Voice of the Faithful of Westchester: Votf Response to the National Review Board Report

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Votf Response to the National Review Board Report

VOTF Response to National Review Board Report
December 13, 2007 - Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) supports the work of the National Review Board (NRB) as detailed in the report they presented Dec. 13 to the "Catholic Faithful of the United States”. Their report highlights that the clergy abuse crisis is far from over and that much still needs to be accomplished. We are anxious to see the results of the recently initiated on-site audits being conducted by the Gavin Group. These independent audits will be a better indicator of exactly what progress is being made by the bishops. In addition we need to audit the safe environment program at the parish level to be truly effective.

“The report correctly points out the need for: a greater understanding of victimization and its consequences, due process for priests, and an appropriate role for the Church in the supervision of offenders,” said Mary Pat Fox, VOTF President. “We await the issuance of the Causes and Context Study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and we urge the Bishops to cooperate fully with the researchers. We ask the NRB to push for a quicker resolution to all allegations of abuse. At present it takes upwards of four years for the Church to make a decision as to the truth of an accusation. We must speed up this process so that all victims and priests may receive swift justice,” said Fox.

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The 21st Century Catholic

PROFILE OF THE 21ST CENTURY CATHOLICThe Mission and Ministry of the Laity
July 2007
Voice of the Faithful emerged because Catholics took their Baptismal responsibilities seriously. Active Catholics stepped forward to offer leadership following the clergy sexual abuse crisis as their way of following Christ in the 21st Century. For many early VOTF members, Vatican II was the formative experience in their adult life in the Church. They had been formed to function as central to all the ministries in the Church such as liturgy, education, social ministries and a wide variety of other ministries.
VOTF has discovered, however, that many Catholics have not been adequately educated on the teaching of Vatican II. To make the documents of Vatican II more understandable and livable, we have adapted the behavioral model of William Marston for your reflection.
As Catholics, we are called to live our faith and respond to the Gospel by constantly seeking to improve the social order founded on truth, built on justice, and animated by love. To do this we must:
Take InitiativeWe are called to actively build up the Body of Christ by sharing in the priestly, prophetic and kingly (or temporal) offices of Christ
Make Competent DecisionsThe social order we work toward requires constant attention. To do this, we must:
be led by the Spirit through our consciences – the inner voice of God at work in us.
discern God’s will in addressing the needs of society.
be active according to our talents and the knowledge we possess.
Influence Others
We are called to work collaboratively within parishes to resolve societal problems.
We are to model Christ in all our thoughts and actions as we witness to the ministry, cross, and resurrection of Jesus.
When necessary we must use the political system to create a more just society that will support the Gospel's moral precepts especially human dignity and the common good.
Prudently, Prophetically, and Courageously transform our church and society to reflect the love of God for all Although we are to be prudent in what we choose to put our talents behind, we work vigorously to uphold the common good and make our Church "the initial budding forth of the Reign of God" (Paul VI).
William Moulton Marston, a Massachusetts born and Harvard educated psychologist, developed a behavioral theory characterizing all behaviors into a typology of dominance, influence, steadiness and compliance. His categories were used in organizing this paradigm of the 21st century Catholic.

Philip Murmion's Letter to the Bishops two days before he died.

