Contact: Suzanne Morse 617-680-2131, smorse@votf.org

For Immediate Release

Survey Shows Members of Voice of the Faithful Looking to Next Pope for Willingness to Address Clergy Sexual Abuse Crisis and To Increase Lay Participation in Church Governance

Catholics Want Inspirational Leader Who Can Facilitate Prayerful Reflection and Promote Shared Responsibility with Lay Catholics

Newton, Mass. – April 14, 2005 – Catholics are hoping that the next Pope will provide leadership in addressing the clergy sexual abuse crisis, according to survey results released today by Voice of the Faithful. The organization of lay Catholics conducted an on-line survey of its membership, and other lay Catholics, to determine what these individuals believe are the critical issues facing the Church and what concerns the next Pope should address.

According to the analyzed data, nearly as many Catholics believe that the most important qualities the new Pope will need to possess are “a willingness to address the clergy sexual abuse crisis” (35.7%) as well as “his spiritual presence, inspiration, and leadership” (36.8%). Only 2% of those who responded believed that the Pope’s country of origin should be the most important consideration. In answer to the question about what kind of spiritual presence the next Pope should possess, an overwhelming number of people (63.4%) believed that the Pope should be a facilitator who inspires and engages the Church in prayerful reflection of the word.

In addressing the governance and management concerns facing the Catholic Church, 35.5% believe that creating “greater roles for lay Catholics” (what Pope John Paul II referred to as a “shared responsibility” between the laity and the Bishops) is most important. Additionally, addressing the priest shortage is ranked most important by 22.3% of the respondents.

Members of Voice of the Faithful and the other lay Catholics who took the survey greatly believed that the most important global issues facing the Church are the Church’s response to global poverty and hunger (43.3%) and the promotion of peace. (24.5%). Far fewer respondents rated the Church’s relationship with the Islamic world (6.3%), with other Christian faiths (6.5%), and with Western societies (7%) as the most important factor.

In addressing the cultural issues within the Catholic Church, members rated addressing the culture of secrecy within the Church as the most important concern (24.8%). Almost as many rated “promoting prayerful, constructive dialogue across ideological divisions” (23.5%) and “understanding the relationship between clericalism and lay participation” (21.3%) as the most important.

“Catholics are very interested in knowing what direction the next Pope will take the Catholic Church,” said James E. Post, president of Voice of the Faithful. “These results show that our members believe that the new Pope must take a leadership position in addressing the underlying causes and consequences of clergy sexual abuse and that they strongly wish to see a Pope who believes in meaningful lay involvement. The culture of secrecy within the Church is also something that our members believe is becoming an important internal issue.”

“We wanted to get a sense of what our members, and other lay Catholics, believe is important for the future of the Church. We have learned that they want very much for a Pope who possesses a deep spirituality, which is part of the legacy of John Paul II,” said Suzanne Morse, Communications Manager for Voice of the Faithful. “They also want to have their voices heard to help shape the governance and guidance of the Catholic Church while continuing to focus on the Church’s mission of eradicating poverty, feeding the poor and promoting world peace.”

Over 4,100 individuals took the survey between April 8 and April 13, 2005. They learned of the survey through an e-mail to Voice of the Faithful members or by visiting Voice of the Faithful’s website. The analyzed results reflect a self-selected sample of responders.

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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.