VOTF - In the Vineyard

Comments and inquiries are welcome at pthorp.ed@votf.org

In the Vineyard
March 2005

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" With exultant and sincere hearts they took their meals in common, praising God and winning the approval of all the people." Acts 2:47

Accountability is on the march - Two words used liberally by Voice of the Faithful since 2002 are now common coin in US media coverage of the abuse crisis in our Church - accountability and transparency. Conclusion? The July 9-10 Voice of the Faithful leadership meeting in Indianapolis, IN: "The Laity Speak: Accountability Now". VOTF president Jim Post announced the title of our leadership gathering in a letter distributed earlier this week. Here's how Jim defined "leader":

"When you made the commitment to speak up for change in our Church, you became a leader.

When you used your voice, along with those of so many others, you became a leader.

And when you attend meetings, make donations, send e-mail messages, and talk about the state of the Catholic Church with others, you are a leader."

Fr. Donald Cozzens said recently, ""We need the courage to be truthful, the courage to be faithful, the courage to be present." Be present with us in Indianapolis. Until then, follow developments in this publication under "On Our Way" through July.

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Getting ready for Indianapolis in July: In this issue, the Structural Change Working Group recaps its nearly three years of work (did you know the Primer is now in its second edition?) In the April issue of In the Vineyard the group will identify its vision for the work to come.

Something else to talk about in Indianapolis: Priestless parishes are a fact of many US diocesan lives. Read Part 2 of Sr. Mary Mazza's experience as a Parish Life Director in Athens, NY. Sr. Mary was a guest speaker at the VOTF Seacoast, MA affiliate meeting.

We've also included some reading suggestions from our members. Please add your own and send the titles to pthorp.ed@votf.org

Calendar Watch - On March 9, 2002 the brand-new Voice of the Faithful group attends the Archdiocese of Boston's annual convocation, Cardinal Law presiding. Read the statement presented.

VOTF NATIONAL NEWS - Inside this issue

"Every step of this difficult way has been forced upon the bishops who, despite their rhetorical support for 'fraternal correction,' have taken no collective steps, none, to hold accountable those bishops who covered up crimes and knowingly transferred child molesters from parish to parish. The old boy network is alive and well."
National Catholic Reporter editorial March 4, 2005

The USCCB proposed revisions to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People raise additional concerns among Catholics everywhere.

VOTF affiliates were asked to comment on the USCCB proposed Charter revisions and VOTF's proposals as they appear in the bishops' Workbook (LINK); we wanted to provide some "on the ground" context for readers; Tulsa, OK identifies some cracks in their diocese' "full compliance"; VOTF Kris Ward notes, "In 2005 the Bishops will begin 'self-reporting' audits, which Voice of the Faithful opposes. The John Jay Study showed us 52 years of the failure of self audits by the Bishops"; check out additional coverage from National Catholic Reporter, SNAP, the Los Angeles Times, and Coalition of Catholics and Survivors; the value of access to the bishops' workbook cannot be overstated as we see in Paul Kendrick's memo about a Maine resident's request to her diocese for the workbook; Kris Ward also notes: "You may be puzzled by different sets of numbers surrounding the audits formally known as the 2004 Annual Report on Findings and Recommendations on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People." See Kris' numbers breakout.

The Monitor - a regular newsletter published by bishopaccountability.org is yours for the asking. It's succinct and informative. Sign up at bishop-accountability.org.

VOTF moves to further ensure a commitment to broad representation: The resolution to re-constitute the Representative Council as a truly National Council based on 14 regions received an overwhelmingly favorable vote. See Representative Council updates. Identify your region and find out how to nominate candidates (including yourself) for your regional representation.

VOTF trustees elect new chairman of the board - Read More.

ALSO In the News

What a month! Another way to find yourself banned from Eucharist is to be a board member of St. Stanislaus Kostka parish in St. Louis, MO; another voice is under siege in the recent Vatican censure of theologian Roger Haight; MA Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly to support a bill to eliminate the 15-year statute of limitations for sexual abuse crimes against children.

VOTF Regional News - Inside this issue

Best Practice - All eight affiliates in VOTF Cincinnati, OH, inclusive of Dayton (the second largest city in the diocese), Cincinnati affiliates and Clayton, have spearheaded an immediate-action campaign around the annual diocesan appeal - it is this month's VOTF BEST PRACTICE. Read about "Your Choice, Your Voice"; Kris Ward reports some breaking news in Ohio around their statute of limitations.

Affiliate News includes: VOTF Brooklyn, NY is seeing structural change at work in their diocese; John Dearie of VOTF Atlanta, Georgia reports a listening Archbishop!; VOTF Natick, MA to sponsor a clergy and laity panel discussion. And More.

NOTE: VOTF Long Island, NY has an outstanding web site at www.votf-li.org and is holding their second Faith convention on March 19 with the peripatetic National Catholic Reporter Rome correspondent John Allen and VOTF's first Priest of Integrity Award recipient Fr. Tom Doyle. See details on their web site.

Parish Closings: the Chicago Tribune reports that the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago will shutter 23 schools and merge or consolidate four more by next school year; a VOTF member asked: What does an archdiocese do with money raised from property sales?; in the Boston, MA archdiocese, VOTF Trustee David Castaldi was asked to head the Parish Reconfiguration Fund Oversight Committee. Their first report was released.

Be sure to check out the lectures and events in the Boston College program "The Church in the 21st Century". The program includes a compilation of analyses and essays on the Church's crisis and search for renewal in C21 Resources, available free; an excellent resource for coverage of the larger nonprofit world is the Non-Profit Quarterly e-newsletter. The current issue focuses on "The Responsibility of Leadership."

VOTF On the Road - Jim Post, Kris Ward and Gaile Pohlhaus will be speaking in New Jersey, Florida and Kentucky. Find out who is speaking where and on what.

VOTF IN PRINT: Jim Post's essay on "Applying 21st Century Leadership to Our Church" was published by The National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers in their quarterly online journal.

Commentary -second installment of Jim Keenan's "Rights of Priests" paper published by the National Federation of Priests Council

Book Review - Good Catholic Girls - How Women Are Leading the Fight to Change the Church by Angela Bonavoglia, Harper Collins (Regan Books), 2005

LETTERS To the Editor - John Seryak, VOTF Cleveland, OH diocese steering committee wrote to the Akron Beacon Journal on behalf of S.E.S.A.M.E; a correspondent feels the Vineyard needs some humor (write to pthorp.ed@votf.org)

Prayer and Reflection - "Prayer for the Paschal Season" from Jack Rakosky and a suggestion from Gaile Pohlhaus, VOTF national secretary: As we begin the period of Lenten observance let us renew our pledge to recite the prayer of Prayerful Voice each noon - Jesus, Lord and Brother, help us with our faithfulness. Please hear our voice, and let our voice be heard. Amen.

DONATE

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On Our Way! - to Indianapolis, IN on July 9-10, 2005. See contact information in this issue and watch for updates on our web site.

NATIONAL NEWS
USCCB CHARTER Discussion in VOTF

All the bishops have received a "workbook" for revising the Charter on Sexual Abuse. The workbook includes the original charter in the first column, suggested edits from the Ad Hoc Committee of Bishops in the second column, and space in a third column for comments from the individual bishops. The workbook has not been made public by the bishops, but VOTF has received a copy (available on the VOTF web site at www.votf.org) and a VOTF national committee has responded with our recommendations (appearing in the third column of the workbook).

If you cannot read the entire workbook, which is 93 pages long, the VOTF letter to Archbishop Harry Flynn of Minneapolis provides a four-page executive summary of the response and is well worth reading.

