Please forward submissions
to In the Vineyard to leaderpub@votf.org.
In the Vineyard
"It is in the
Spirit that we eagerly await the justification we hope for, and only
Faith can yield it." Gal. 5:5
It is hard to believe
that a year ago, we embraced this season without a VOTF! Today we not
only embrace the organization and its continuing ability to maintain new
and vibrant dialogue, but we embrace many new friends in far-flung places.
Hundreds of you have written over the past month of your unwavering interest
in and support for In the Vineyard and the endless work of VOTF.
It means more than you can know. Your words and voices make a unique carol
and we thank you for that sweet sound!
In the 1940s, E. B.
White wrote a reflection about the Christmas season, "The Distant Music
of the Hounds." In it, he decried the preoccupation with noise and bustle
that seemed to be the lot of mankind in those raw post-war years. He had
come across one of those little trumpets that hunters use to hear "the
distant music of the hounds." He said, "The miracle of Christmas is that,
like the distant music of the hounds, it penetrates finally and becomes
heard in the heart - over so many years, through so many cheap curtain-raisers."
It resonates, doesn't it, at this time in our Church's history? Difficult
as these days and months have been, we are still called to listen and
to hear and we have the great, good fortune to be doing so as the People
of God.
JoAnne Nowak from
our Andover, MA VOTF "heard" something recently in some Advent material
distributed at her parish, St. Robert Bellarmine. She wrote, "We read
that Advent isn't rooted in nostalgic remembrance of the birth of a baby
nor in the longing for the second coming but in the coming of Christ into
our daily lives. 'When we take the tradition and enter it fully, we become
Advent, the people in and through whom Christ comes.'"
Wishing
you peace in this season of welcome,
Peggie L. Thorp
Some days before
our VOTF team met with Cardinal Law (see the press
release) the Prayerful Voice group was asked by our president Jim
Post to write a special prayer for the success of the meeting. We distributed
the prayer to area parishes, many of whom found a place for it in their
liturgies. We thought it would serve all of you well from time to time
so we share it.
Generous God,
We are united in our desire to be faithful to you.
As we move toward greater dialogue within the Church, we open our
hearts to
each other and to the transforming power of your grace.
Grant us, Gentle
God, wisdom, courage and guidance, as we seek mutual
understanding and respect in this new moment. Amen.
Excerpts
from
VOICE OF THE FAITHFUL: FIGHTING FOR AMERICAN CATHOLICS
James E. Post
President, Voice of the Faithful
Delivered at St. Francis Xavier RC Church, New York, NY
October 29, 2002
Voice of the Faithful
has become a clear and reasoned voice for millions of American Catholics
who have wept for their Church, reached out to survivors of clergy sexual
abuse, and are committed to ensuring that such abuse never occurs again.
Throughout history, Catholics have been engaged in the great social justice
causes of the times. On so many social issues, the Catholic Church stood
on "the right side of history" because it stood on firm moral ground.
It had a moral voice.
Times have changed.
The clergy sexual
abuse crisis has forced American Catholics to stand at a crossroads. One
road leads to the "ask no questions" tradition of earlier times. The other
is the road to accountability, openness and involvement of the laity in
Church affairs. The American Catholic Church is struggling to regain its
place on the "right side of history." And it needs the help of American
Catholics to do so. The clergy sexual abuse crisis is the worst in the
500-year history of the Church in North America. The need to heal and
to reclaim our moral credibility is enormous.
Some years ago, religion
scholar David O'Brien wrote a book entitled, From the Heart of the
American Church. This book examines the influence of Catholic education
on American life. O'Brien, now a professor at the College of the Holy
Cross, interviewed prominent Americans and asked how Catholic education
had influenced their lives. Michael Harrington, an activist of an earlier
era, explained that his Jesuit education had taught him two things: Ideas
have consequences; and, then, you're responsible.
American Catholics
are the beneficiaries of two powerful sets of ideas. From our national
democratic tradition, we have learned that freedom is important; that
accountability is essential; and that free speech and the right of assembly
are fundamental rights. From our Catholic faith, we have learned that
morality matters, that individual conscience is critical and that we have
a baptismal responsibility to work for the good of our Church.