August 17, 2003
My Brother in Christ:
In his final public address on October 24, 1996, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin spoke these moving words. “A dying person does not have time for the peripheral or the accidental. He or she is drawn to the essential, the important – yes, the eternal. And what is important, my friends, is that we find that unity with the Lord and within the community of faith for which Jesus prayed so fervently on the night before he died.” The Cardinal’s final commitment to promote that unity within the Church in the United States was shepherding the Catholic Common Ground Initiative. For the past seven years, as many of you know, I have been privileged to staff the many projects of that Initiative: conferences, lectures, meetings, publications. But, true to Bernardin’s vision, what remains central to the Initiative is honest and respectful dialogue among the participants: a dialogue grounded upon a common faith in the Lord Jesus, present to his Church in Word, in Sacrament, and in the members of his body. Now, in God’s Providence, I too write this reflection as a dying person, with no time for the peripheral or accidental. In many ways the crisis in the Church and the ensuing polarization, which so preoccupied Cardinal Bernardin, have only grown more acute. Your own credibility and ability to guide God’s people have been severely compromised, sometimes because of negligence and lack of wise leadership, sometimes because of factors beyond your direct responsibility. It is tempting in such difficult times of anger and even attack to throw up the bastions and to retreat to the company of those deemed supportive or, at least, non-threatening. May I suggest, instead, that it is rather time for bold initiatives. I do not presume to know all the dimensions of such undertakings. But of this I am convinced: they must emerge from the deepest discernment of God’s will and the widest consultation of God’s people. In his splendid Apostolic Letter, Novo Millennio Ineunte, the Holy Father charts a pastoral vision for the Church in the new millennium. The Pope strongly urges practice of “the ancient pastoral wisdom which, without prejudice of their authority, encouraged pastors to listen more widely to the entire People of God” (NMI, #45). Thus, in the mind of the Pope, there is no contradiction between legitimate authority and careful consultation. I would suggest, further, that consultation, listening, and dialogue only enhance true authority, because they issue from a lived trust and they serve to increase trust. It is imperative that we work together to restore the trust that has been eroded. If I were to sum up my final plea to you, it would be: “dialogue, dialogue, dialogue!” I do not mean this as a facile or pious slogan, for I am only too aware of its cost and conditions. It is for this reason, I think, that the Pope places dialogue within the context of an entire theological and spiritual vision and practice. In his Letter the Holy Father advocates and advances a “theology and spirituality of communion,” for they “encourage a fruitful dialogue between pastors and faithful” (ibid). Indeed, does not the living out of such a spirituality of communion require dialogue as its very life-breath: the dialogue of prayer with Jesus Christ, the dialogue of mutual building up on the part of the members of Christ? A spirituality of communion and dialogue is as demanding in its asceticism as a spirituality of the desert or the cloister. Like them, it also requires its own appropriate structures. The Catholic tradition knows well that spirituality and structure are not opposed. Here, as elsewhere, it affirms the “both/and” of charism and institution, invisible grace and visible embodiment. Both are essential; though only one is eternal. We can ill afford to be less Catholic than the Pope himself who insists: “the spirituality of communion, by prompting a trust and openness wholly in accord with the dignity and responsibility of every member of the People of God, supplies institutional reality with a soul” (ibid). For more than twenty years I have been blessed by working with many of you in different programs of the National Pastoral Life Center. I know from experience that many have sought diligently to consult and communicate with your priests and people alike. But in this time of crisis, of both possibility and peril, we face the urgent need imaginatively to expand present structures and to create new ones that will enable us to draw more effectively upon the rich wisdom of those baptized in water and the Holy Spirit. Permit me, then, with the last breaths the Spirit gives me to implore you: Do not be afraid to embrace this spirituality of communion, this “little way” of dialogue with one another, with your priests, with all God’s faithful. Doing so, you will touch not only the hearts of your brothers and sisters; you will draw closer to the very heart of Jesus, the Lord and brother of us all. You are ever in my thoughts and prayers.
In Christ, (Rev. Msgr.) Philip J. Murnion
NATIONAL PASTORAL LIFE CENTER 18 Bleecker Street New York, NY 10012-2404Phone: 212-431-7825 Fax: 212-274-9786 Email: nplc@nplc.org

Lecture by Angela Bonavoglia on Monday April 21 at 7:30pm

Angela Bonavoglia is coming to Westchester on April 21 evening at 7:30pm
Angela will give a talk on Women in the Church and the Sex Abuse Crisis. Sponsored by the Voice of the Faithful (Votf) of Larchmont. She is author of one of the best books on Women in the Church: "Good Catholic Girls." There is nothing like it. A very well written and fact filled book. In no book can you find in one place so many details about women in the church. She has interviewed leading Catholic women and ther result are as inspiring as they are revealing. The talk will take Place on Monday Evening April 21st at 7:30pm at the The Larchmont Avenue Church60 Forest Park Avenue Larchmont, N.Y. 10538 For Info. call Peggie Cashman at (914-834-2183)All are welcome.Angela Bonavoglia is nationally recognized for her writing about women’s issues and Catholic Church reform.

