Contact Ray Joyce, 617-558-5252, rjoyce@votf.org

For Immediate Release

First Step Toward Financial Accountability

April 19, 2006 - The Boston Area Council of Voice of the Faithful welcomes the publication of the first annual Financial Transparency Report issued by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. Archbishop O'Malley first promised full disclosure of archdiocesan finances in February, 2004 when he announced the closing of parishes. We are encouraged by this initiative; we will study the Report in its entirety before commenting on specific elements.

“This is a first step by archdiocesan leadership toward the full accountability and transparency needed to regain the trust of the people in the pews” said Dorothy Kennedy, Chairperson of the Boston Council. “Full financial recovery will not happen until that trust is restored"

Voice of the Faithful has consistently championed advocacy for financial transparency and accountability. We believe lay efforts are a major contributing factor to the step taken today by the archdiocese. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Senator Marian Walsh for leading the legislative campaign for financial accountability of religious organizations. Today's announcement is at least partly attributable to her efforts as well as the persistent call for financial accountability and transparency on the part of lay-led groups such as the Boston Area Council of Voice of the Faithful.

“We appreciate Cardinal O’Malley’s response to our call for accountability and hope he will take the next step and involve the entire community of the faithful in these efforts”, said Sheila Connors Grove, a member of the Boston VOTF Board of Directors. “Since Vatican II defines church as a community of believers, the entire community must share in the decisions which affect its life. We need the input of the whole church community to solve pressing issues of staffing, finance, membership and the development of vibrant parish initiatives. '

Financial transparency must be demonstrated at the parish level as well as in the operations of the Central Fund. "Cardinal O'Malley's stated goal that all parishes will operate with active finance councils is a good one. We also call on him to mandate effective parish councils" said Kennedy. "VOTF's Campaign for Financial Accountability provides an essential opportunity for the Archdiocese to collaborate with VOTF members. Of course lifting the ban on affiliates is also key to a new level of dialogue. Acknowledging the place of VOTF in the good work of the diocese would greatly facilitate mutual trust."

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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.