This is the DNA that
we share as American Catholics in 2002. Like the double helix, these ideas
are entwined in our belief system and in our lives. We believe in these
ideas. And because we believe in these ideas and the values they represent,
we are responsible to see they become values in practice.
One year ago on September
11th, our nation learned the terrible price we had to pay for our democratic
freedoms. Faith in our nation and faith in God were joined. Our Catholic
faith provided support for thousands of grieving Americans.
This year, we have
learned what it means and what it takes to be a true American Catholic
who believes in morality, accountability, freedom, individual conscience
and Catholic responsibility. As Michael Harrington said, ideas have
consequences. And, then, you're responsible. Some may argue that the
Church in 2,000 years old has changed very little. In fact, the Church
has continuously adapted to new realities. Today, these new realities
include Voice of the Faithful. To knowledgeable observers, Voice of the
Faithful is what the Second Vatican Council contemplated - a real voice
of, and for, the laity.
Ultimately, we are
fighting for what one of the many women religious involved in Voice of
the Faithful described as "a Church that would make Jesus smile."
That pretty well summarizes our purpose and our message. And that pretty
well describes the state of American Catholicism today. We are in need
of reform so that we can build a Church that would, indeed, make Jesus
smile.
From the Desk of
Steve Krueger
Interim Executive Director
From the Desk of
Mike Emerton
Media Communications
From VOTF Priests'
Support Working Group
Svea Fraser
Members of the Priest
Support Working Group have continued to meet every week to help make visible
our support of Goal #2. Meeting and ongoing conversations with the priests
on the Sounding Board (ten priests) and our pastors have brought about
a discussion of the wording and meaning of "priests of integrity." The
process has been beneficial in encouraging reflection and deliberation
about its significance not only for priests, but also for each one of
us. Please log on to the website to read about this and to contribute
your opinion.
Concern for due process
for priests accused of sexual abuse, which includes ways to be supportive
during the time before they are fully apprised of the allegations, and
restoring their reputations when falsely accused, is an ongoing agenda
item.
In addition to listening
to the priests and pastors, and developing ways to be mutually supportive,
we seek to educate ourselves about our distinct roles. The book, The Spirituality
of the Diocesan Priest, by Donald Cozzens, has been recommended for such
a purpose.
Most of all, Goal
#2 calls for a new way of relating to one another. We must get to know
each other in order to better understand each other and our specific ministries.
Ultimately, this will result in a change in culture-and a Church that
models the Vatican II ecclesiology as a Pilgrim Church journeying together.
Last week, the Boston
Priest Forum accepted a Constitution, which means they are more formally
organized. This is very good news, because now we can begin to establish
avenues of communication between our two groups for greater understanding
and support.
From VOTF Membership
Recruitment Project
Jane Macdonald
Although VOTF membership
has continued to grow primarily through website registrations and the
growth of Parish Voice Affiliates since the July 20 conference, sustaining
this growth clearly needs ongoing, systematic attention by a team of people
focused primarily on this issue. In early October, Executive Director,
Steve Krueger, convened a group of VOTF members interested in developing
a plan to address this need. The group, called the Membership Recruitment
Project (MRP), is coordinated by Jane Macdonald, a member of the St. Ignatius
Parish Voice Affiliate in Chestnut Hill, MA.
During the initial
phase of its work, the MRP has created a prototype plan to bring factual
information about VOTF directly to parishioners, to generate interest
in VOTF and to counteract misinformation about VOTF that has been widely
circulated through the media and other sources. The plan is comprised
of seven basic activities:
- Developing a letter
to pastors asking them to invite MRP members to the parish to distribute
information about VOTF;
- Creating a brochure
for parishioners to provide basic Information about VOTF;
- Conducting follow-up
phone calls to pastors to find out their response to the letter and,
if possible to schedule a parish visit;
- Recruiting volunteer
teams to distribute brochures in the parishes;
- Developing orientation
materials and training for the volunteers;
- Carrying out the
parish visits; and
- Evaluating the
plan and its impact on increasing membership.
