Voice of the Faithful
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
St. Louis, MO

Melissa Gradel,
VOTF Brooklyn, NY
June 19, 2003

VOTF is calling on the whole church -- our fellow Catholics, our priests, and the hierarchy -- to change. We recognize that change is usually difficult and frightening and that that is why so many people resist it.

But the fact is that what the church has to fear most is that things might not change. The past 18 months have demonstrated that we have no choice other than dramatic change.

Fortunately, the central mystery of our faith teaches us to find the opportunity for new life even amidst the most horrific tragedy. Even the clergy sexual abuse scandal which has confronted us with so much evil, is filled with opportunities to practice resurrection.

My diocese, Brooklyn, NY, is one of those where VOTF was initially met with resistance and even hostility. Last October, Bishop Daily banned us from meeting in our parishes, as have bishops in a few other dioceses. However, he then responded to requests for dialogue by establishing a committee of diocesan representatives to meet with local VOTF leaders.

The committee was headed by Auxiliary Bishop Ignatius Catanello. Interestingly, Bishop Catanello has been active in ecumenical affairs in our diocese, and I sometimes wonder if his willingness to talk with us was based in part on his experience in meeting with people of different viewpoints and trying to find the common ground.

In this case, when six VOTF leaders and five representatives of the diocese sat down together last January, we found plenty of common ground. VOTF members are devoted Catholics, outraged and heartbroken by what we have learned in the past 18 months. Bishop Catanello and the others on the diocesan committee are also devoted Catholics. They also want to protect children from abuse, ensure justice and compassion for victims of clergy sexual abuse, ensure due process for accused priests, and they too recognize the need for a fully engaged laity.

When we explained what VOTF is about and what we hoped to accomplish in Brooklyn, I think they recognized that we are not the enemy, but concerned members of the Catholic family. Ultimately, the committee recommended to Bishop Daily that he rescind the ban and he did. He issued a statement saying that he had found VOTF documents to be in accord with Church teachings and expressing his hope that his decision might enable all of us to better achieve the needed healing in our Church.

I think there is a lot to be learned from what happened in Brooklyn. Initially, of course, we were very angry because we felt that the ban was unjustified. But, ironically, the ban led to a dialogue that allowed us to model the kind of consultative, if not quite collaborative, decision making that we hope the Church will continue to move toward. In addition, the relationships established thru this process will -- we hope -- form the basis of ongoing work to advance VOTF's mission in Brooklyn. For example, we hope to:

• Work with the diocese to reach out more effectively to survivors
• Help to inform people about VIRTUS, the safe environment program that the diocese will implement, and help to educate parents about the signs of sexual abuse and what to do if abuse is suspected
• Better understand what our priests need and how we can support them in their work
• Invigorate parish councils and finance committees thru out the diocese

My hope is that in Brooklyn we will soon begin to demonstrate the benefits VOTF can bring to a diocese and that others will follow suit.

We know that it is not easy to change your mind. It must be especially difficult if you are a public figure. So we commend Bishop Daily for his willingness to consult with clergy and laity and revisit his decision.

I hope that other bishops who have banned VOTF, or been less than enthusiastic about collaborating with us, will rise to this challenge and engage in dialogue with VOTF members, try with an open heart to understand what they want. And I hope that the Catholic laity -- too long passive and sheep-like -- will rise to the challenge of Vatican II which says that we are permitted and sometimes even obliged to express our opinion on those things which concern the good of the church. (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, n. 37)

The truth of this situation is not pretty, but we have to know it and understand it in order to fix it. Another Auxiliary Bishop from Brooklyn, Joseph Sullivan, recently said, "We need to trust our faith-filled laity. They can handle bad news." And Jesus told us to fear nothing, because He is always with us. The Bishop's have nothing to fear from VOTF. Yes, we are going to ask hard questions and expect straight answers. Yes, we are going to demand accountability and an end to business as usual. But I think that the bishops must know in their hearts that making the full truth known is the only way forward. So, today we challenge the bishops to cooperate unambiguously with the National Review Board and the Office of Child Protection, and we also call on them to accept the helping hand VOTF extends. Together we can restore trust and build up the Church.