Tell Benedict XVI to Transform our Church

Calling All Catholics to
Transform Our Church
On behalf of all Catholics who share
our desire to help our Church, Voice
of the Faithful presents this message
on the occasion of Pope Benedict XVI’s
visit to the U.S.
Mindful of the many serious challenges
facing our Church today, yet hopeful
of a better tomorrow, VOTF’s 35,000votf.org
members seek the transformation of
our beloved Church.
• We envision a Church that is open,
transparent, and accountable.
• We imagine a Church that embraces
the gifts and talents of the laity.
• We dream of a Church governed
by compassion, informed by justice,
empowered by equality, and animated
to act collegially.
But we cannot attain this
transformation until we heal the
wounds still open.
The Moral Crisis We Face Today
Many Catholics know too well the
human suffering and financial costs
associated with the the global clergy
sexual abuse crisis. By 2004, in the U.S.
alone, more than 4,300 priests were
alleged to have abused almost 11,000
young people between the years
1950 and 2002.1 Legal settlements
by American dioceses amounted to
$615 million in 2007, and now exceed
$2.3 billion overall. Catholic dioceses
have filed for bankruptcy in Alaska,
Arizona, California, Iowa, Oregon, and
Washington. Equally troubling is the
fact that our leaders contributed to
this terrible toll.
How can our Church be a
moral beacon when so many
bishops who repeatedly
transferred known predators
remain in office?
Without justice for the abused and
accountability from the bishops, this
crisis will continues to plague our
Church.
Our Church Faces Many Other
Serious Challenges As Well
The declining number of clergy
jeopardizes the availability of Eucharist.
The laity continue to be excluded from
meaningful participation in decisionmaking.
Catholics -- particularly the
youth -- are leaving our Church to join
other religions, or no religion at all.
The hopeful vision of Vatican II remains
largely unfulfilled, and deep polarization
exists in our Church about how best to
fulfill our sacred mission.
We seek a lasting, transformed
Body of Christ that serves all
people with compassion, collegiality
and cooperation. We believe in
collaboration among all members of
our Church in order to achieve this
transformation.
The Answer Is Transformation
We seek a transformed Body of Christ
– a Church that both calls upon and
serves all members, lay and ordained
alike, with compassion and integrity.
Count Me In
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Please print clearly:
Name_____________________________________
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Email______________________________________
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Mail to:
Voice of the Faithful, PO Box 423, Newton, MA 02464
About Voice of the Faithful
Voice of the Faithful (VOTF)
is a worldwide movement
of concerned mainstream
Catholics formed in 2002
in response to the clergy
sexual abuse crisis. Our
Mission is to provide a
prayerful voice, attentive
to the Spirit, through
which the Faithful can
actively participate in the
governance and guidance
of the Catholic Church.
Our goals are to support
survivors of clergy sexual
abuse, support priests
of integrity, and shape
structural change within the
Catholic Church.
Our Transformed Church Would:
1. The Nature and Scope of the Problem of Sexual Abuse by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States, John Jay College of
Criminal Justice, 2004.
2. 2007 Survey of Allegations and Costs, Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, Georgetown University, 2008.
3. “Internal Financial Controls in the Catholic Church,” Robert West, Ph.D. and Charles Zech, Ph.D., Villanova University, 2007.
Treat survivors with justice and compassion.
Pope Benedict and all our bishops should meet with
survivors, listen to their stories, and treat them with
respect and compassion. Show them and the world
that we recognize the grave harm our Church has
done and strive to become a source of healing.
Make bishops be accountable to the people
they serve. Pope Benedict should call for the
resignations of those bishops who repeatedly
reassigned predator priests. Bishops of integrity
would stop blocking settlements, initiate truly
independent annual audits, and support revising the
laws that govern the statute of limitations. Protecting
our children would become a top priority, beginning
with creation of a national database of credibly
accused priests. Fair investigation and prompt
resolution of allegations is another priority.
Embrace Full Lay Participation. Catholic laity
would embrace our responsibility to assume our
proper place among the people of God. Laity would
be fully involved in the decisions that impact the
life of our parish and our diocese, including parish
closings. Our parishes would grow, and our children
and grandchildren would become proud, active
members of our Catholic Church.
Have Full Financial Transparency &
Accountability. Every parish would publish annual
financial statements. Every parish and diocese would
have fully engaged finance committees providing
independent perspectives to pastors or bishops.
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops would
change financial reporting guidelines into mandatory
requirements. Theft of parish and diocesan funds
would stop, and we would no longer see surveys
reporting that 85% of dioceses responding suffered
embezzlements within the past five years.3
Release the Gifts of the Spirit: Fresh spiritual
and theological insights would be embraced and
encouraged. We would facilitate meaningful, positive
change by creating forums and opportunities for
Catholics to express and develop their faith, and to
put that faith into action.
To all Catholics, Voice of the Faithful sends
this call: By virtue of your baptism, you are
a priestly people. The time has come to
stand and to speak out. Out of love for our
church, act today — do your part in taking
responsibility for the growth and well being of
our Church.
With your help, we can make it happen!
Please go to www.votf.org and sign up to receive
regular updates on what you can do as a Catholic
layperson to transform our Church.