From VOTF vice-president Kris Ward:
Please consider calling upon your bishop to a) release your diocese's audit in its entirety and b) release the completed Workbook he (your bishop) submitted to the Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse with his comments on the proposed Charter revisions. (Every bishop received a copy of the Workbook for comment. The return date deadline was January 15, 2005.)

You may be puzzled by different sets of numbers you have heard or read regarding the audits, formally known as the 2004 Annual Report on Findings and Recommendations on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The bishops broke the numbers of priests, allegations and victims into totals for dioceses and totals for religious orders but emphasized the diocesan totals.

The report's numbers break down as follows: Offenders at 622 diocesan and 139 religious orders for a total of 756; victims at 889 whose perpetrators of abuse were diocesan clerics and 194 from religious orders for a total of 1,083; allegations at 898 against diocesan clerics and 194 against religious orders for a total of 1, 092.

Dollars spent on the crisis in 2004 came to $139.5 million by dioceses and $18.2 million by religious orders for a total of $157.7 million. The largest amounts in the dollar categories were spent for settlements and attorney fees. Therapy fees for victims and offenders are also included in this category.

Figures that have not received much press attention are these: 256 diocesan priests (and deacons) are on administrative leave (temporarily removed) pending investigation of allegations and 35 priests (and deacons) remain in active ministry pending "pre-liminary" investigations.

The Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, whose bishop is Fabian Bruskewitz, was not audited. As with the 2003 audit, Bishop Bruskewitz refused to take part in the process unless ordered by the Vatican.

An excerpt from USCCB president Bishop Skylstad's letter that accompanied the report:

"The last three years have been a humbling experience for the Church. We bishops have had to face the sinful betrayal of trust by those who should have been most trustworthy. We have had to deal with the continuing consequences of these betrayals. We have pledged to hold ourselves accountable, as far as is humanly possible, to see to it that this betrayal never happens again.

We have been able to do this because we have also heard from the Catholic people, even in the midst of their sorrow, disappointment, embarrassment, and sometimes anger, another response. This response is best summed up in what someone said to me at a public forum that I conducted in my diocese: 'We're here because we love our Church.'"

Because Voice of the Faithful loves the Church, because we are a repository of growing knowledge about the Charter and the Audits, and because we believe that the bishops should hold themselves accountable, individually and collectively, we will continue to watch the numbers carefully.

From Paul Kendrick: Yesterday, a VOTF member in Maine asked the Bishop to send her copies of the audit in its entirety and the completed Workbook. The diocese's Communications Director responded by saying, "Neither of these two documents are public documents." A second letter was sent to the Bishop, requesting additional information about the audit. No response has yet been received.

From VOTF Tulsa, OK - A perspective from John Beasely, VOTF Tulsa, OK, on the 2004 Diocesan Compliance Audits of the Charter - Article 1 - Outreach to Survivors:

What exactly is a "compliance audit?"
According to the 2004 Annual Report issued by the USCCB (dated February 2005), the purpose of the audits, which were performed in 2004, was to determine compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. Further, the source of the audited information most often came from diocesan personnel and was not substantiated by other audit procedures. And, the auditors have noted, "compliance with all articles of the Charter does not necessarily mean that all programs mandated by the Charter had been fully implemented" at the time of the audit. That is, a diocese could be considered to be compliant if a program was simply selected for future implementation. Amazing!

What does the Charter require regarding outreach to survivors?
In the Preamble of the Charter, the USCCB acknowledges the "enormous pain, anger, and confusion" caused both by clergy sexual abuse and by the manner in which the bishops have addressed these sins. The bishops also "take responsibility for dealing with this problem strongly, consistently, and effectively in the future" and pledge to "continue to work to restore the bonds of trust that unite us." Further, the bishops acknowledge that their work is not limited to words, but must begin with their actions. Restore trust and take strong, effective action.

Also in the Preamble, the bishops commit themselves to a "pastoral outreach to repair the breach" with those who have been abused and with ALL people of the Church. And, they commit to "do all we can to heal the trauma" for the survivors and for the whole Church. Do all we can to heal.

In Article 1 of the Charter - To Promote Healing and Reconciliation, the bishops commit to reaching out to victims/survivors and their families and demonstrating "a sincere commitment" to their spiritual and emotional well-being. "The first obligation of the Church with regard to victims is for healing and reconciliation." Such outreach will include provisions of counseling, spiritual assistance, support groups, and other social services. And, in cooperation with social service agencies and other churches, support groups should be fostered and encouraged in local parish communities. The first obligation of the Church is healing and reconciliation.

What are the facts in the Diocese of Tulsa?
Our bishop has offered several times in the local secular press and in the diocesan newspaper to meet with anyone who has been abused and to help them. Our bishop and/or his clergy representatives have conducted prayer/listening/Q&A sessions in various parishes.

Approximately two years ago, an individual came to our bishop with an allegation that a certain priest had abused him 25 years ago. In the course of our bishop's investigation of this allegation, he placed the accused priest on paid administrative leave. Within hours of being placed on leave, the priest filed a slander lawsuit against the individual, whose only action had been to meet with our bishop and make his accusation of abuse.

Since August 31, 2004, VOTF-Tulsa has been working with our bishop to create and implement (hopefully in 2005) a diocesan-wide outreach program for survivors of sexual abuse in our diocese. This program is intended to provide extensive outreach services throughout our diocese, including confidential non-Church contact points, counseling provided by non-Church professionals, protection against lawsuits that may be filed by accused priests, and public disclosure of the names, dates, and pastoral locations of all priests (and other Church agents) for whom the diocese has credible evidence of abuse. This level of outreach to survivors is required of us, not only because of the Charter but because we are members of the Body of Christ.

What are the audit findings and conclusions for the Diocese of Tulsa?
The stated findings by the auditors are consistent with the above facts. That is, the information provided by our diocese to the auditors does not appear to be misleading. However, the auditor's conclusion is that our diocese is in compliance with Article 1 of the Charter.

What should a reasonable person conclude about these audits?
The 2004 audits are not truly "audits" in the normal use of the word. More accurately, they might be described as self-disclosure reports of both actual and intended actions! And, as such, they do NOT serve to restore trust, as pledged by the bishops. In fact, the misleading nature of these audit reports has the effect of perpetuating our distrust. Never mind the concern over future "self-audits." The ones we have now should not be relied upon as audits.

In the Tulsa diocese, we are hopeful that VOTF-Tulsa's collaborative efforts with our bishop will soon result in total compliance with both the spirit and the letter of the Charter's Article 1. But, as of today, this simply is not the case. Contrary to the auditors' conclusion, the Tulsa diocese cannot honestly and reasonably be considered to be in current compliance with Article 1. Our diocese has not done all that can be done to heal trauma, as required by the Charter. Our bishop's offer for survivors to visit him (especially in light of the recent lawsuit filed by an accused priest) and his listening sessions in various parishes do not constitute effective and strong outreach, as required by the Charter. Our diocese has not provided support groups and other social services and we have not fostered and encouraged such support services in our local parish communities, as required by the Charter.

The truth is that, more than 2 ½ years after the Dallas Charter and despite the conclusion of the 2004 "audit," the Diocese of Tulsa is NOT in compliance with Article 1. The first obligation of the Church, to heal and to reconcile, has not yet been fulfilled in our Tulsa diocese. However, on a positive note, our bishop is now taking steps to fulfill this important obligation of our Church. And, VOTF-Tulsa is committed to helping in this effort. We are hopeful that the Diocese of Tulsa's proposed outreach program will be implemented in 2005 and will serve as an excellent model for all dioceses in the U.S.

From VOTF LI, NY - Carol Bongiorno reports: Our LI-VOTF Regional sent out a questionnaire on the Charter to all members. Basically, my husband and I felt that revisions should not be made to the Charter, as it hadn't been given a real chance as is, in only two years.

