the impossible."

Sincerely,
Jim Post

Prayers for a new Archbishop
These are some of the prayers submitted to the Winchester, MA Area VOTF affiliate web site on the eve of Bishop O’Malley’s installation as the new Archbishop of the Boston, MA diocese. The full story of this endeavor is in “Affiliate News – East Region.”

“ I am a parent of a victim. My prayer is that you do the right thing with your one chance. May the Holy Spirit help you.”

“I am a parent of a victim. My prayer is that you do the right thing with your one chance. May the Holy Spirit help you.”

“I welcome you, Bishop Sean, to the Boston leg of our shared journey. May God bless your efforts and ours with compassion, inclusivity, mutual respect and fruitful collaboration.”

“May the love of John and the breastplate of St. Patrick always surround you as Archbishop of Boston ad multos annos.”

“Dear Fr. Sean, We welcome you as our new shepherd and ask God to grant you strength to reach out to all who need your loving leadership and guidance. Tend to the victims, minister to your priests, and listen to the voices of the laity who long to help you.”

“I pray for your guidance to work with priests and the laity to provide an unquestionable commitment, with immediate action to ensure protection of our children and all adults.”

“Dear Lord, please continue to make our new servant leader Sean O’Malley a channel of your peace; and may all your people in Boston join hands and hearts in mutual support for your glory and the good of all the Church. Amen.”

“Bishop Elect Sean, I pray that God will give you courage to reach out to the survivor victims with compassion and to acknowledge their pain and assist them in their healing. I pray that you will be given wisdom to bring openness and accountability to the Body of Christ.”

“Our prayers and good wishes as you begin this most important ministry. Let us be instruments of peace and healing-together!”

“As a 3rd. Order member, I feel hopeful and I pray you can renew our spirit. Protect our youth and our children. Our holy houses need a thorough spring-cleaning. God guide, bless you, and give you strength.”

“Dear Bishop Sean, We rejoice in your coming to our wounded Church of Boston and pray that you will bring the peace of St. Francis with you. We, the faithful laity, stand ready to help in the formidable task you face of restoring trust in the hearts of all.”

“Dear Bishop Sean, I rejoice for our Archdiocese that you have been named our Archbishop. I pray especially for you as you with Jesus and all of us try to rebuild My Church. You have my prayers and my support. God be with all of us!”

“I pray for the gift of wisdom for our new bishop.”

“Dear Fr. Sean - we hope confidently that your election is the answer to the many prayers offered by the people of the Boston Archdiocese. Your humility and Franciscan tradition give us hope that you will seek out the laity who long to work with you.”

“Dear Fr. O’Malley. May the grace, compassion and peace of Christ’s love shine in and through you as you walk together on this journey of faith with the Boston faithful.”