Voice of the Faithful Statement on Who We Are Revised Initial Working Document

Voice of the Faithful Statement on Who We Are Revised Initial Working Document
Voice of the Faithful, Inc. is an organization composed of Catholics striving to be faithful to the teachings of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Joining VOTF is not a break with the Church but a commitment to strengthen and renew it. The following affirmations are not meant to be a complete statement on who we are. They are primarily a response to those who misunderstand us, including members of our Church's hierarchy and lay Catholics who misinterpret our mission and goals.
The Executive Committee of Voice of the Faithful recommended this Statement for action by the VOTF Representative Council, which remanded it on April 26, 2003 to Parish Voice affiliates for discussion and comment in preparation for further action by the Representative Council. The Statement was also reviewed by Rev. Ladislas Orsy, S.J., an advisor to Voice of the Faithful on canon law and theological matters.
We are faithful Catholics in communion with the universal Catholic Church.
We love and support our Church and believe what it professes.
We accept the teaching authority of our Church, including the traditional role of the bishops and the Pope.
We will work with our bishops, clergy, and other members to strengthen unity and human moral integrity in our Church.
We believe that sexual abuse by clergy and the response of bishops, protecting abusers and forsaking the abused, have caused great human suffering and damaged the moral authority of our Church.
We believe that the laity has the graced dignity, intelligence, responsibility and obligation to cooperate in Church governance in a meaningful way according to the norm of law (cf. Canon 129) to correct the profound flaws that have been revealed in the human institutional life of our Church.
We believe that the council documents of Vatican II illuminate the pathway for lay involvement in the Church.
We urge that the openness and mutual respect advocated by Pope John Paul II in Ut Unum Sint ("That All May Be One") be the model for meaningful dialog among bishops and laity.

VOTF Policies and Positions

VOTF Policies and Positions (2002)
Voice of the Faithful has not developed many policy positions to date, and those we have developed focus on the sexual abuse crisis. We have said that the Church has a responsibility to respond to survivors in a meaningful, healing way. We have said that bishops and laity in each diocese should engage in a serious and substantive dialogue. We have said that the structures of decision-making that gave rise to this crisis - secrecy and deception - should be exposed to the healing power of sunlight and disclosure. These policies make sense. These policies respond to the crisis facing our Church. These policies address the real problems confronting parish priests, bishops, and laity.
To state more specifically what we do and do not stand for:
Voice of the Faithful is focused on those actions necessary to respond to survivors, to support priests who are living their vows, and to effect structural change that helps ensure this type of abuse never occurs again in the Catholic Church.
We accept the teaching authority of the Catholic Church.
We have taken no position on the many other issues that divide Catholics in 2002.
We do not advocate the end of priestly celibacy, the exclusion of homosexuals from the priesthood, the ordination of women, or any of the other remedies that have been proposed across the spectrum of Catholic thought.
We do not endorse any organizations or interest groups.
We do promote a full and open discussion about the root causes of the sexual abuse crisis and the remedies that are needed.
We do take the position that the bishops and the Vatican have failed to address the sexual abuse crisis and its consequences adequately.
We do take the position that bishops fail in their role as shepherds and teachers when they refuse to engage the laity in a meaningful and substantive discussion of the issues.
We do take the position that Pope John Paul II rightly called clergy sexual abuse "crimes," and a "shame and scandal" for the Catholic Church.
We do believe that cleaning up this culture of deception and scandal is job #1 for the bishops.
Voice of the Faithful will stay true to its mission and goals. We will support survivors of clergy sexual abuse. We will support priests in the faithful discharge of their vows. And we will work for structural changes that help ensure that clergy sexual abuse does not occur again in the Catholic Church. Ours will remain a philosophy of "centrism," of providing a voice for all people in the Catholic Church. In this way, we will "Keep the Faith and Change the Church."