From Paulist Center VOTF, Boston, MA - The Paulist Center Affiliate held a meeting Sunday, March 6, to discuss the Charter revisions. Copies of Boston's audit results, and the responses of VOTF and of SNAP to the audit, the Charter, and a reference to the workbook on the VOTF website, were sent to all members in preparation for this meeting.

From VOTF Puget Sound, WA - Paul Post reports: Puget Sound VOTF is currently working with our Chancery to address the issue of education and compliance programs.

SNAP raised the issue of unnamed clergymen who have been found to have credible allegations against them, with cases unresolved. We are aware of two such cases in Seattle that have been sent to the Vatican, where the identities of the persons have not been revealed by the Archdiocese. We have been told that they do not pose a risk; however, we are not aware of how that judgment was made. PSVOTF continues to advocate that their names be made public for the safety of the general public. The Archbishop continues to decline to do so.

For SNAP's excellent analysis "SNAP's Response & Analysis of Abuse Survey Statistics Released by USCCB on Feb. 18" go to SNAP's web site.

Given the spin dioceses across the US have used around the release of these audits, there is an unmistakable presumption on the part of Church leadership that the laity will be satisfied with the tailored headlines and skip over the fine print, as observed by National Catholic Reporter recently. Many, however, know better. Read more .

To find the audit report on your own diocese, click here and click on Full Report and Executive Summaries or and scroll down to list of individual dioceses. For the text of the remarks made at the press conference on 2004 audits of dioceses click here.

From the Los Angeles Times web edition: "While pledging to stop the sexual abuse of children in the Roman Catholic Church, the nation's bishops reported Friday that they had received 1,092 new allegations in 2004 against at least 756 priests and deacons." For excellent coverage of these findings, click here and enter "bishops new abuse charges" in the Search box. Access is free.

From Coalition of Catholics and Survivors web site: "In a stunning display of its miraculous power, the Church hierarchy transformed the revelation of over 1,000 crimes against children into an occasion for self-congratulation."

ALSO in the news:
"The six board members of St. Stanislaus Kostka parish, who have been in a protracted battle with St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke over the governance of their church, received letters late Thursday night informing them that Burke had placed them under the canon law penalty of interdict." Interdict is considered a lesser form of excommunication. It prevents the recipient from taking part in the Roman Catholic sacraments of the church, including Holy Communion. Read more.

The Archdiocese of St. Louis also has extensive coverage. Click here

From VOTF member Dee O'Neal: The Chicago Tribune reports that the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago will shutter 23 schools and merge or consolidate four more by next school year. The shakeup will affect one in 10 schools in the nation's largest parochial school system and could displace more than 4,000 students across the city and Cook County suburbs. The hardest hit will be Latino Catholics. Read more.

A familiar tactic is re-appearing in the recent Vatican censure of theologian Roger Haight. Readers might want to follow developments in this story of another voice under siege. See NCR editorial . The controversy goes to the heart of organizations like VOTF who are calling for dialogue on issues of profound concern to their membership. NCR asks the right question; "Is this the best way to settle intellectual disputes in the church?"

Breaking NEWS from Kris Ward, Dayton, OH: As the Vineyard was going to press, affiliates in Cincinnati, Dayton, and Cleveland, Ohio were working together on a campaign to pass legislation that would change the civil statute of limitations. That work includes letter writing to legislators, meetings with legislators, and testimony before Ohio Senate and House committees.

The bill before the Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee calls for a civil statute of 25 years beyond the age of majority (18 years of age in Ohio) and a 24-month window of opportunity allowing survivors who were barred from taking legal action under the current statute to have access to justice. (In California the window of opportunity was one year.)

The Ohio affiliates began working on statute of limitations changes in 2004. In terms of the time usually needed for changing legislation, there has been rapid progress in Ohio.

At press time, there was controlled optimism that the Ohio Senate would pass the bill on March 9, 2005 and send it to the Ohio House for consideration March 16, 2005.

It is possible that a bill will be on Ohio Governor Taft's desk before the end of March. You may be reading about passage of an extended Statute of Limitations and a window of opportunity for those previously barred from filing civil actions in the April edition of the Vineyard. Stay tuned!

Boston Notes: VOTF member Dee O'Neal in Naperville, IL asked - What does an archdiocese do with money raised from property sales? She found a Boston Globe report on how the Boston Archdiocese has used ALL the cash from the bank accounts of closed parishes to pay for (a) salaries of the people who are DOING the closings and (b) general operating funds. Click here.

In the Boston, MA archdiocese, VOTF Trustee David Castaldi was asked to head the Parish Reconfiguration Fund Oversight Committee. Their first report was released to the archdiocesan newspaper The Pilot on Feb. 4. Click here. This is an introductory report and will be followed by periodic updates.

Working Group Gathering: The combined efforts of the Structural Change and Voice of Renewal national working groups recently created a successful "Day of Renewal" on 2/21 at St. Paul's Church, Cambridge, MA. The day allowed group members to reflect on their faith journey within VOTF and was an opportunity for spiritual development in community. Continuing the theme of the day, sharing our gifts, a "model" of the Day of Renewal is being prepared for online distribution. It was also videotaped by the SCWG. Participants found this day timely and re-affirming.

Be sure to check out the lectures and events in the Boston College program "The Church in the 21st Century" at . The program includes a compilation of analyses and essays on the Church's crisis and search for renewal in C21 Resources, available free; also, an excellent resource for coverage of the larger nonprofit world is the Non-Profit Quarterly e-newsletter. "The Responsibility of Leadership" is the focus in the current issue.

VOTF Best Practice February 2005
Contact: cincinnativotf@earthlink.net

From VOTF vice-president Kris Ward: In the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati, Dayton, and Clayton affiliates (all of the affiliates in the Archdiocese) are taking a unified action calling upon our fellow Catholics to give directly to the charities of the Archbishop's Fund Drive and not to the drive that bears the Archbishop's name. We have provided the list of charities with contact information, localized for the various geographic areas of the 19-county diocese. We have also provided a letter for Catholics to send to the Archbishop telling him why they are not giving.

The VOTF Dayton Affiliate has a financial seminar planned for April 2 with backing from the University of Dayton and two accounting firms. The seminar is on Internal Cash Controls and is aimed at finance committee chairs, parish council chairs, those handling the money for bingos, festivals, school fund raising, etc.

We also wrestled with the money question and the attitude/feeling by Catholics that withholding contributions might hurt local parishes. Because the release of documents showing the Archbishop knew of abuse by a priest against whom there are credible allegations (and lawsuits) surfaced at the time of the Archbishop's Fund Drive, we decided it was a now-or-never situation.

The Greater Cincinnati affiliate (both Dayton affiliates, all five in Cincinnati and the one affiliate in Clayton) assembled a "Your Choice, Your Voice" campaign. This effort required sitting in courtrooms, making and working media contacts, leafleting, traveling to other places in the diocese, mailings, and a follow-up strategy for the weeks of the Archbishop's Fund Drive, as well as organizing the financial seminar mentioned above.

The following letter was sent on 2/17 by VOTF to Catholics in the Cincinnati diocese:

Dear Fellow Catholic,

It's been said that timing is everything and that definitely applies to recent events in the Cincinnati Archdiocese. In late January and again in early February, evidence has surfaced that the Archbishop contributed to the sexual abuse crisis of children by covering up reports of sexual abuse of children. While many have suspected it before, there is no denying now that Archbishop Pilarczyk, like many bishops, knowingly transferred abusive priests to other unsuspecting parishes and failed to report crimes to the civil authorities.

