Working Group Reports
Supporting Our Priests
Priests and Survivors Come Together
From Peter Davey VOTF - East Bay area in California
VOTF, East Bay held our June General Meeting Monday,
June 28th. We had put together a panel of three local
priests and one from the Bronx, NY Msgr Harry Byrne.
Unfortunately, Msg. Byrne could not make it due to illness.
The subject of meeting was National Review Board Report.
The purpose of meeting was threefold: support survivors
of abuse, support priests of integrity and continue
healing. Jim Jenkins, a member of our SC, put together
five questions based upon data suggested in the NRB
report. Jenkins is a clinical psychologist and well
versed on the subject.
During the two-hour session, the panelists discussed
and answered questions regarding selection of candidates
for priesthood, their screening, background checks;
how our diocese deals with civil authorities when an
allegation is made against a priest, work with survivors,
how the diocese continues to monitor abusers when they
are released back into society.
A number of survivors attended. Some stood and thanked
us for having such an open meeting. One young man in
particular said he had not been inside of a Catholic
church in years. (We held a meeting in St. Joseph the
Worker Church, Berkeley) and he was grateful. Their
comments alone made the entire evening worthwhile! We
are thankful for the courage and honesty of our priest
panelists Frs. Dan Danielson, Declan Deane and Tim Stier.
And, what an attendance we had- 300! Panelists received
a standing ovation. The Spirit is working in the East
Bay.
Priests of Integrity
Forum
"The State of The Catholic Church in Chicago Today"
as discussed at a Priests of Integrity Forum held at
Holy Family Parish in Inverness, Illinois on May 3,
2004 This report was written by VOTF member Jim Accurso
and transcribed by Lisa Mersereau
On the evening of May 3rd, 2004 a "Priests of Integrity"
forum allowed several Chicago-area priests the opportunity
to share their feelings and insights on their lives
as men of God and the current state of affairs in the
Archdiocese of Chicago. This unique event took place
at Holy Family Church in Inverness, IL before an audience
of more than 200 concerned Catholics.
After an opening prayer, Terry O'Connor, the Chicago
Regional Director of Voices of the Faithful (VOTF) made
a few brief remarks regarding how the evening's priest
forum came about before introducing moderator Bill Hinz.
The panelists were then given the opportunity to speak
on their backgrounds, qualifications and current assignments.
Now and Then
The evening's first question to the panel asked for
a comparison of their priestly lives in Chicago under
Cardinal Francis George to that of the era under Cardinal
Joseph Bernardin.
The first priest to speak noted a major difference
in "the rise of Parish councils and qualified lay staffs
that promote a relational position between the priest
and the laity. However," he continued, "the bishops
seem a little lost because they don't know what to do
with the local communities that have them." Another
echoed a well-known complaint saying he "believes that
the Archdiocese needs to be more unified and bring together
the larger parishes, as there is no sense of a larger
church." For me," he continued, "the parish is where
there is life."
One feels that there is a certain amount of tension
between the bishop and priests under George, stating
"parochialism seems to have re-entered the Archdiocese
of Chicago; there seems to be a move to punish creative
priests who are encouraging the laity, compared to the
Bernardin era where everyone strived to work together
as one." Another said he currently feels that the Church
"is both a contradiction and a paradox." As the bishops
inquire about and, then, are told what people want,
"It is obvious that they really don't want to know."
As a result, he "struggles in his ministry on many different
levels, with the more creative ways of being Church
being done in an almost underground way." Thus, he finds
himself failing to talk about the real issues, "like
how the local church today needs to be faithful to Church
teaching."
Another said "I have great hope for the Church as I
see a lot of growth within the laity and a transformation
of the people who want to have a voice within the Church.
The Cardinals can't stop these folks." Another pastor
lamented: "We are stuck. The Church doesn't know how
to get back on its feet right now, and is not preparing
for the future. I am concerned that the Bishops will
sacrifice the whole for their comfort zones. I often
take questions from my parishioners dealing with the
lack of young people, and I think it's the style of
leadership within the Catholic Church that is keeping
the younger Catholics away."
One priest said that he often feels like crawling under
a rock after "people make unkind comments or stare,"
when he's wearing his collar in public. Another candidly
noted that for him, it "was sometimes difficult-and
stressful-being a priest, but that there was nothing
else I would want to do. I need the brotherhood of my
fellow priests to challenge and help me to remain healthy,
otherwise, I feel the people I am trying to serve will
suffer." To validate this comment, another mentioned
that he "has a group of fellow priests that he socializes
with all the time; it's a shame that, for some reason,
the younger priests don't seem to have these same bonds."
"The Holy Spirit Was Truly With Him"
The evening's second question to the panel asked
if the priests felt the lay review board was a good
solution to a complex problem.
