Contact: John Moynihan, jmoynihan@votf.org, (617) 558-5252, (617) 680-2131 cell

For Immediate release

For Immediate release
VOTF Statement on Rev. Donald McGuire S.J.

October 30, 2007 - Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) is deeply disappointed by the reports released Monday that three separate Catholic institutions and ten Church officials were long aware of the sexual abuse committed by Rev. Donald McGuire S.J. (a pattern of abuse that goes back almost 40 years) and did little to control him or protect children from him over all those decades. Even though convicted of abuse in February 2006, McGuire, a priest of the Chicago Jesuit Province, remains free pending his appeal and has often been seen with young men. He lives in a private residence in Oak Lawn, IL, completely unmonitored. McGuire remains a Jesuit priest, and the Jesuits have not indicated any intention of removing him.

"Again Church officials have failed to protect the most vulnerable among us", said Mary Pat Fox, president of VOTF. "We call on the Jesuit Provincial, Fr. Edward Schmidt S.J., to restrict and monitor the movements of Fr. McGuire and all other credibly accused members of their order. Removal from ministry is not enough. The Jesuits must accept and exercise their responsibility to prevent abusers from striking again."

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Press contact

John Moynihan (617) 558-5252, (617) 680 2131 ©

About Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) 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 clergy sexual abuse, support priests of integrity, and shape structural change within the Catholic Church in full accordance and harmony with Church teaching.