VOICE OF THE FAITHFUL WILL HOLD MASS
OF REDEDICATION AND RECONSECRATION
TO MARK ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Mass to Be Held on May 20, 7pm, at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church, Chestnut Hill

Newton, Mass. – May 13, 2003 – Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) announced today that it will celebrate its one-year anniversary in a Mass of Rededication and Reconsecration at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church, 28 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, on May 20 at 7pm.

Voice of the Faithful members will use this one-year landmark to reconsecrate and rededicate themselves to their healing and reconciling work. Commented Susan Troy, M.Div., VOTF Prayerful Voice head, “We begin where we always begin, in prayer. The strength of VOTF is that we’ve always grounded ourselves in prayer and have struggled to keep ourselves attentive to the Spirit. Through the power of a generous and faithful God constantly revealed to us in the events of our lives, we are able to be disciples of Christ's love and reconciliation."

“It’s been one year since the first revelations alerted Catholics to the sexual abuse of children by clergy in the Archdiocese of Boston,” explained Sr. Betsy Conway, CSJ. “It was the knowledge of the suffering of so many innocent children, men, and women that created Voice of the Faithful. Because we’re a Spirit-filled movement of hearts and minds, we will offer this Mass as a loving way to make our collective voice heard in support of survivors, priests of integrity, and changes in the structure and culture of the Church to keep this horror from ever recurring.”

Jim Post, VOTF president, concluded, “One year later, this event is as much a Mass of healing and hope as it is a rededication and reconsecration. We have much to be hopeful about.”

All are warmly invited to join in this prayerful expression of love for, and solidarity with, survivors, priests of integrity, and all the Catholic Faithful. The beautiful liturgy for the Mass can be previewed on VOTF’s Web site at www.votf.org/Prayerful_Voice/pvevents.html. An exciting additional aspect of the liturgy will be the prayerful dancing of the Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble.

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