The expertise and
support of Julie Rafferty as well as Luise Dittrich and Steve Krueger
from the VOTF National office was critical as we worked together to prepare
our brochures and mailings under unbelievably tight deadlines.
In November, following
the distribution of brochures about VOTF by a team of devoted volunteers,
three pastors Fr. Paul Rouse, Fr. Henry Chambers, and Fr. William
Williams -- invited members of MRP to their respective parishes, St. Michael's
in Avon, St. Thomas' in Millis, and St. Mary's/St. Ann's in Hull. In all
three parishes, the MRP volunteers were warmly and enthusiastically received
by both parishioners and pastors who openly expressed admiration and gratitude
for the work VOTF is doing. Many expressed an interest in learning more
about VOTF and how to become members. Based on the experience of these
initial visits, the MRP team will be fine-tuning the letter, the brochure,
and the orientation materials in preparation for additional parish visits,
which are scheduled for January and February 2003.
There are nine members
of MRP, seven consulting members and 13 volunteers. This is the first
phase of our project and we are so grateful to all the people who contributed
so generously to its success.
VOTF
Working Group on Survivor Issues
Andrea Johnson
Our group meets weekly on Tuesday nights at a church in Newton or Wellesley.
Throughout the fall
we have had the inspiring company of several survivors who join us in
our work on various projects. Barbara Thorp from the Boston Archdiocese
Office for Healing and Assistance Ministry came to talk with a group of
survivors and working group members. She addressed questions about the
process for a survivor who might go to her office. Our group, in consultation
with survivors and advocacy groups, has come up with guidelines for parishes
interested in holding survivor speaking sessions. Increasingly, survivors
are speaking at many parishes as well as Boston College, Boston College
School of Social Work and other institutions.
In November, Kathi
Aldridge and I went to the DC Conference of the USCCB joining dozens of
VOTF members and groups working on survivors' issues. We attended press
conferences by SNAP, The Linkup and VOTF. Particularly memorable was a
SNAP vigil held on Monday 11/11. Survivor Mark Serrano began the vigil
by asking those from Boston to raise their candles. Then he thanked us
for being so crucial in the ongoing awakening of support for survivors.
Many of the working
group members stand in solidarity with survivors at Holy Cross Cathedral
(the ecclesiastical seat of the Boston Archdiocese) every Sunday. Also,
VOTF endorsed a candlelight vigil sponsored by Coalition of Catholics
and Survivors.
This week, David Clohessy,
national director of SNAP, came to our working group meeting. Our discussion
focused on the fresh outrage generated by the documents just released.
David told the large group that our work with and for survivors is profoundly
important. He said the best way we can help survivors is to grow our numbers
and increase the good work we are doing.
On the Sunday before
Thanksgiving, VOTF members standing in solidarity with survivors at Holy
Cross Cathedral brought breads to give to survivors to wish them well
at Thanksgiving and also to thank them for all they continue to teach
us.
We were part of planning
and being present at a gathering for a survivor who is going to India
for six months where he has friends and teachers and continues his spiritual
and healing journey.
We have been invited
to participate in the Mind Body Institute's upcoming conference on Spirituality
and Forgiveness on 12/14-15 and have received a group discount as well
as scholarships for survivors who might want to attend.
We have offered public
support for survivors' ideas for reaching out to other survivors (holiday
survivors survival kits with phone cards, cash for gifts, gas cards, etc.)
and we have also learned from the creative ideas of many parish affiliates.
We are eager to gather and share other initiatives from survivors, VOTF
members and affiliates. Readers can send their ideas to me at andreajohnson@attbi.com.
We hope to post these on our website at www.votf.org.
At this writing, we
are actively involved in planning the protest at Holy Cross Cathedral,
December 7, over the latest documentation of clergy abuse.
VOTF Structural
Change Working Group
Margaret Roylance
The Structural Change
Working Group is now compiling all the responses we received to our initial
working paper. These comments will be incorporated into a second draft
of the paper to be presented to the Lay Leadership Council at its January
meeting. We are deeply grateful to all who responded to our request for
comment.
