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

For Immediate Release

Bishops Fail to Address Biggest Crisis in US Church History

Washington, DC - November 14, 2005– As the semi-annual meeting of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB), was about to commence, officers of Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) took the Bishops to task for some "glaring deficiencies" in their agenda. "There is no mention of the priest abuse scandal, the biggest crisis to hit the US Catholic Church in its history," said VOTF Executive Director Raymond Joyce. "There is no mention of the 'Causes and Context' study, which was charter mandated.” Joyce also stated that the Bishops missed the original deadline to award the Causes and Context Study contract in 2004, as well as subsequent deadlines of April 15 and August 15. “Moreover, the study is still under funded. Only $1 million of the $4 million required has been budgeted," said Joyce.

Kristine Ward, vice president of VOTF, pointed out that the agenda failed to address the Response and Prevention Report. "What is its status? How and when will it be publicized?" Ward stated that the report had been authored by Mary Lentz, an Ohio-based child abuse specialist and attorney. Lentz was hired by the Office of Child and Youth Protection to compile the research in a final report to be published on the USCCB web site. The Report was submitted in mid-summer but still has not been posted.

VOTF also faulted the Bishops for failing to schedule any discussion of the "enablers" mentioned in the Philadelphia Grand Jury Report as well as discussion on the possible release of names of abuser priests in several dioceses around the country.

VOTF expressed hope that the Bishops' report on Lay Ecclesial Ministry "Co-workers in the Vineyard of the Lord" will truly call upon the talents of lay people for significant participation in Church affairs.

"Lay involvement has never been more important than it is now, with dramatic and growing priests shortages," said Ward. "How will they strengthen lay involvement? How will they use existing structures such as Parish Councils, Parish Finance Councils, Diocesan Finance Councils? How will the report be turned into action? The laity is not going away," said Ward.

"Voice of the Faithful members look forward to having a significant role as co-workers in the vineyard,” said Gaile Pohlhaus, VOTF secretary and a member of the theology faculty at Villanova University. A recently released independent survey of VOTF membership conducted by Catholic University of America professors Dr. William D'Antonio and Rev. Anthony Pogorelc revealed an extremely high percentage of involvement by VOTF members both at the parish and diocesan levels. The survey found that half were members of Parish Councils, 45% were on Liturgy Committees and one in four served on Parish School Boards or Finance Committees.

Pohlhaus also discussed the weekend meeting of VOTF's National Representative Council (NRC), which met in Washington this weekend. "The NRC, which was seated at our National Convocation in Indianapolis last July, has an elected leadership from all 14 regions of the USCCB," said Pohlhaus. "We are truly a national organization," said Pohlhaus.

Three regional VOTF affiliates sponsored the screening on Sunday of '"Twist of Faith," an Academy Award nominated documentary about the priest abuse scandal as revealed by Tony Comes, presently a Toledo fire fighter. The affiliates named Comes as the recipient of their "Award of Courage" last night.

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