On the heels of having this verified by reliable sources, one of them being a letter written by Archbishop Pilarczyk himself, Catholics in our diocese are being asked to contribute money to the Archbishop's Annual Fund Drive. This Fund Drive is a vital part of charitable work in this diocese and funds organizations and ministries that may otherwise not receive funding. So it's hard to withhold donations to ministries which truly reflect the works of mercy that are central to our beliefs as followers of Jesus. What is really hard is being asked to care for the poor and needy by the same Archbishop who is choosing to spend inordinate amounts of time and money to make the sex abuse scandal go away while he is not being held accountable for his actions and contributions to the problem.

So, Cincinnati VOTF is asking you to make a CHOICE and to use your VOICE. Make the choice to donate directly to one or several of the charities that the Fund Drive supports. (See below for a list of the charities.) Choose a cause or a ministry that is important to you and fits with your beliefs about what it means to be a Catholic.

Then, use your VOICE to let the Archbishop know that you are NOT donating to the Annual Fund Drive. Print off the attached letter, sign your name and send it to him. Or write a letter in your words letting him know of your concerns about the state of affairs in our church. Our church will not change if good people stand by and do nothing. We deserve the leadership we get if we do not speak up in the face of injustice.

You can also use your voice to share this message with other Catholics you know who want to speak up. Print off copies of the letter and the list of charities or forward this email message to anyone you know who is looking for a way to respond to recent events. So many Catholics are frustrated with the current situation and feel like we need to do something but don't know what to do. This is the clearest, most timely action step that we can take at this time. It has been proven in other dioceses that reason, negotiation, and calls for dialogue had no effect on church officials. The only thing that has gotten their attention is the loss of money. Sadly, this seems to be the case in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

In this season of Lent we are called to conversion - to make the hard choices that will lead us closer to God's will and way of life. Please consider taking a stand for justice and reform in our church, so that healing and conversion can take place for all God's people.

Trusting in the Spirit,

Nan Fischer, Chairperson

cincinnativotf@earthlink.net

The letter listed over a dozen charities supported by the Annual Fund. The following letter was distributed as a prototype for individual responses:

Dear Archbishop Pilarczyk,

This is to inform you that we will not be donating to the Archbishop's Annual Fund Drive this year. We will continue to support our parish, and will make independent donations to several of the agencies of our choosing that perform charitable works in keeping with our beliefs and faith tradition.

Several years ago when the reports of cover-up of sexual abuse by the Catholic hierarchy, and the transfer of pedophile priests, became known, we were deeply troubled and dismayed. Was this the church that we wanted to belong to? But our Faith prompted us to stay and work for a better church, a more accountable clergy, and certainly a more repentant hierarchy. We envisioned the day when the Bishops would be willing to publicly and sincerely apologize, embrace, and console their victims. We were encouraged when safeguards were put in place to ensure the future safety of our children. We were hopeful when we saw a few bishops begin reaching out to the victims of these predator priests, and to validate their victims' sufferings.

We thought perhaps the hierarchy, who had passed these felons from parish to parish, time and time again, had finally found it in their hearts to be open and begin rebuilding trust. We thought this veil of secrecy would finally end and give way to a transparency that would spill over to all aspects of our church.

You have had numerous opportunities in the last 3 years to show that the vocation you chose came from a sincere desire to share the love and compassion of our Lord, Jesus Christ, with his followers. Somewhere along the way, you seem to have forgotten that we, the Faithful, are His followers, not yours.

We cannot, in good faith, make a donation to a fund, no matter how worthy, that is solicited in your name, until you show true compassion for your part in covering up abuse. Accountability matters and is expected of everyone.

By copy of this letter, we request that none of our weekly donations to (name of parish) be used to fulfill the parish quota for your fund drive.

With trust in the wisdom of our Lord,

(signed)
cc: Rev. (your Pastor)

Representative Council Notes

Next Representative Council meeting: April 16 10 am - 2 pm at Holy Family Parish Hall, Concord Center, MA with panel discussion: Joe O'Callaghan and Leonard Swidler on the Bridgeport Proposals

February 2005 COUNCIL UPDATE from National Representative Council Steering Committee member Ron DuBois:

The resolution to re-constitute the Representative Council as a truly National Council received an overwhelmingly favorable vote of 61 in favor and 5 opposed. This vote indicates that there is overwhelming support for the view that the future of VOTF is dependent upon a truly national, and eventually international, presence.

We have agreed to create a Council with representatives from each of the 14 USCCB regions, with the number of representatives from each region based on the number of affiliates and members in each region. As with the current Council, this new Council will be charged with formulating policy for the National VOTF.

PROCESS: We will have nominations and elections in each region. An implementation team, called for by the resolution, has been created, with one member from each of the 14 regions. We have provided these 14 people with contact names in their respective regions who will ensure a nomination process open to all VOTF members in each region. Members will vote for representative(s) from their own region. Members are free to self-nominate or to nominate other members. Nominees are asked to submit a 50-word statement of their credentials and why they want to serve. These nominations will be submitted to the regional members of the implementation team.

Four volunteers from the Boston area have volunteered to facilitate the overall nomination process: Elia Marnik at eliamarnik@comcast.net, Fran O'Leary at fol02482@earthlink.net, Alice Campanella at acampanella@votf.org and Ron DuBois at debber@beld.net.

We ask for your patience and prayers as we take this critical step toward modeling a Church for all voices.

Central Nomination Contact

Region 6 OH, MI/Nan Fischer nafischer33@earthlink.net

Region 7 IL, IN, WI/Janet Hauter jmwhauter@aol.com

Region 8 MN, ND, SD/Shari Steffen sharisteffen@sihope.com

Region 9 IA, KS, MO, NB/Jim Hone jimhone@earthlink.net

West

Region 11 CA, HI, NV/DeeDee Smith votfsola@yahoo.com

Region 12 AK, ID, MT, OR, WA/Paul Post Paul730@isp.com

Region 13 AZ, CO, WY, NM, Ut/Sandy Simonson sandysimonson@msn.com

South

Region 5 AL, KY, LA, MS, TN/Gerry Stark gerrystark@aol.com

Region 10 AR, OK, TX/Jean Frie jeanfrie@friefinancial.com

Region 14 FL, GA, NC, SC/Peg Clark VOTFofSWFL@aol.com

East

Region 1 ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT/Mike Sweatt msweatt@maine.rr.com

Region 2 NY/Tom Dowling tpd@ix.netcom.com

Region 3 NJ, PA/Bud Bretschneider bud.bretschneider@comcast.net

Region 4 DC, DE, MD, VA/Judy Miller chuck-judy@starpower.net

VOTF ON THE ROAD

March 12: Gaile Pohlhaus to address Pax Christi New Jersey State Assembly Conference. Gaile's talk will be "VOTF Today - A Time for Renewal"
March 19: Kris Ward to speak at a program following a Healing Prayer Service for victims/survivors in Palm Beach, FL, sponsored by Palm Beach County Affiliate
March 29: Jim Post to speak at VOTF Naples, Florida, St. John the Evangelist. Jim's talk will be "Promises To Keep: Renewing the Catholic Church"
April 9: Kris Ward to speak at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY sponsored by our affiliate there.

BOOK REVIEW

Good Catholic Girls - How Women Are Leading the Fight to Change the Church by Angela Bonavoglia, Harper Collins (Regan Books), 2005

There's a particular kinetic energy among Catholic women - in itself, somewhat of a phenomenon. After all, many Catholics and non-Catholics have wondered for decades why women stay in one of the largest and oldest discriminating institutions on the planet. Angela Bonavoglia puts the question to rest in this invaluable recap of who stays, what they're doing and where they're taking the rest of us. When the company is this good, the work becomes compelling, empowering and, yes, healing. Good Catholic Girls is about the women who are moving toward full equality in the Roman Catholic Church. Bonavoglia has not written an academic treatise or a scholarly feminist argument. Better - she has added with clarity and conviction to the "good news" that is our Gospel.

