A Liturgy of Rededication and Reconsecration
Voice of the Faithful One-Year Anniversary, 2003

Introduction

It has been one year since the first revelations in the Boston Globe alerted Catholics to the horror of sexual abuse by clergy in the Archdiocese of Boston. It was the knowledge of the suffering of so many innocent children, men, and women that led to the establishment of Voice of the Faithful, a Spirit-filled movement of hearts and minds determined to make their collect voice heard in support of victim/ survivors, in support of priests of integrity, and in support of changes in the structures of their Church to keep this scandal from every occurring again.

We need to take this moment to rededicate and reconsecrate ourselves and our organization to the healing and reconciling work we are committed to in our Mission Statement and Goals. We begin where we always begin, in prayer. The strength of VOTF is that we have always grounded ourselves in prayer and have struggled to keep ourselves "attentive to the Spirit." Through the power of a generous and faithful God, constantly revealed to us in the events of our lives, we are able to be disciples of Christ's love and reconciliation.

Please use any and all of this liturgy to fashion your own Liturgy of Rededication. This liturgy is an effort to provide a common "prayerful voice" which unites VOTF in prayer. Please let us know of the graces received through the use of any part of this liturgy. It strengthens us all to know each other at prayer!

- Susan Troy, M.Div.

A Liturgy of Rededication and Reconsecration
Voice of the Faithful One-Year Anniversary, 2003

[Portions of this liturgy were used at the February 22, 2003 VOTF Representative Council Meeting as we prayerfully rededicated ourselves to the Mission and Goals of our movement.]

GATHERING RITE

Anointing with holy oil upon entering the Church or ritual space

[Oil should be blessed by those who will be anointing the congregates. Make this a powerful and prayerful moment. Create a prayer of blessing, or use

"Lord, bless this oil that will be a sign of your holy presence in our lives of service and love as we unite to be a force of your reconciliation."]

Make a cross with oil on the forehead:

"Anointed to serve,
Sealed in love"

ENTRANCE PROCESSION

Entrance Hymn: chose a song that represents your tradition; some wonderful choices include:

"Holy Ground", John Michael Talbott, Chordant Distribution Group, Brentwood, Tennessee
"City of God", Daniel Schutte, Oregon Catholic Press
"Bless The Feast", James Hansen, OCP
"Sing a New Church", Delores Dufner, OCP

Oil included in processional, along with Lectionary

WELCOME

We are gathered here together in faith, in joy, and in gratitude, to witness and give thanks to our most generous God, whose Spirit continues to enfold us, bless us, and send us forth. The cries of anguish and pain, Christ on the cross, brought us together over a year ago. Stories too long hidden pushed us to confront awful truths. Stories and realities too long ignored galvanized us to come together in a new and powerful way, to give voice to a newly awakened laity. The Holy Spirit gathered us together. Today (tonight) we come together to give thanks for the healing of this past year, for the presence of Christ's light, mercy, and truth in our lives and in the life of our Church, and to rededicate ourselves to the mission we have been created for: to announce the genuine reign of God in the world and in our Church.

The work is always just begun. But we have seen a great light. We have seen it in the eyes of victim/survivors journeying towards healing. We have seen it in our midst as we prayed to be a "prayerful Voice, attentive to the Spirit." We have seen it in the efforts of an empowered laity to be responsive to our call to be Church and Christ to each other.

As we gather around the table to celebrate that which is our central lifegiving force - Christ made present in our act of Thanksgiving and remembrance - let us rededicate and reconsecrate ourselves to the work before us. Let us rededicate and reconsecrate ourselves to be truly the Body of Christ, healing, reconciling, bringing justice, loving.

OPENING PRAYER

Loving and merciful God, source of our life and salvation
Source of all wisdom and joy

You have gathered us together in your love as the Body of Christ, as your Church

Recreate in us a heart and spirit renewed,
A heart and spirit rededicated to your holy and healing work:
-The healing, side by side with our brothers and sisters betrayed and abused by the church
-The healing and support of our ordained priests
-The healing and renewal of your wounded church

We are one in and through you.
You have gathered us together; you have called us to your work.
Your Spirit among us gives your Church new life, and we raise our voices to proclaim your truth,
your victory, your reconciliation.

Help us to be strong. Help us to have the courage and wisdom to do your will, to be faithful to your voice in our hearts, in our midst.