In addition to feedback
from VOTF members across the country, we received several substantive
responses from U.S. Bishops. Cardinal George of Chicago said in his letter,
"Any change in the Church will, unless most carefully thought out, change
the faith." We agree, and will shape this and future recommendations with
great care, and in open consultation. We will not be dissuaded from this
task because it is a challenge, however; we are committed to following
the advice of John Paul II in On the Threshold of a New Millennium, to
"listen to what all the faithful say, because in every one of them the
Spirit of God breathes."
Voices, Voices
Everywhere!
Voice from SE Wisconsin
Reported by Terry Ryan
VOTF-WIS met on 11/13
at St. Matthias Church. Members broke into six working groups: Structural
Voice, Clergy Voice, Survivors Voice, Parish Voices, Financial Voice,
and Legislative Voice. Each group identified specific goals and action
plans that they would pursue. The entire group then voted approval of
those objectives.
Members of VOTF-WIS
also approved a proposal to partner with CTA on the full disclosure project.
As a result, we sent a letter to Archbishop Dolan requesting full disclosure
of the numbers involved in the clergy abuse scandal and the financial
cost to the archdiocese.
VOTF-WIS will not
have a formal meeting in December. However, Fr. Michael Crosby will speak
about the crisis in the Church at the next VOTF meeting on January 9,
7:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes parish. A brief social will follow his
presentation.
Voice from Grand
Rapids, Michigan
Reported by Laurel Hill
We are meeting monthly
at St. Robert of Newminster Parish in Ada (suburb of Grand Rapids). Our
initial meeting was organizational, at which time we voted to form an
affiliate. In September, Dr. Robert Marko, a theologian from nearby Aquinas
College, spoke on "Vatican II Directives to the Laity." In October we
formed work groups to address the three VOTF goals. Each group worked
to come up with concrete suggestions to advance their goal. In November,
a local therapist addressed our group on "The Legacy of Childhood Sexual
Abuse." Our next meeting is scheduled in January.
Our group includes
survivors, parents of survivors and interested Catholics from many parishes.
We have corresponded with our Bishop by letter and by sending him the
minutes of each meeting. While he has responded via letter in a general
way and said he appreciates being kept informed of our group happenings,
he has not responded directly to our request for a meeting. We continue
to ask for such a meeting in each letter, and we also continue to request
the identity of our Diocesan Review Board.
We have received balanced
press coverage in Grand Rapids. Both the TV and newspaper media have given
us measured, non-sensationalized reports, and they continue to point out
that we still don't know who the members of the Review Board are, nor
have we gotten our requested meeting with our Bishop.
Our VOTF group counts
among its members Steven Kelly, a survivor and SNAP member, who traveled
to Washington, DC for the bishops' conference. Steven was able to speak
directly to Bishop Gregory and Cardinal Law, and was also flown to New
York as a guest on the Phil Donahue show that aired on November 27. Needless
to say, we're very proud of Steven's courage in advocating for victims.
Also, we are happy to report that all of the survivors in our group have
stated they feel more supported by our VOTF group in the past few months
than they have in all of their years dealing with the diocese on these
issues.
We continue to seek
pertinent speakers for our gatherings, to identify ways that parishes
might support abuse victims and their families and to work on changing
the state law in Michigan that presently excludes clergy from reporting
cases of abuse.
Please keep us in
your prayers, as we continue to pray for all of you!
Voice from New
York City, NY
Reported by Maria Coffey and David Pais
David Pais and I were
recently designated regional co-coordinators of the NYC Affiliate, which
covers Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx. We agree with Jim Alvord
in Bridgeport, CT, Melissa Gradel in Brooklyn, NY, Maria Cleary in NJ
and Paul Kendrick in Maine. The affiliates are out here - we have both
the capability and the desire to support you in Boston in this crisis
- this is our crisis, too. We are ready to hear from VOTF National in
order to plan an appropriate supportive response as Boston faces this
new wave of abuse documentation.
