Contact: John Moynihan 617-680-2131, jmoynihan@votf.org

For Immediate Release

“ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW YORK REALIGNMENT PROCESS JUST GETTING STARTED, NOT OVER” says lay reform group.

New York, NY, March 29: The most important phase of the realignment process involving parish churches and Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York is just beginning in the wake of announced recommendations of parish and school closings, according to Voice of the Faithful New York. “Now is the time for the Catholic laity who worship in these parishes and whose children study in these schools to stand up and voice their opinion about the proposed changes,” said Mary Pat Fox, newly elected president of Voice of the Faithful (VOTF), a nationwide organization of Catholics, and outgoing chairperson of Voice of the Faithful New York (VOTF-NY).

“The Archdiocese conducted a closed, tightly controlled review process, with minimal lay consultation conducted at the 11th hour under rules of secrecy,” Ms. Fox said, “and now that the Archdiocese has published its recommendations, Catholic lay people finally have an opportunity to speak out and voice their views.”

In May 2005, over one hundred concerned Catholics from more than 40 parishes gathered to prepare for the prospect of parish closings. The group drew up recommendations for an inclusive process of consultation, including sensitive planning for faith communities affected by closings or mergers (see www.votf-nyc.org for complete list of recommendations). Those recommendations were rebuffed by Bishop Dennis Sullivan, who has been managing the realignment. In August 2005, Cardinal Egan formed the Archdiocesan Realignment Advisory Panel of mostly lay people, hand-picked by the Archdiocese, to review the recommendations prior to their release. The names of the panel members were not published until October 2005. This advisory panel did not meet as a group until January 2006, and was sworn to secrecy, according to panel members. Meeting materials were collected after each meeting and kept under lock and key.

“The consultation proclaimed by the Archdiocese in its announcement has been a secretive process,” said Ms. Fox of VOTF-NY. “Every realistic Catholic in the archdiocese recognizes the need for realignment. We believe the process in which we undertake these changes is just as important as the changes themselves. The process should be open, inclusive and supportive, not stage-managed to minimize discussion.”

VOTF-NY has worked closely with parish communities that suspected they would be closed over the past several months, notably parishes on Manhattan’s lower East Side including Nativity and St. Brigid's. In the coming months, VOTF-NY will sponsor a series of open forums throughout the archdiocese to give all Catholics the opportunity to speak publicly about the proposed recommendations, and to give those in parishes likely to be affected by the realignment assistance in locating new spiritual homes.

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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 survivors of clergy sexual abuse, support priests of integrity, and shape structural change within the Catholic Church in full accordance and harmony with Church teaching

For more information about Voice of the Faithful, visit www.votf.org

For more information about Voice of the Faithful New York, visit www.votf-nyc.org.