PENITENTIAL RITE

READINGS

Isaiah 57:14
Build up, build up, prepare the way,
remove the stumbling blocks from my people's path.
For thus says he who is high and exalted,
living eternally, whose name is the Holy One;
On high I dwell, and in holiness,
and with the crushed and dejected in spirit,
To revive the spirits of the dejected,
to revive the hearts of the crushed.
I will not accuse forever,
nor always be angry;
For their spirits would be faint before me,
the souls that I have made.
Because of their wicked avarice I was angry,
and struck them, hiding myself in wrath,
as they went their own rebellious way.
I saw their ways,
but I will heal them and lead them;
I will give full comfort
to them and to those who mourn for them,
I, the Creator who gave them life.
Peace, peace to the far and the near,
says the Lord; and I will heal them.
But the wicked are like the tossing sea
which cannot be calmed,
And its waters cast up mud and filth
No peace for the wicked, says my God.

Responsorial Psalm (sung)

"Grant To Us, O Lord," Lucien Deiss, Gregorian Institute of America

"Grant to us, O Lord, a heart renewed
Recreate in us your Spirit, Lord."

Romans 8:14-25

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you do not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a sprit of adoption, through which we cry, Abba, "Father!" The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us. For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.

GOSPEL

Luke 5:1-7

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. The came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking."

[This is a suggested Gospel reading. It can be appropriate because it deals with themes of discipleship, what is being asked of the "faithful" in all times, and especially now. As disciples, we must be attuned to what Christ is asking of us, Christ's will. We must go into "deep water" perhaps facing complex issues, facing unknown areas, facing our tiredness. But Christ is telling us that to follow his instruction leads to great rewards, greater than we even could have imagined. At this moment of rededication and reconsecration, it is good that we should be reminded of the terms of discipleship. We are being asked to keep going, to go into deeper waters, to do the work to which we say we are committed. If we wish to fulfill our mission, Christ's mission, we must do the work.]

PROFESSION OF FAITH [Use many different "voices" throughout the assembly]

l. For the children, women and men wounded and scarred by abuse and betrayal in the Church, we pray to the Lord.
Response: Lord, hear our prayer.

Who will bind up the wounds?
Response: Here I Am.

2. For those who struggle brokenhearted to have their voices heard in the Church they love, a Church which cannot hear, will not hear, we pray to the Lord.
Response: Lord, hear our prayer.

Who will be voice for the voiceless?
Response: Here I Am.

3. For all those who have heard the message of Jesus Christ and speak the truth to power, we pray to the Lord.
Response: Lord, hear our prayer.

Who will speak the truth?
Response: Here I Am.

4. Because justice does not abide in the smiling lie, let the power of love overcome the love of power and sweep injustice from our Church, we pray to the Lord.
Response: Lord, hear our prayer.

Who will stand for justice?
Response: Here I Am.

5. Generous God, may your love be the force that inspires us. We pray to the Lord.

Who will sow love?
Response: Here I Am.

PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
[When the gifts of bread and wine are brought forth, consider other "gifts" that will be symbols of the work of Voice of the Faithful this past year: the support of survivor/victims; support of priests of integrity; work for change of those structures in the church that helped perpetuate the scandal of sexual abuse and cover-up.]

COLLECTION
If a collection is taken up, we strongly suggest that it be dedicated to Goal #1 of Voice of the Faithful, the support of victim/survivors. Consider a contribution to a group that provides direct survivor/victim services in your area, such as SNAP or The Linkup.

MUSIC FOR PREPARATION OF GIFTS
"Christ, Be Our Light," Bernadette Farrell, OCP
"You Are All We Have," Francis Patrick O'Brien, GIA
"We Are Many Parts," Marty Haugen, OCP
"Here I Am, Lord," Daniel Schutte, OCP

COMMUNION
"Bread For The World," Bernadette Farrell, OCP
"Love One Another," verses 2,3,4,5 and 7, Bob Dufford, OCP

COMMUNION MEDITATION

LITURGICAL DANCE
"My Song Will Be With You Forever," David Haas, GIA, from the CD, "Where the River Flows."

[Prayerful gestures are a way of using your body for praise, for wholehearted response to God. This brings prayer to another level in that it moves it from inside your mind and heart to an outside, visible expression.]

FINAL BLESSING:
May almighty God bless us, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

or

[Have the participants turn and raise their hands in blessing over each other; divide as necessary.]

May our powerful and loving God bless us as we go forward in love and discipleship, rededicated to the task given us by our Savior to build up the reign of God in our lives, in our Church, and in our world.

May our generous and wondrous God bless us as we go forward in love and discipleship reconsecrated to the work of being a "prayerful voice, attentive to the Spirit," reconciling and healing the brokenness that envelopes us. Amen.

SENDING FORTH

"We Are Called," David Haas, GIA
"Send Us," Scott Soper, OCP