Perhaps, this is the
time to reinforce the concept that VOTF is not just a Boston organization.
It is an organization of troubled, saddened and angry Catholics nationwide.
Please fold us into your planning and thinking. We, too, are passionate
about keeping the Faith and changing the Church.
Voice from Brooklyn,
NY
Reported by Anne and Ed Wilson, Organizing Committee
A group of 10 parishioners
of the Brooklyn Oratory at St. Boniface have been meeting informally since
attending the Boston Conference in July to discuss the possibility of
forming a local chapter of VOTF.
On Thursday, October
24, a group of us met with Dr. Frank Macchiarola, President of St. Francis
College in Brooklyn Heights, about obtaining space at the college in the
event of a ban on using Church property, and also because we did not have
large enough facilities at St. Boniface. Dr. Macchiarola generously and
enthusiastically agreed and put us in touch with the appropriate personnel.
Previously, the parish had scheduled an open meeting of parishioners for
the following Monday, October 28, to present information about VOTF and
a report on the July Convention in Boston.
At 5 p.m. Friday,
October 25, there suddenly appeared a fax to all pastors and parish administrators
conveying Bishop Daily's decision to deny parish or diocesan facilities
to Voice of the Faithful because of his concern for "the potential the
meetings have to foster disunity in the dioceses of Brooklyn." Thus the
Bishop successfully eliminated the potential for disunity by creating
the reality.
The Monday night parish
meeting went on as previously scheduled attracting about 40 people. The
discussion was wide-ranging and contained considerable education about
the causes and effects of child abuse. This topic was of particular concern
to our group, most of who are parents or grandparents of small children.
The fact that Bishop Daily's deposition about the Shanley case in Boston
had been released that morning contributed greatly to a positive sense
of community focus on this most serious issue.
The next morning our
group formed the first VOTF affiliate in Brooklyn.
After discussions
with our pastor, who is wholeheartedly supportive of our mission, it was
decided that it was best for the parish and our chapter to be independent
of one another.
On the evening of
Tuesday, November 5, we had our first meeting. It was held at St. Francis
College and attracted about 60 participants from throughout Brooklyn,
along with a group from the Rockaway, Queens VOTF (within the diocese)
who had had their meeting banned even before the diocesan-wide ban was
announced. The meeting consisted of prayer, a brief introduction about
VOTF, and an open microphone, which was liberally used by many participants.
A number of brothers and nuns attended and several spoke movingly and
from personal experience.
Our chapter is off
to an encouraging start with wonderful space at St. Francis College. We
are actively planning the next meeting for early December. The ban has
been outrageous in principle but liberating in practice. We realize the
real work lies ahead. At every turn we have felt the intervention of the
Holy Spirit. May this truly be God's work.
Voice from Camden,
NJ Diocese
Reported by Kevin Gemmell
VOTF-Camden Diocese
will be having its next meeting on Tuesday, December 10 at 7pm at Mary's
Vineyard in Cherry Hill, NJ. Communication from the Camden Diocese has
ceased as part of their strategy to not recognize VOTF.
Other than that, the
current 22-plaintiff court case in the Diocese has been unsuccessful to
date in having any victim's case be heard because of the statute of limitations
in New Jersey. We continue to call for a follow-up meeting with Bishop
DiMarzio.
Kevin Gemmell
Voice from Greater
West Hartford, CT
Reported by Jayne O'Donnell
Two of our members
who are distinguished doctors, wrote a letter to the National Conference
of Bishops prior to the bishops' November meeting. They spoke strongly
for the need for a scientific study to be done on pedophilia. They pointed
out that what is known now is incomplete and inconclusive. They noted
the more basic question of how this situation came about in the first
place. The men offered their help in the study and said they would suggest
utilizing the Institute of Medicine affiliated with the National Academy
of Sciences and the Hartford Institute of Living, in Ct. We are sharing
this information with other affiliates and will follow up on its progress.
