Dear God,
On this day I ask You to grant this request...
May I know who I am and what I am,
Every moment of every day.
May I be a catalyst for light and love,
And bring inspiration to those whose eyes I meet.

Continued: http://votf.org/vineyard/Dec30_2011/prayer.html

Emily & Rosemary Fund for Women in the Catholic Church Awards $5,000 to Former Michigan Teacher
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.
http://votf.org/pressrelease/press-release-for-immediate-release/17866

Last Chance to Donate to VOTF for 2011!
Without your support, VOTF could not continue pushing for change in the Catholic Church. You may donate online. Or, mail your donation to:
Voice of the Faithful 
P.O. Box 423
Newton Upper Falls, MA 02464

Thank you!

Dutch Report Shows Widespread Abuse in Church
Another chapter in the horrific story of worldwide Roman Catholic clergy child sexual abuse began Dec. 16 when a commission established by the Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands released its report.

The report concluded that, between 1945 and 2010, “several tens of thousands of minors have experienced mild, serious and very serious forms of inappropriate sexual behavior,” and “bishops and other church authorities were not ignorant of the problem,” and “in many cases they failed to take adequate actions and paid too little attention to victims.” The commission said Dutch dioceses, religious orders and congregations mentioned about 800 perpetrators in response to its queries. Although at least 150 of these perpetrators are still alive, the commission did not know how many are still in their jobs.
http://votf.org/node/17864

Voice of the Faithful Focus,
Dec. 15, 2011

Highlighting issues we face working together to Keep the Faith, Change the Church.

Clergy, Survivors Sign Plea for Milwaukee Sex Abuse Victims to Come Forward
Priests, clergy sexual abuse survivors and abuse victims’ advocates have collaborated on a full-page ad in the Milwaukee Journal encouraging survivors to come forward before the Feb. 1, 2012, deadline for filing claims against the Milwaukee archdiocese, which is in bankruptcy.

Former Bishop Will Meet with Irish Abuse Victims
For the first time in Ireland, a senior Roman Catholic prelate, Dublin Archbishop Dermot Clifford, has arranged for clergy sexual abuse victims to meet with the bishop, who was in charge in the diocese (Cloyne) when hundreds of abuse complaints were kept secret. Certain formerly secret portions of the Commission of Investigation into child sexual abuse in the diocese of Cloyne were made public Dec. 16.

‘Whistle-blower’ Priests Say Notifying Church Lawyers Thwarts Them
At least four priests called whistle-blowers by lawyers have come forward in Philadelphia hoping to aid prosecutors of current and former clergy members accused of sexual abuse, but an archdiocesan policy requiring them to notify church lawyers before talking to law enforcement could stifle the testimony.

Read all of this issue of Focus by clicking here...

More on the situation in Ireland

Publication of Further Portions of Diocese of Cloyne Report
(Dec. 16, 2011) On 8 April, 2011 the High Court directed that publication of certain parts of the report of the Commission of Investigation into the handling by Church and State authorities of allegations and suspicions of child sexual abuse against clerics of the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne be not published until the court otherwise directs. A decision of the High Court on 16 December last, allowed for the publication of those parts of the report. Consequently, those parts of the report have now been made available on the Department’s website www.justice.ie. There is an obligation, in law, on the Minister for Justice to publish the report as soon as possible. By Ireland’s Department of Justice & Equality
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/PR11000265

Previously redacted portions of the Cloyne Report -- http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Cloyne_Rpt

Calendar

Save the date!
SNAP’s 2012 conference will be held July 27-29 in Chicago - Hyatt Regency McCormick - Chicago IL. For more information send an e-mail to SNAPchicagoffice@gmail.com 

Questions, Comments?

Please send them to Siobhan Carroll, Vineyard Editor at Vineyard@votf.org. Unless otherwise indicated, I will assume comments can be published as Letters to the Editor.