Bonavoglia grew up in the 1950s/60s, uniformed, obeisant parochialism so familiar to baby boomers. Equally familiar, her path led to the itinerant mode of Catholics in exile - but not without a deep-rooted connection to the liturgy and the restorative grace of her faith. Her personal revolution grew out of despair in the institutional "demonization of sexuality …. I saw the Church as depriving women of authority not only in the public sphere, by forbidding women's ordination and access to the highest levels of sacramental and jurisdictional power but also in the private sphere, by usurping a woman's right to her own conscience and moral voice on matters sexual, marital, and maternal." Thus began Bonavoglia's journey, pretty much where so many others, including Christ's, began-amongst women. Indeed, she says, that is an elephant on the altar.

Bonavoglia's interviews vivify a sweeping panorama of women in the Church from Mary Magdalene to Sr. Joan Chittister and from Catherine of Siena to Elisabeth Johnson. Together with the likes of Edwina Gately, Frances Kissling, and Mary Ramerman - what we hear seems to rest and grow on the obscure and the obscured, the silenced and the banned until we recognize the bold stillness of a mountain revealed. Conferences and symposia, statements and resolutions, new organizations and old, the courageous, the dismissed and the excommunicated - all share the language and the hope of truth revealed.

One might expect a few angry outbursts among these women. Regardless the grist, anger is not a player in Good Catholic Girls - educated conviction is the driver. Some of the more blatant efforts to marginalize women have made the case against full equality in the Church something of a caricature - for lay people in general, but women in particular. Consider the liturgical calendar that gives such short shrift to female voices and, effectively, fuels the preposterous thinking that because we don't hear women's voices in our practice, there weren't any or, worse, they don't "count"; the shallow dismissal of women's ordination based, in part, on dissimilar genitalia; the befuddled response of the all-male hierarchy to open dialogue with all of those whom Vatican II called the "people of God"; and the curiously narrow understanding by Church "fathers" of vocations among the "living Body of Christ." Were misogyny intelligent, it might have done better than this.

In the end, like so many before them, the women mentioned, quoted and/or interviewed in this book are with us despite the Church of clericalism and secrecy, arrogance and power mongering. The Church of the 6th century's spin on Mary Magdalene was, centuries later, corrected by Biblical scholarship, restoring Mary to her rightful place in the forefront of Christian history; the 14th Century Catherine of Siena and 16th Century Teresa of Avila were finally "recognized" in 1970 as Doctors of the Church. Inevitability leaves a fascinating paper trail.

The whole question of women in the Church has become so fraught with wisdom and common sense that the current Pope found the very discussion of women's ordination to be a closed case. It seems that Church leadership has been so undone by the prospect of women priests, that the Vatican "expanded Canon Law so that Catholics who refused to accept certain Church teachings - including the Church's refusal to ordain women - could be excommunicated." The sex abuse crisis and its cover-up, as well as recent and current political events, underscore the extent to which this papal administration is prepared to go in keeping things just the way they are. And lay Catholics are demonstrating ever more forcefully the extent to which they are refusing to acquiesce.

Regardless the revolutionizing research of academics in feminist theology, the change to a fully inclusive Church will be the work not of scholars whose brilliance seems most at home in its own milieu but among the messengers who carry their words, like Angela Bonavoglia, and among the marginalized who find ways to live their vocations. That challenge exists for both women and men; it has found a rich variety of iterations in the lives of the women named and in the many organizations Bonavoglia notes, among them Voice of the Faithful, Call To Action, and the National Coalition of American Nuns.

The women we meet in Good Catholic Girls are not leaving the Church and yet they are not staying - they are changing the Church while their work moves and alters everything and everyone it passes. These good, Catholic girls embolden the vision of inclusivity and animate the very word "Christian." Bonavoglia deftly interprets the law of conscience articulated in the Constitution on the Church in the Modern World: "For woman has in her heart a law written by God; to obey it is the very dignity of woman; according to it, she will be judged."

Dignity restored is what Good Catholic Girls is all about.

P.L.Thorp

COMMENTARY

Part 2: "The Ethical Rights of Priests" by Boston College Gasson Chair Professor of Moral Theology James Keenan continues with the second of a three-part installment. Part 1 appeared in the February issue of In the Vineyard. The final installment will appear in this publication in April.

Are Ethical Rights Important?

I use the word "rights" not as a canonist does, that is, as a very specific right that the Code of Canon Law recognizes, but rather as moral theologians and Christian social ethicists do when we talk of the right to food, or work, or health care, that is, as an ethical right. While I hope that these rights may eventually be articulated into canonical precepts, I do not claim that they have canonical force.

Moreover I do not see rights as assertions of power over and against others; rather, I see rights language as springing from a community of faith looking to see how best its members can protect the good of the whole Church and its specific members. Following Brian Tierney (The Idea of Natural Rights: Studies on Natural Rights, Natural Law and Church Law, 1150-1625), I believe that rights were originally recognized by 11th and 12th century theologians and canonists who tried to articulate those that belonged to popes, bishops, clergy and other church members, not as inimical to the life of the Church, but as constitutive of it. Asserting the ethical rights of priests is, then, not at the cost of the community, but rather for its benefit. To the extent that these rights are not respected, not only priests but the very communion of the Church suffers. Finally, though there have been many fine articles on the right to due process, I am more interested in articulating rights that, while protecting priests, also empower them and, therefore, all the members of the communion.

The Ethical Rights of Priests

Book II of the Code of Canon Law outlines the rights and obligations of clergy (273-289) and stipulates three canonical rights: to associate, to a vacation, and to fitting and decent remuneration. Instead, I propose four "ethical" ones: the right to share respectfully in the Episcopal ministry of the local ordinary; the right of association; the right to exercise their ministry; and the right to fair treatment.

The right to share respectfully in the Episcopal ministry of the local ordinary:

This right is implicitly being invoked and exercised by priests in their recent letters to bishops and their conferences. It also echoes one that had been discussed in the revision of the code of canon law, "the right of cooperating with the bishop in the exercise of his ministry."

John Lynch, a canon lawyer, who has written on the rights of priests, frequently asserts that the "cleric shares in the episcopal ministry." Interestingly, he roots his claim precisely in the first canon in the section on rights and obligations, canon 273: "Clerics are bound by a special obligation to show reverence and obedience to the Supreme Pontiff and their own ordinary."

Lynch's claim is derived from three Vatican II documents. The "Decree on the Ministry of Priests: 7" writes: "Priestly obedience…is based on the sharing of the Episcopal ministry…conferred by the sacrament of order and the canonical mission." "The Bishops' Pastoral Office: 8" says: "All priests, whether diocesan or religious, share and exercise with the bishop the one priesthood of Christ." Lumen Gentium 28: "The Bishop is to regard his priests, who are his co-workers, as sons and friends …."

The foundation for the ethical right is found not only in the Code, its commentary, and Vatican documents, but also in the rite of ordination. The first question the bishop asks the ordinand is whether he is resolved to be "a conscientious fellow worker with the bishops in caring for the Lord's flock?" Then, in the prayer of consecration we hear the bishop call him a "fellow worker" and "a co-worker with the order of bishops."

In sum, a variety of foundational texts recognizes the priest as having a share in the exercise of Episcopal authority. When we hear repeated attempts by clergy to meet with their ordinary, we become aware of the fact that this right is not adequately recognized. In fact, when we consider the phenomena of public letters by clerics, we see this not so much as an indication of that right being exercised, but rather, as expressing frustration that the presumed right has been ignored. Recognizing and routinely exercising the right, however, could foster community, the life of the diocese, and the credibility of Episcopal leadership.

