May 24, 2006
Sean Cardinal O’Malley, OFM Cap
2121 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02135-3193
Dear Cardinal Sean:
Your Novena to the Holy Spirit scheduled for “nine
communities that have experienced an especially painful
history of sexual abuse of children by priests” is
a promising move to reeducate our parish communities
and rebuild trust. Voice of the Faithful, which emerged
as a response to those breaches of trust, has offered
and is ready to support your renewal effort.
Protecting Our Children is a VOTF Working Group of parents,
educators, and child advocates which provides and shares
resources that help the Catholic Community - laity, priests,
and bishops - keep our children safe. The Bishop’s
Charter’s commitment to creating a Safe Environment
within the church states: “We, who have been given
the responsibility of shepherding God’s people,
will, with his help and in full collaboration with all
the faithful, continue to work to restore the bonds of
trust that unite us. Words alone cannot accomplish this
goal. It will begin with the actions we take in our General
Assembly and at home in our dioceses and eparchies.”
As you reinforce the requirement that parishes establish “Safe
Environment” programs, we urge that you ask at
the parishes you visit how the VIRTUS, TAT and CAP programs
have been implemented. We have talked with Deacon Rizutto
several times over the past few years as he and VOTF
have worked toward this Safe Environment common goal.
We support all your efforts to achieve the goal and your
call inviting, “ all people of this Archdiocese
to join us as we call upon the Holy Spirit to assist
us as we work to bind up the wounds of abuse and restore
the faith of our community.” We are willing to
work with your office and with Parish Councils to inform
parish communities about the necessity to create Safe
Environment programs that educate and train adults and
children in abuse prevention measures.
We hope that this letter initiates a dialogue through
which we can share efforts to create and maintain Safe
Environments in parishes. Please respond with information
about the levels of implementation you find in each of
the parishes you visit. I can be contacted at krhm@comcast.net.
We pray for the “Pilgrimage of Repentance and
Hope” and look forward to hearing from you.
Very truly yours,
Katheryn R. Mullaney
IN behalf of Protecting Our Children Working Group
Voce of the Faithful
www.votf.net/Protecting_Our_Children
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