Press Releases

NEWTON, Mass., July 20, 2011 -- Cardinal Justin Rigali’s resignation as archbishop of Philadelphia shows clearly that the Vatican is beginning to hear faithful Catholic voices, according to reform group Voice of the Faithful.

Pope Benedict XVI accepted Rigali’s resignation letter yesterday, July 19, submitted as required last year when he turned 75, several months before he was expected to step down. His successor, Denver archbishop Charles Chaput, was announced during an archdiocesan press conference, also July 19.

NEWTON, Mass., June 29, 2011 – U.S. bishops must finally institute strong measures of fraternal correction when bishops fail to follow their own Charter for the Protection of Children and Young people after clergy are accused of child sexual abuse, according the Roman Catholic Church reform and abuse survivor support group Voice of the Faithful.

NEWTON, Mass., May 18, 2011 – A study released May 18 reports several contributing factors to the clergy child sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church that Voice of the Faithful, the worldwide Church reform group, has long noted.

NEWTON, Mass., May 6, 2011 – Sara Callard of Quincy has been named development coordinator for Voice of the Faithful, the 35,000-strong worldwide organization of Roman Catholics working to support survivors of clergy sexual abuse, support priests of integrity and reform governance and guidance of the Church to include a greater voice for non-ordained faithful.

Callard has more than a decade of fundraising experience and will be coordinating VOTF’s major donor efforts, direct mail appeals, e-mail solicitations and grant writing.

NEWTON, Mass., April 211, 2011 – Voice of the Faithful, the worldwide organization working for Roman Catholic Church reform, views as disgraceful the Vatican’s recent appointment of Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia, as special envoy to the bicentennial celebration of the birth of St. John Nepomuceno Neumann taking place in Prachatitz, Czech Republic, on June 18, 2011.

NEWTON, Mass., March 30, 2011 – American Catholic Council today called upon Catholics across the United States to set aside a day of prayer and fasting on Friday, April 15, for the renewal of the promises of the Holy Spirit in the Second Vatican Council. ACC is in the final stages of planning a national meeting in Detroit on Pentecost Weekend, June 10-12, 2011, to celebrate the spirit of the Second Vatican Council and to recommit Catholics to the renewal promised by Vatican II.

NEWTON, Mass., March 25, 2011 – Voice of the Faithful Greater Philadelphia earlier the month recognized Sister Maureen Paul Turlish of New Castle, Del., a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur, author, educator and clergy sexual abuse victim advocate, for her work for clergy sexual abuse victims. She received her accolades during VOTFGP’s annual spring meeting at Sugarloaf Hill on the Chestnut Hill College campus in Germantown, Penn., where she delivered a talk called “Justice and Renewal in the Church: A Journey.”

NEWTON, Mass., Mar. 2, 2011 – Voice of the Faithful, the worldwide organization working for Roman Catholic Church reform, challenges U.S. bishops to follow the example of Irish Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and Cardinal Sean O’Malley, archbishop of Boston, who led a “Liturgy of Lament and Repentance,” Feb. 20, in St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland.

NEWTON, Mass., Feb. 4, 2011 – Virginia’s sex abuse statute of limitations law is being revised, and Voice of the Faithful, the 30,000-strong international organization formed in response to Roman Catholic Clergy sexual abuse of children, has provided input into that debate.