Keep the Faith, Change the Church.

Press Releases

Two to Receive St. Catherine of Siena Distinguished Layperson Award During Voice of the Faithful 10th Year Conference in Boston

NEWTON, Mass., Aug. 10, 2012 – Two Roman Catholic lay people will receive Voice of the Faithful’s® St. Catherine of Siena Distinguished Layperson of the Year Award during VOTF’s 10th Year Conference in Boston next month. This recognition represents only the fourth and fifth times in its 10-year history VOTF has presented the award.

The recipients are authors and educators Joseph F. O’Callaghan, Ph.D., Norwalk, Conn., and Phyllis Zagano, Ph.D., Hempstead, N.Y.

Voice of the Faithful National Statement -- Lynn’s Sentencing Plays Up Contrasts between Church & Penn State Scandals

NEWTON, Mass., July 24, 2012 – The highest ranking Roman Catholic Church official to be found guilty of covering up crimes against children in the Church's decades-old clergy sexual abuse scandal was sentenced today in a Philadelphia court. Msgr. William Lynn, former head of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia office for making priest assignments, was sentenced to up to six years in prison for child endangerment in that he transferred pedophile priests secretly.

Share Your Voice ! ! ! ! !

Do you have photos or videos of VOTF events over the past 10 years? As we prepare our VOTF at 10 video, which debuts at our 10th Year Conference in September in Boston, we would like to see and share images of VOTF in action: funny or reverent, fellowship or activism, spiritual or celebratory. Please contact Nick Ingala at nickingala@votf.org if you have media you could send us. Thanks.

VOTF News Release -- Voice of the Faithful Plans 10th Year Conference in Boston

NEWTON, Mass., June 18, 2012 – The worldwide Catholic Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful, which started in 2002 in outrage and dismay that the Church’s power structure had kept clergy sexual abuse of children secret, is marking its tenth year with a conference in Boston this September. The event is expected to draw supporters from across the United States and Europe.

Voice of the Faithful National Statement -- Bishops Release 2011 Child Protection Audit; Continued Vigilance Necessary

NEWTON, Mass., May 3, 2012 – With no fanfare and practically no media coverage, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released its 2011 child protection audit last month. Promoters of secrecy and cover-up of clergy sexual abuse in the Church might be rejoicing at this lack of attention, but Voice of the Faithful® sees it as an incitement to continued vigilance.
 

National Statement -- Church Reform Movement Voice of the Faithful Disappointed at Elevation of Lori to Archbishop of Baltimore

NEWTON, Mass., Mar. 20, 2012 – Catholic Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful, which supports survivors of clergy sexual abuse, is disappointed at the elevation of Bridgeport, Conn., Bishop William Lori to archbishop of Baltimore, which the Vatican announced today.
 
Although Bishop Lori in many ways has acted to shore up child-protection policies and institute reforms in those policies, on the question of transparency he has fallen short.
 

VOTF National Statement -- Voice of the Faithful Sees Church Legal Pressure Crippling SNAP Effort to Protect the Vulnerable

NEWTON, Mass., Mar. 13, 2012 – Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful stood with SNAP (Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests) during a press conference in Washington, D.C., today, as SNAP continues its efforts against forceful disclosure of confidential information about sexual abuse victims.

VOTF National Statement -- Voice of the Faithful Agrees Conspiracy Memo in Priests' Case "Shocking"

NEWTON, Mass., Feb. 28, 2012 – A newly discovered memo proves Philadelphia archdiocesan officials engaged in a conspiracy to cover up clergy sexual abuse in 1994. The memo also proves the Catholic Church reform group Voice of the Faithful’s long-held contention that Church hierarchy have covered up clergy sexual abuse to protect the Church’s reputation and assets at the expense of child victims of clergy sexual abuse.

Voice of the Faithful National Statement -- Catholic Church Reform Movement Voice of the Faithful Cautions Hierarchy

World's Catholic Church leaders meet at Rome Symposium on Clergy Sexual Abuse Feb. 6

NEWTON, Mass., Jan. 24, 2012 -- The Roman Catholic Church has yet to develop an effective worldwide response to clergy child sexual abuse, even though widespread abuse was evident by the mid-1990s, exploded into crisis in the United States in 2002 and in the past few years has proven to be epidemic around the world. Church leaders worldwide will attend a symposium in Rome Feb. 6 to discuss such a response.

National Statement -- After 10 Years of Clergy Sexual Abuse Headlines Voice of the Faithful Sees No Certainty Children Are Safe

NEWTON, Mass., Jan. 5, 2012 – More than 130 people had come forward to tell their stories of childhood sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priest Fr. John Geoghan, reported The Boston Globe on Jan. 6, 2002. Over the next decade, around the world and as recently as last month in The Netherlands, came revelations that thousands of Catholic priests had abused tens of thousands of children in the last half of the 20th Century.

Emily & Rosemary Fund for Women in the Catholic Church Awards $5,000 to Former Michigan Teacher

NEWTON, Mass., Dec. 21, 2011 – A Michigan teacher fired from her position at a Catholic elementary school has been awarded $5,000 in the fourth round of grants from the Voice of the Faithful’s Emily & Rosemary Fund for Women in the Church. These grants support women who have lost employment in the Catholic Church because of injustice or discrimination.

News Release -- Irish Audits Show Clergy Sex Abuse Won't Stop Without Accountability, Independent Review

NEWTON, Mass., Dec. 1, 2011 – For 36 years, leaders of six Roman Catholic dioceses in Ireland not only mishandled clergy sexual abuse and were not held accountable for abetting abuse, but also failed to establish reviews totally independent of Church influence, according to Voice of the Faithful’s reading of reports by Ireland’s National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church released Nov. 30.

VOTF National Statement -- Nothing Has Changed at Vatican as Cardinal Law Leaves Basilica Post

NEWTON, Mass., Nov. 21, 2011 – Nothing in the Vatican’s response to clergy sexual abuse has changed with the resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law from his post as archpriest of St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome, according to Voice of the Faithful, the worldwide Catholic Church reform movement.

VOTF National Statement -- The Catholic Church, Penn State and Rampant Child Sexual Abuse

NEWTON, Mass., Nov. 17, 2011 -- The recent grand jury account of child sexual abuse at Pennsylvania State University are as sickening as grand jury accounts of similar abuse by Catholic clergy in Philadelphia, Ireland, Boston and elsewhere, and the fact that the crimes were covered up is just as criminal, according to the worldwide Catholic Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful. But the reactions of leaders in these institutions were drastically different.

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