The first responder felt good about the lay review
board as "it shows that the laity can finally be permitted
to take the lead in the governance of the church." He
tempered that by saying: "I know priests who needed
to be removed but, to do so through the press is not
fair." The second to answer reminisced that "the Holy
Spirit was really present with Bernardin when he established
a review board long before the 2002 sex abuse scandal
broke in the press." Concurring, another said that he,
too, felt Bernardin "had a special calling with regard
to victims of sexual abuse, and embraced them."
Still another felt that "some things could have been
avoided if the bishops had listened to Bernardin when
he first brought it up; however, they apparently felt
they could handle their own dioceses on a case-by-case
basis." He went on to say that "it is not only the injustice
of the situation that makes me angry, it is also the
lack of reality that seems to be present at the bishops'
level." Then, he very pointedly speculated that "perhaps
those who tumbled during the 2002 sex abuse scandal
were some of the ones who fought Bernardin the hardest
ten years ago when he wanted to establish a national
policy."
Zero Tolerance Was Wrong
The evening's third question to the panel asked if
the zero tolerance policy initially established by the
bishops was a good solution.
The first to respondent felt not, saying, "Zero tolerance
is a problem that focused a lot on priests because they're
on the front lines. That might have been fine if the
bishops took some responsibility themselves, but they
haven't shown any accountability with regard to the
sex abuse scandal. A small number of bishops don't get
it and the problem with this is that it allows them
to paint the picture for everyone else." Continuing
to note his displeasure, he added "once a priest is
asked to leave the Church, there is no way to monitor
and possibly prosecute him. Now he's out in society
where he could harm someone else. It is better to keep
them within the Church where they can get help and where
they can be monitored and kept away from children. Also,
zero tolerance makes the Church less responsible."
Similarly, another noted that he "feels betrayed,"
observing that "the relationship between the bishops
and us is at an all time low. Brother to brother has
turned into a manager/employee relationship." Contemplating
a possible remedy to this difficult situation, this
priest continued that "if the bishops were accountable-and
perhaps if the laity spoke out more-they would be forced
to listen." Another felt "the style of leadership employed
by the bishops is troubling. What came out of Dallas
is that the system has abused the abused, yet, no one
confronts it." Confiding that "many of us priests were
angry with the abusers and with the bishops," another
noted that "we also disagreed with the zero tolerance
policy because it failed to focus on all abuse, as it
did not allow for healing of all those who have been
victimized." Feeling that "there is a lot of scapegoating
going on here," another said he felt that "lines were
blurred and people were guilty before having a chance
to speak, even if allegations were unfounded. Priests
were judged in the press and considered guilty regardless
of the credibility of the person making an old allegation."
"The Spirit Is Alive"
The evening's fourth and final question to the panel
asked the priests to describe what types of support
they desire from the laity.
One indicated that he doesn't need any additional help
as he "already receives their incredible support," and
when people feel his struggle, "I am encouraged to keep
doing what I am doing." Another saw this event as support,
and it shows that there are people "who are on our side.
The best way the laity can support priests is by becoming
personally involved in the mission of the Lord." Yet
another sees himself as "a witness to a laity that goes
out of their way to make sure my fellow priests and
I are affirmed. They always ask what they can do for
me and if I am taking time for myself." One pastor sees
some in his congregation evangelizing more, which is
good, "because those on the fringe will listen to and
trust some of my more active parishioners before they
will listen to or trust me." Another says he's "often
in need of assistance, especially when situations arise
regarding women or homosexuals, who struggle within
the Church system." Speaking to the adage that people
dialogue at different levels and in different ways,
one panelist said that "there seems to be a fear of
dialogue higher up within the Church. Everyone needs
to be respected and integrated in the Church, as Jesus
was all about respect and integration of all of the
faithful." Many panelists agreed with this-and the following-observation
of they're "all in the mess together, and thankfully
the Spirit is alive in that mess."
"The structure in which authority is exercised, in
addition to dialogue, is in need of changes that need
to come from the very top, starting with our current,
non-collegial Pope John Paul II," one remarked. Concurring,
another felt that "the current structures will topple
like the Berlin Wall once everyone examines their true
calling and asks how they are uniquely gifted to attend
to the needs around them." Still another felt that "we
should try and establish true collegiality and build
structures so all people can work together." Coming
some 90 minutes after the first insight, the last comment
brought this "Priests of Integrity" forum full-circle
by hopefully reminding those present that "the life
and nourishment of the Church comes from the roots,
which is each parish." With that, Mr. Hinz thanked the
panelists for their participation and candor. Attendees
adjourned to Holy Family's narthex for some refreshments
and light conversation.
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