We are jointly sponsoring
a Service of Prayer and Healing for the Survivors of clerical abuse, with
the three other PV affiliates in our Diocese. The season of Advent was
chosen as an appropriate time in which to put our support of survivors
and their families, into action. Our first was held on Tues. Dec. 3rd
at St. Patrick & Anthony in Hartford.
Our membership continues
to meet monthly at St. Timothy Church in West Hartford. It was suggested
at our last meeting that people consider writing a letter of appreciation
to our Pastor, Fr. Henry P. Cody, for his continuing support.
Generally, our meetings
draw from 60 to 80 people from about 12 parishes. We are beginning to
witness progress in parishes' spinning-off and starting their own PVs.
Just last week, my co-facilitator, Joanne Moran, and I accepted an invitation
to address St. Joseph Church in Bristol, Ct. on starting a PV. We were
very well received. We will also be speaking to St. Mary's, Simsbury in
the same capacity.
In addition to conducting
our meetings in an initial plenary fashion and then breaking into smaller
groups centered on the three VOTF goals, we are looking into the prospect
of attracting the young adult population in our parishes. For December
we are extending personal invitations to our thirty- and forty-something
friends to join us. We would love to hear any other suggestions form other
PVs on successful recruitment.
On behalf of all of
us Nutmeggers in the PV of Greater West Hartford, we extend our wishes
for an Advent season filled with hope, patience, grace and peace.
Voice from Eastern
CT
Reported by Grace and Bob Marrion
At our third meeting
on Nov. 21,we formally adopted the name VOTF of Eastern Connecticut. We
have 57 members and about 60 people at each meeting. We meet at Days Inn
on Route 161 in Niantic. It costs $75 per meeting but there is no insurance
requirement. We have a collection basket at the back of the room at each
meeting and we have donations to cover us for the next three or four months.
Bishop Daniel Hart banned us from meeting on Church property.
At the November meeting,
we discussed the revisions to the USCCB Charter and Norms, the consequent
reduction in the role of the laity and the question of how long a priest
would continue in parish work after an allegation is made. We made our
own recommendation that anyone who has a complaint against a priest should
first go to the police. We continue to support the rights of priests to
due process and think that names should not be publicized just on the
basis of an allegation.
We've heard from many
of our supporters that the wording for the second goal and especially
the third goal is objectionable. "Priests of integrity" lacks clarity
-- people don't know what it means. For purposes of discussion, we have
substituted the following: priests who did no wrong but suffer because
of the actions of some of their fellow priests. It's long but people seem
to understand what we mean. To many, "structural change" sounds as if
we want to change the foundations of our Faith. We've been explaining
that we want to make changes in the day-to-day operation of the Church
that will ensure that such a scandal will never happen again. It's wordy
again, but seems clearer and more acceptable to many.
Our next meeting will
be on Sunday, January 12 at 2:30 at the Days Inn. Prof. Thomas Groome
will speak on "Our Hopes for Renewal in the Church."
Voice from Hartford
East
Reported by Mary Ann Murray
Here's how the Spirit
works in our area. It all started when one of our team members approached
someone in her neighborhood (who did not attend our parish) and began
to talk about VOTF. The neighbor spoke to Fr. Fanelli, pastor at St. Christopher's,
and he became quite interested. Our team was invited to sit down with
Fr. Fanelli a couple of weeks ago for a discussion. We left him some informational
material and a pamphlet that we created at our parish. He reviewed it
with the pastoral council and set a date for our presentation.
Our traveling team
(John Ryan, Patty Moran, Pat McPherson, Nancy Traut and myself) presented
VOTF to St. Christopher's parish in East Hartford on a Sunday afternoon.
This was after the team met to develop a strategy. The discussions we
had with them and the comments we received, regarding the entire crisis,
were stimulating and impressive. I am pleased to report that they are
going forward with presenting VOTF to the broader parish with the intention
of voting in an affiliate in their area.
This is a wonderful
group of people and Fr. Finelli is certainly a fine "priest of integrity."
We are grateful for the pastor's invitation to spread the word -- and
the word has, once again, been spread! Our parish is generous with the
photocopying and supplies we need to put our material together. We copy
timely articles of interest on all three goals as well as the VOTF mission
statement and beliefs. We do have a small amount of money in the "bank,"
which is donated at our parish meetings.