PRAYER FOR THE PASCHAL SEASON

A CANTICLE OF RESURRECTION FROM SPIRITUAL DEATH - A paraphrase of Ephesians Chapter 5, 1-14

Response: Wake up, sleepers, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

Let us be like God in everything we do, as dearly loved children let us walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself over for us; let our lives also be an incense offering and sacrifice to God. Response

Let there be among us not even a hint of immorality, or impurity, or greed, because these are not worthy of God's holy people. Response

Let us forsake all obscenity, foolish talk and coarse joking. Let these give place to an offering of thanksgiving. Responsee

Of this we are sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Response

Let us not deceive one another with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath is coming down upon those have been disobedient. Response

Therefore we will no longer be partners with evildoers. We were once in darkness, but now we are light in the Lord. Response

Let us live as children of light for light produces fruits of goodness, justice and truth. Response

Let us have nothing to do with the corruption and barren deeds done in darkness, but rather let us expose and rebuke them. For it is wicked what the disobedient do in secret. Response

For everything exposed by the light becomes transparent, the light of Christ makes visible how truly evil these things are. Response

CANTICLE PRAYER FOR RELIGIOUS LEADERS

ResponseO God, awaken our religious leaders.

O God , awaken our religious leaders. Response

Awaken in them a spirit of humility and repentance for the sexual immorality and greed that have produced deeds of darkness even among the clergy. Response

Awaken in them a desire to bring to light all that is obscene, all that is foolish, all that is coarse, all that is shameful, all that has been done in secret. Response

Awaken in them a desire for the light of truth; let them abandon all partnership with darkness, and all desire to deceive with empty words. Response

Let them live as children of light, awakening our church and our society to the emotional, physical and sexual abuse of children. Response

Let them live as children of light, awakening our nation to the global problems of children, to the abuse of sweatshops and of child prostitution around the world. Response

O God, awaken our religious leaders. Response

Note: this prayer service is an adaptation for the Paschal Season of the Fifth Reading from the author's A Service of Nine Lessons for Childermas. See the January Vineyard for an overview.

AFFILIATE NEWS

VOTF EAST

VOTF Natick, MA
Submitted by Mary Ellen Siudut

March 14th Panel Discussion: A panel discussion by Catholic clergy and laity, entitled "Moving Forward Together as Church", will be held on Monday, March 14, 7-9 pm. at the Morse Institute Library in Natick. The presentation is sponsored by Natick Parish Voice on the occasion of their third anniversary. The six panelists are well qualified to talk about church renewal. Members of the clergy include Rev. Walter Cuenin, Pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians in Newton, Rev.Joseph Marchese, Director, First-Year Experience at Boston College, and Rev. Bruce Teague, Pastoral Minister at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Brighton. The laity will be represented by Dorothy Kennedy from St. Anselm Parish in Sudbury, Donna Manganaro from St. Patrick Parish in Natick and Stan Curran from St. Cecilia Parish in Ashland. Faith Madzar from Natick will serve as Moderator.

Natick Parish Voice welcomes all interested clergy and laity to attend the program on March 14 and participate in the discussion following the panel presentation.

VOTF Greater Philadelphia, PA
Submitted by Gaile Pohlhaus
VOTF/GP on the Internet: http://www.votfgp.org

General Meetings: Joseph O'Callaghan, a historian and author, will speak on "Counsel and Consent: Restoring the Laity's Role in the Governance of the Church" at a general meeting of Voice of the Faithful of Greater Philadelphia on Tuesday evening, March 15, at Chestnut Hill College. The program, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Social Room of Fournier Hall.

O'Callaghan, a professor emeritus of medieval history at Fordham University and past president of the American Catholic Historical Society, is the author of "Counsel and Consent as Christian Virtues: Five Proposals for Structural Change in the Catholic Church," a document produced by VOTF Bridgeport, CT. Among its recommendations for changes in church structure, the Bridgeport document proposes the election of bishops by the Catholic community and the selection of pastors by parish faithful. The document also calls for the ownership of church property by a parish corporation (the full text and a summary of this document are available at www.votfgp.org ).

O'Callaghan, the former director of the Center for Medieval Studies at Fordham, has written seven books on medieval Spain and translated The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola.

VOTF Northern NJ
Submitted by Carole Rogers

Focus on the larger issues has been the basis for our ongoing VOTF-NNJ Speaker Series. We believe that a vital part of our ministry is to offer opportunities for adult conversations, to initiate dialogues that help create an informed laity.

One of our speakers, Rev. Donald Cozzens, author of the recently published, Faith That Dares to Speak, suggested a motto for all today's faithful Catholics. "We need," he said, "the courage to be truthful, the courage to be faithful, the courage to be present."

Since we began in mid-2002, we have presented more than thirty speakers-victims, priests, theologians, psychologists and sociologists, journalists, members of the National Review Board-on topics that have expanded our awareness and our sympathies for all three of VOTF's goals, but also enlightened us about our larger responsibilities as baptized members of the Church.

Many of these speakers, some nationally known, have traveled long distances to be with us. Our members would not have had an opportunity to participate in so many stimulating and varied conversations in any other venue. Recent highlights:

In January, David France, author of Our Fathers: The Secret Life of the Catholic Church in an Age of Scandal, traced the sexual abuse crisis to the days when seminaries did not allow any teaching about or discussion of human sexuality. His book, which includes the stories of some victims and priests involved in the recent scandals, will soon be a made-for-TV movie. Watch for it.
In February, Rev. Ed Edwards, M. Div., MSW, a priest of the Diocese of Metuchen, NJ, who has provided counsel to many gay males, spoke about homosexuality in the Catholic Church and particularly in the priesthood. Father Edwards questioned many of the premises that lead to "scapegoating" gays in today's society. He said they are no more likely to be child molesters than heterosexual men; they are probably no more promiscuous than heterosexual men of the same demographic; they can and do have faithful relationships, build families, or lead celibate priestly lives; they are frequently creative men who value lives of service. They can and do make wonderful contributions to the Church and society.
On April 11, our speaker will be Rev. Jeff Mickler, SSP, Ph.D. Father Mickler, who has served as Superior of the Society of St. Paul as well as host of a weekly radio program, has chosen as his topic: "The Making of a Naive Priest: Instruments of Healing and Hope." He says, "Until the scandal broke in the media around 1990, I never thought about the possibility of there being any pedophile priests in great numbers. This naivete on the part of a broad spectrum of priests and religious was typical and allowed the predators in our midst to flourish."

We try to reach out and educate Catholics in northern New Jersey in other ways:

Our continuing Prayerful Voice offers affiliate members and guests another opportunity for focusing on larger issues at our twice-a-month liturgies. During the liturgy, in discussions before and after, we listen to one another, recognizing Christ in the other and in ourselves. Growth, change, healing, and peace happen; these are wonderful interludes for people living in a desert time.
We also continue twice weekly airings of our public access TV program-adult conversations at their best.
At the Thirteenth Annual Spirituality Convocation at the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, NJ, two of our members will present a workshop, "Finding Our Way with Voice of the Faithful." The conference draws more than 700 attendees; it's another opportunity to explore large Church issues as well as the three specific goals of VOTF.

VOTF West Suburban Parish Voice, MA
Submitted by Julie and Frank McConville

St. John's, St. James, and St. Paul's parishes in Wellesley, MA and St. Joseph's in Needham make up our affiliate. We encourage all in this area to join us for our General meetings each month. The general meeting will be held on March 10 and will feature Dr. Ann T. Spearing who shares Ecumenical team ministry with her husband at Athol Congregational church and is Spiritual Director & Retreat Guide. Dr. Spearing was a Roman Catholic nun for 17 years.

On March 3 our group took part in the VOTF Many Hands, Many Hearts Campaign. Our objective is to address key concerns in developing voices for reform in order to build a more effective, adult Catholic community.

