|
Contact: Suzanne Morse 617-680-2131, smorse@votf.org
Voice of the Faithful Calls on Bishops to Examine Their
Consciences During Lent in America Magazine Advertisement
Newton, Mass. – March 14, 2005 – In a full-page advertisement
in America Magazine, leaders of Voice of the Faithful are calling on
the Bishops to examine their consciences during the Lenten season. The
organization of lay Catholics took out the advertisement to promote healing
during Lent and in reaction to indications that the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops is backsliding on its own commitment to protecting children.
A copy of the advertisement can be viewed at Voice of the Faithful’s
website at www.votf.org.
Members of Voice of the Faithful are reacting to recent decisions
by the Bishops, including proposed revisions to the Charter for the Protection
of Children and Young People, that would weaken its provisions and the
vote in November to use self-audits to determine the Bishops’ compliance
with the implementation of the child safety protection procedures. Additionally,
the advertisement expresses the organization’s concern regarding
the financial condition of many Catholic dioceses across the country.
The following is the text of the letter, which was sent to all U.S.
Bishops:
“Dear Bishops of the United States:
The Catholic Church in the United States remains in a state of turmoil
despite attempts to assign the clergy sexual abuse crisis to “history.”
In this holy season of Lent, we hear Scripture’s call to reform
our lives, to ponder Jesus’ sacrifice, and to dwell on repentance,
reparation and atonement. In this spirit, Voice of the Faithful asks
the U.S. Bishops, individually and collectively, to look deep into their
hearts for the courage to face their responsibility for the Church’s
current crisis.
In recent months, Catholics have seen the Archbishop of Cincinnati exposed
as concealing knowledge of and transferring an abusive priest; the Archbishop
of Seattle’s dismissal of a lay review board; and other Bishops
attempting to weaken the commitments of the Charter for the Protection
of Children and Young People.
Legal settlements totaling many millions of dollars have been announced
in several dioceses – some have filed for bankruptcy protection;
parishes are being closed; the Church’s work is suffering; and
Catholic community is at risk.
Notoriously abusive priests have been convicted of raping young people.
Documents prove that Bishops failed to remove those priests from service
and yet these Bishops continue to lead American dioceses.
We believe that the office of the Bishop must be restored to its place
of respect and dignity in the Church. We believe that the Church will
not heal until profound acts of conscience are demonstrated by our Bishops.
As we near Holy Week, we believe there must be a soul searching that
effects positive actions for the Church.
We ask - what can you as a Bishop do that will make a difference in
these times of crisis? What will make reparation, repentance and atonement
true in our day? We ask, from our hearts, that our Bishops join us in
a spiritual pilgrimage that could, we pray, lead us through crisis to
a resurrection of trust worthy of our Redeemer’s sacrifice.
Let Holy Week be “the” week.
Sincerely,
Voice of the Faithful
//End
About Voice of the Faithful: Voice of the Faithful (VOTF)
is a worldwide movement of concerned mainstream Catholics formed in
response to the
clergy sexual abuse crisis. The group's 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. Its
goals are to support victim/survivors of abuse, support priests of integrity,
and shape structural change within the Catholic Church in full accordance
and harmony with Church teaching. VOTF’s supporting membership
exceeds 30,000 registered persons from 50 U.S. states, 39 countries and
210 Parish Voice affiliates throughout the world.
|