We have a unique situation
here in CT but you might find a way to adapt this to your area. Twenty
of the diocesan priests here have written a letter to Archbishop Cronin
requesting dialogue on the Church crisis. He responded and they had a
two-hour discussion a couple of weeks ago. We thought we would now address
the 20 priests who approached the archbishop as we feel they might be
open to our travel-team presentation. We are currently working on our
approach.
Welcome to our
new affiliate! Voice from Northampton, MA
Reported by Ann W. Turner
Our fledgling VOTF
group in Northampton, Mass., which has been meeting twice monthly since
early September, voted recently to become an affiliate. Our tentative
title is, "The Northampton Affiliate." However, it should be noted that
this group--which can range from 150 people at the large events where
speakers come and talk, to a low of around 40 for working groups--represents
the Diocese of Springfield.
On Tuesday December
10th, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, Fr. Mark Stelzer will be addressing our group.
Fr. Mark is a professor at Elms College, a Church historian, a vibrant
and engaging speaker, and has a depth of knowledge about laity participation
and its authentic basis in Vatican II documents. We are looking forward
to learning more from him.
Our group will be
doing some "future planning" after the holidays: Where do we go from here?
What concrete tasks do we want to focus on? How best can we have an impact
within our diocese
Our pastor, Fr. Gene,
continues to be supportive of our efforts. We have not had any adverse
publicity or remarks from the diocese, and we hope to continue in a cordial
relationship, both working towards renewing our Church and gaining greater
transparency and accountability.
Voice from Topsfield,
MA - Northshore VOTF
Reported by Vince Guerra
VOTF- Northshore reports
that Joseph Kelley, Ph.D., was a guest speaker at our regional meeting,
Sunday, November 24, in the St. Rose of Lima parish hall, Topsfield. Dr.
Kelley is Director of Mission and Augustinian Study and Legacy at Merrimack
College in North Andover and is committed to deepening and strengthening
Catholic identity. He spoke to us on "Lumen Gentium: Role of the Laity
in the Church as Supported by the Documents of Vatican II." His talk was
very informative and well received by the audience of approximately 85
people. Most of us came away with the understanding that we were indeed
accorded the right and privilege by our baptism (as supported by Vatican
II) to participate in the "priesthood of the laity," a message that we
have heard time and again in the past 10-11 months (but not much before
then).
Dr. Kelley has graduate
degrees in Theology and Psychology from BU, Catholic U. and Andover-Newton
Theological Seminary. He is a clinical psychologist as well as a teacher
of Religious Studies at Merrimack. He has spoken on a similar topic at
St. Michael's in North Andover and is scheduled to address the Marblehead-based
VOTF next month on restoring trust in our Church. Our proximity to Merrimack
(an Augustinian college) may be of benefit to us in this part of the state.
Our VOTF-Northshore
group, serving parishes in the Essex county area, is planning more guest
appearances by selected speakers on relevant topics during the winter
and spring. We favor an education orientation so we may learn more about
the history of the Church and hierarchy.
Voice from Winchester,
MA
Reported by Bob Morris
The highlight of the
past month for our group was a visit by Fr. Robert Bullock on November
4. Fr. Bullock is Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Sharon, and
is also a founder of the Boston Priests' Forum. Over 350 persons from
throughout the Archdiocese attended the meeting. Fr. Bullock discussed
the lack of due process afforded priests who have been removed in the
past several months, and also the view that VOTF's second goal needs to
be re-worded. Fr. Bullock generously fielded a wide variety of questions
for close to an hour.
Another highlight
was our meeting on November 25. Paul Kellen of our group read aloud extensive
sections from "The Experience of the Victim of Sexual Abuse: A Reflection,"
by Mary Gail Frawley-O'Dea, Ph.D. Dr. Frawley-O'Dea delivered this paper
to the U.S. Bishops when they met in Dallas last June. Paul's eloquent
reading, and Dr. Frawley-O'Dea's powerful words, sparked intense small
group discussions over the trauma faced by victims of clergy abuse. It
was a moving experience for all in attendance.