VOTF Seacoast Affiliates, MA
Submitted by Maurice Donovan

The ongoing Adult Faith Formation series sponsored by the North Shore, Lynn and Seacoast Areas has two events in April.

April 3: (Lynn; St. Pius V, Lower Church Hall): "We Believe in One God: Jews, Christians, Muslims as Brothers and Sisters in Faith: Our Common Heritages and Differences" with Padraic O'Hare, Ph.D. (Merrimack College).

April 10: (Lynn; St. Mary's Parish, Cardinal Cushing Center): "Christian Ecumenical Dialogue: Progress Since Vatican II In Creating Closer Ties Between the Christian Denominations" with Padraic O'Hare, Ph.D. (Merrimack College).

For further information, please send an email message to Jim Callahan at jcall2@comcast.net); Vince Guerra at vfgmd@aol.com), Mary Fitzsimmons at mpfitzsimmons@comcast.net), or Jack Whelan at whelanj@lynnschools.org).

VOTF Brooklyn, NY
Ed and Anne Wilson

The New York Times reports: "The Roman Catholic bishop of Brooklyn and Queens moved yesterday to take financial control of the diocese's struggling elementary schools from the pastors and principals who have run them for more than a century and to install lay boards to steer the schools' finances instead." Registered members of NYTimes.com can access the full story.

Here in the Brooklyn Diocese, covered extensively in the NewYork Times (and thence into the Malarkey Report), is the story of a complete reorganization of the parochial schools to move from a 19th century parish-based, pastor-led model to clusters of 4 or 5 schools each (group) managed by a LAY board of individuals responsible for financial, real estate, education, hiring, planning and the running of the schools. The clergy previously in charge of parish schools were relieved of duty by this change. This is major. Even though enacted by the bishop, it took several years of study and planning with lots of work by lay people. It professionalizes the running of the schools in a way that was overdue. It is an encouraging sign of structural change.

VOTF SOUTH

VOTF SW Florida
Submitted by Peg Bisgrove

VOTF of SWFL's Speakers Forum will present award-winning author Eugene Kennedy, as their annual nationally known guest speaker on March 13, 2005 from1:30-3:00 PM in the Ballroom of the Parish Life Center of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church at 625 111th Avenue North, Naples, FL. His topic will be "The World, the Flesh, and the Catholic Church." Dr. Kennedy is Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Loyola University, Chicago. He is a syndicated columnist and author of over forty books, including the biography of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin. His most recent book is Cardinal Bernardin's Stations of the Cross: How His Dying Reflects the Mysteries of Loss and Grief. Dr. Kennedy's book, The Unhealed Wound, deals with how the Catholic Church's teaching on human sexuality has gone wrong. For more information, please e-mail VOTFofSWFL@aol.com.

VOTF Atlanta, GA
Submitted by John Dearie

It may be premature, but things seem to be looking up in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. New Archbishop Wilton Gregory is holding listening sessions (he doing the listening) for his beleaguered priests, has published a lengthy, amazingly frank piece on the 2004 audits by CNS reporter Augustine Bono on the first two pages of the diocesan paper (unheard of under the former Archbishop), and has agreed to meet with VOTF-Atlanta leaders in April. We are encouraged and hopeful that Atlanta is finally moving toward the center. Stay tuned.

VOTF CENTRAL

VOTF Indianapolis, IN
Submitted by Mary Heins

We had a very successful meeting last week at the Indianapolis affiliate with about 30 members in attendance. We invited the pastors of one of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Disciples of Christ, Methodist, and Episcopal congregations asking them to describe the governing structures of their churches and the role of the laity in those structures.

It was a very friendly and informative presentation with each speaker taking about 10 minutes. Q & A followed and although we planned to end at 8:30, no one objected to staying a little longer. The pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas, Fr. Munshower, was present for the entire evening, also. One man said it was the most ecumenical gathering he had ever attended. Many others stayed to visit with the panelists and express their appreciation. [If you would like a summary of the panel discussion, please email Peggie Thorp at pthorp.ed@votf.org]

VOTF International

VOTF Saanich Peninsula Affiliate, Sidney B,C. Canada
Submitted by MaryAnne Gervais, VOTF coordinator Victoria diocese, Canada

It was a pleasure to meet several members of VOTF Puget Sound, WA when we attended Seattle University's Symposium: "Pursuing Vatican II". Dr. Paul Lakeland spoke to us on The Liberation of the Laity; In Search of an Accountable Church, his masterful book that won the Catholic Press Award for Best Theology Book of 2004.

My hosts were Eileen and Steven Knoff from VOTF. Eileen was Regional Coordinator for the West since its inception. Eileen was also our very first internet connection to the International organization. It was great to put a face to the names of fine people who spend hours in trying to better our church and it gives the cyber-communications a far deeper meaning.

PHOTO A - Dr. Paul Lakeland (top) - Eileen Knoff, MaryAnne Gervais and Paul Post (Bottom)

Our affiliate will soon be viewing the symposium on video.

Letters To the Editor
Send yours to pthorp.ed@votf.org

VOTF member's letter published in the Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio:

Dear Senators Spada, Jacobson and Fedor,

As a long standing board member of the national non-profit organization S.E.S.A.M.E. - Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct, and Exploitation, I wholeheartedly support the passage of SB 17 for the protection of our children.

Child sexual abuse has been and is at epidemic levels in our United States. Ohio has a reputation nationally of being a strong state legislatively in regard to child protection. Still, we know more can be done especially to protect children in our schools, public and private, and in our churches and community organizations. Every adult holding a role of sacred trust, while working, overseeing, and caring for minors, must be responsible and accountable for their safety. Thank you for your endeavor to create legislation to further protect our children from those who would do them harm.

John M. Seryak, M.Ed.
S.E.S.A.M.E. board member, Author: Dear Teacher, If You Only Knew! (Adults Recovering From Child Sexual Abuse Speak To Educator) A suggestion for some humor in In the Vineyardwas accompanied by the following list of "catches" from various church bulletins:

The sermon this morning: "Jesus walks on water." This evening's sermon: "Searching for Jesus."
Please pray for those who are sick of our community.
Don't let worry kill you. Let the Church help.
For those who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
Next Thursday evening, there will be try-outs for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
The sermon tonight is on "What is Hell?" Come early and listen to the choir.
The ladies of the parish have cast-off clothing of all kinds. They may be seen on Friday afternoons in the basement.
The Low Self-Esteem support group meets Friday evenings at 7 pm. Please use the back door.

From VOTF Worcester, MA Dan Dick:

"If there is one thing that President Bush has got right, it is recognition of the worldwide drive for self-determination, democratic processes, and constitutional government.

That drive is not only being expressed in secular societies but, increasingly, in theocracies where a small minority of self-selected males has held power for far too long. The sex abuse scandals in Roman Catholicism and in the Greek Orthodox Church, and the archaic and cruel treatment of women in other traditions reflect the widening cracks in a system of governance that is way out of step with where the rest of the world is rightly heading.

Our local diocese may be awakening to this threat to its former position of trust and its dwindling authority over others. The renewed emphasis on the claimed role of the celibate priest in incarnating the body and blood of Christ, the exhortations to departed Catholics to 'come home,' and a day-long conference for Catholic men are reactions to the fact that the structure of this theocratic church is out of step with the legitimate strivings of peoples of both genders who demand to be free of this arbitrary and male- only type of governance.

Those churches and societies who, on the other hand, welcome democracy and equality of men and women are thriving. Maybe, one day, the theocracies will see the light and join the community of the rest of us."

