Melbourne, Australia Embraces
VOTF's Svea Fraser

April 24, 2003 - As a testimony to the compelling nature of the VOTF message, and to the hunger of the People of God to help heal and renew the Catholic Church, devoted Catholics in Melbourne, Australia embraced VOTF's Svea Fraser with open arms. As reported in the April 20, 2003 issue of Melbourne's The Age, Svea, a trustee and co-founder of Voice of the Faithful, was warmly received during several speaking engagements throughout Greater Melbourne in her April sojourn to that city.

In her several talks to hundreds of concerned Catholics, Svea emphasized that Voice of the Faithful does not want to supplant the hierarchy, but rather to work with the whole Church as "the People of God," to increase accountability and lay involvement in Church administrative issues. Svea was quoted in newspaper accounts as saying, "The laity are starting to wake up. We do have rights, but also responsibilities … this awful thing has happened, but we don't just have to wring our hands, we can do something about it." This message has given hope, inspiration, and tools to Australian Catholics who are reeling from a clergy sexual abuse crisis in their country, and who are looking for answers and solutions.

At this date, Melbourne Catholics are strongly considering forming a Melbourne-based affiliate of Voice of the Faithful. Msgr. Christopher Prowse, Vicar-General of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, has indicated that the Archdiocese would be open to a Melbourne affiliate of Voice of the Faithful.