On a concrete level,
our group has donated funds to purchase four baskets (thus far), which
abuse survivor Susan Renehan is preparing to distribute to survivors over
the next several weeks. We are very pleased to be taking part in this
important effort.
We plan to close out
our meetings for the calendar year with a prayer service on December 16.
The darkness and anguish of the past year have also generated great hope
for the future, and we pray that there will be more light than darkness
in the year ahead.
Voice from Natick,
MA
Reported by Judy Rich
Our Wed., Dec. 11
meeting, 7 - 8:30 p.m. at the Natick Morse Institute Library, 14 East
Central St is a special meeting to introduce new members to VOTF. Svea
Fraser and Darrell Simpson, representatives from VOTF, and Bill Gately,
member of SNAP, will be our guest speakers.
A little history:
A core group of parishioners from St. Patrick Parish in Natick begin meeting
last May to form a parish voice in support of VOTF. We were not allowed
to meet at our Church so we held meetings in different individual homes.
By the end of September, our group had grown too large for homes and we
began meeting in the town library. Our group is called Natick Parish Voice
and we are in the process of reaching out to other parishes in Natick
and the surrounding area. We currently have about 40 members.
Voice from Waltham,
MA
Reported by Nancy Gagnon
On December 3, we
had a wonderful beginning to this Advent season with an Evening of Reconciliation.
We followed this time
together with a December 5, fundraiser to benefit SNAP. For $10, attendees
saw a movie of their choice along with a small popcorn and a beverage.
It was held at the West Newton Cinema and raised $1,366 (!), which will
be presented to Bill Gately when he speaks at the Natick VOTF meeting
on December 11th. (See the Natick Voice report above.)
We have had a Healing
Mass in September, had a survivor speak at a meeting, sent a donation
to SNAP national and have been interviewed by the local paper. We also
participated in a Voice of Compassion panel discussion on a local cable
station and will continue to educate our members.
In all, we are grateful
that there is a stronger sense of community within our parish and the
VOTF group.
Notes
- A Few Contributors
to In the Vineyard might enjoy this link identified by our Webmaster,
Eileen Hespeler. It covers the topic of writing online: http://www.clickz.com/design/write_onl/
- Many of our members
have written of their great appreciation for the homilies by Bishop
Thomas J. Gumbleton of Michigan. The website address for The Peace Pulpit,
homilies by Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton, is http://nationalcatholicreporter.org/peace/
- Be sure to click
onto the Boston College website
for information and re-caps on the education initiative "The Church
in the 21st Century - From Crisis to Renewal"
- There is now a
printer friendly version of "In
the Vineyard"
- Terry McKiernan
of Our Lady Help of Christians, Newton, tells us that Ben's Bakery in
Providence, RI is donating 10% of their holiday-season sales to Survivors
Appeal. This is a single-donation collection fund, which will distribute
money to all the survivor groups as well as individual survivors. Ben's
sells fudge, candies, nuts and other gift items. Purchases can be made
online at http://www.bensbakeryandcafe.com.
- A Place at the
Table Survivors and supporters have put together a simple cookbook for
the holidays and throughout the year, dedicated to the memory of Laura
Gallagher -- amazing mom and friend, and wife of Joe Gallagher, who
has been a solid supporter of survivors from the beginning of this crisis.
A Place at the Table: Cuisine with Compassion is available for $15.00,
with the proceeds going to survivor organizations in the Boston area.
If you are interested in buying a copy, please contact Steve Lewis at
afreeknight@attbi.com
- Slowly we have
assembled a group of volunteers to make up an Editorial Advisory Board
who will help gather material for, edit and distribute In the Vineyard
as well as the quarterly publication. Members are Cathy Fallon, Eileen
Hespeler, Amy Kotsopoulos, Anne Murphy, Jane McDaid, Donna Salacuse,
Midge Seibert, Steve Sheehan, Tom Smith and Peggie Thorp. We expect
to have our first group meeting in January.
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