From Margaret Cook:
"I have just finished reading your book Keep the Faith, Change the Church. It was most interesting and moving. My husband and I have been Catholics for 84 years each, so we have lived it the way it was and the way it has become. What it has become is not good. We have been upset with what has happened to our Church but, until we read your book, we believed there was no hope. However, we see a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you. We would like to know more about you and how to join you."

On our Way!

Voice of the Faithful Leadership Meeting
Indianapolis, IN July 9-10

“The Laity Speak: Accountability Now”

This is our moment to be heard,

to make decisions,

to make a difference on our watch.

We want you with us – now.

Our leadership gathering in July is to be a grand convocation - a calling together of members and supporters and a calling forth of our gifts. Together we will chart the course for VOTF and, by extension, our Church.

We will review our three years of achievement; brainstorm new and old ideas for action; and learn about some grassroots organizing tools to make things happen when we get home. Above all, we will come together as a community of faith in song, prayer and with Eucharist. We will return to our dioceses ready to claim not only our Baptismal right but our responsibility to full participation in the life of our Church.

The overall focus of the leadership gathering is on accountability in three areas - bishops, church finances and laity. Each of these three key areas will offer breakouts/workshops where your thoughts will help shape the agenda in Indianapolis as well as the future course of VOTF. If you ever wanted your voice to make a difference, this is your moment!

You will not be coming to Indianapolis just to listen, just to talk. You are asked to help make decisions with fellow Catholics who care as much as you do about our Church.

The Indianapolis Convocation Committee will be mailing some information and details to our regional coordinators and affiliate leaders in the next few days. You should already have received Jim Post's announcement letter - if not, please contact one of us (below). "The Laity Speak: Accountability Now" is your opportunity to make yourself heard, so make your personal plans, change whatever plans you might have made, and re-connect with what brought you to VOTF in the first place – it was the right thing to do. It still is.

You will find additional details on our web site, as the program and other details are finalized.

Event chairs Ken Sauer (IN), kensauer@sbcglobal.net; Kris Ward (OH) at kristineward@hotmail.com.
Prayer - Sister Betsy at maple2csj@comcast.net; Susan Troy at troy.mdiv@verizon.net
Program - Gaile Pohlhaus at gaile.pohlhaus@villanova.edu and Sheila Peiffer at sbp2@statetel.com
Communications/Publicity: Peggie Thorp at peggie.thorp@verizon.net; John Moynihan at john_moynihan@hotmail.com
Accommodations/Hospitality - Evelyn Mercantini at esmerc48@comcast.net; Mary Heins at maryheins2002@yahoo.com
Volunteers - tbd
Registration - National office currently - rwhite@votf.org
Pre-meeting and follow-up - tbd

Some suggested reading includes:

Acts of the Apostles, New Testament - Here is where VOTF really began. Consider what you find in these pages and superimpose that image over your own parish/diocesan experience.

Governance, Accountability and the Future of the Catholic Church edited by Francis Oakley and Bruce Russett (2004)

Faith That Dares To Speak by Fr. Donald Cozzens (2004)

The Liberation of the Laity by Paul Lakeland (2003)

Common Calling - The Laity and Governance of the Catholic Church* edited by Stephen J. Pope

Others recommended by members:

The Remaking of the Church by Richard P. McBrien (1973 and still relevant)
Vatican II document "Dogmatic Constitution on The Church" (Lumen Gentium) "
Letter to Women from Pope John Paul II 1988 - "On the Dignity and Vocation of Women" (Mulieris Dignitatem) "
A Documentary History of Religion in America*- edited by Edwin Gaustad and Mark A. Noll (VOTF made it into the third edition, 2003)
Lay Ministry in the Catholic Church** - Visioning Church Ministry Through the Wisdom of the Past - symposium sponsored by National Association of Lay Ministry in collaboration with the Catholic Community Foundation of Kansas City in June 2004. Books, videos, study guides, cassettes available from Liguori Publications, One Liguori Drive, Liguori, MO 63057-9999 or email liguori@liguori.com
American Catholics - Gender, Generation, and Commitment by D'Antonio, Davidson, Hoge and Meyer (2001)
Good Catholic Girls - How Women Are Leading the Fight To Change the Church by Angela Bonavoglia (reviewed in this issue of In the Vineyard)

*The essays in these books are each worth reading, study and discussion but they also make good group projects where members could recap one reading apiece.

**Two perspectives presented that may have particular resonance with VOTFers heading to the leadership meeting are "Who Did What in the Church in the New Testament" by Sr. Carolyn Osiek, R.S.C.J. and "Who Did What in the Church in the First Millennium?" by Dr. Francine Cardman of Weston Jesuit School of Theology.

From Margaret Roylance, chair of the national Structural Change Working Group - a recap of this committee's work over the past three years. It provides a quick snapshot of what VOTF has done to shape structural change within the Church. Next month, Margaret will discuss the committee's vision for the future.

As VOTF moves toward our July 9-10 convocation in Indianapolis, it is a good time to reflect on what we have accomplished in the last three years in the area of our third goal - "To shape structural change within the church", and on the possibilities for the future. Some think we have accomplished very little because they perceive the Church to have the same structure that has existed for years. This perception is misleading. While it is unreasonable to expect major changes in a 2000 year old institution in a few years, significant changes have occurred, and will continue.

First, it is important to remember that we are the Church, and we have changed. As a result of VOTF efforts, lay Catholics both within and outside VOTF are increasingly knowledgeable about the role of the laity throughout Church history, our rights under Canon Law, and the way our Church is currently governed. Because we have educated ourselves and begun to take our rightful role, our Church is changing in other ways as well. When the USCCB uses the language of transparency and accountability, when Bishops post diocesan financial statements on the web, or when the Holy Father tells American Bishops that "a commitment to creating better structures of participation, consultation and shared responsibility should not be misunderstood as a concession to a secular "democratic" model of governance, but as an intrinsic requirement of the exercise of episcopal authority and a necessary means of strengthening that authority," it is clear that the VOTF call for structural change is reverberating at all levels of our church.

The approach that VOTF has taken to structural change to date could be characterized as working for full implementation of existing structures of participation, consultation and shared responsibility. The first VOTF statement on structural change was UNANIMOUSLY adopted by the Representative Council on February 22, 2003. VOTF sought and incorporated feedback on the statement from all the affiliates in the organization, as well as all the US bishops. In the process of developing a consensus document, many ideas (radical and otherwise) were considered, but the review process lead to a foundation which could provide a solid basis for future VOTF action, and it has done so. For example, VOTF's national survey showed that Parish Pastoral Councils work most effectively when they have by-laws or foundation documents guiding their operation. Acting on this information, VOTF has provided a collection of sample by-laws for PPCs, now on our website at www.votf.org.

Other actions include formation of the web-based Structural Change Network to facilitate a national discussion about structural change, preparation of a Primer on existing Canon Law and Church structures (because you cannot work effectively to change what you don't understand), definition of sound operating principles for Diocesan Finance Councils (approved by the Council last May) and Parish Finance Councils (in preparation). VOTF has worked hard on preparing and circulating these finance documents because we are convinced that financial abuse is at least as widespread as sexual abuse within the Church, and may well provoke the next crisis.

In the statement, VOTF called for Parish Safety Committees in every parish in the US, as well as regional lay councils. Child safety groups are now required in every parish in Boston, and VOTF has provided guidelines for PSCs to affiliates across the country. Regional councils could provide a continuum of lay representation from the parish to the region to the diocese, and would have been invaluable in providing genuine lay input into the process of "restructuring" in the Boston. Ad hoc cluster groups with some lay members were formed during restructuring in Boston, but the Diocese of Los Angeles has announced formation of standing regional councils. It may be a coincidence that VOTF worked with the Diocese of LA on a Spanish translation of the statement, but Regional Councils are a good idea, whether we take credit for it or not.