National News
VOTF held its first platform teams meeting May 1-2 in Hartford CT. The gathering gave members of the platform teams a chance to meet face to face with both their own teams and members of other teams. Each team outlined its goals for the upcoming months and looked for places where they could work together with other teams as well. They also discussed the need to support affiliates and to make sure the work under each platform aligned with the Mission and three goals of VOTF. Over the next couple of issues of In the Vineyard, I will ask each of the platform teams to update the membership on the projects for each platform and how they plan to carry out those projects.
As a prelude to the meeting, Janet Hauter, VOTF Vice President, put together a presentation on “branding” and discussed how perceptions both of members and of the community as a whole affect the VOTF brand. Every action in every project must reinforce the VOTF brand, Janet noted. See excerpts from that discussion here; the full presentation also is available if you email office@votf.org.
Help Wanted NOW
We are looking for someone with experience who is willing to help us organize and edit a Program Book for the October Convention on Long Island. The Program Book is essentially a fund raiser and will include paid advertisements and messages from our affiliates, members, associates and well-wishers from around the country. It will also include a limited amount of material specifically relating to the conference, such as Conference Program, President's Welcoming Message, Special Award Winners, etc. If you are willing to lend a hand in this important endeavor, please contact Kevin Connors at fcon101596@optonline.net or 516-796-2231. Please reply ASAP; this effort is critical to the success of the conference.
SAVE THE DATE!!
October 30-31, 2009: VOTF National Conference
MAKING OUR VOICES HEARD
Featuring SR. JOAN CHITTISTER, O.S.B., and FR. THOMAS REESE, S.J.
Join in lively discussions as we come together to reflect on the state of our church and how we can be part of the changes that will renew our faith. We will post additional info as it becomes available.
Priest Support Working Group Needs Your Help!
Submitted by John Ryan
One of the more perplexing aspects of the vocation crisis is the fact that fewer than three out of every ten diocesan priests actively follow up with young men who show signs of having a vocation to the priesthood. This is something that predates 2002 when the sexual abuse scandal broke. Even the head of the Bishop’s Committee on Vocations and Priestly Formation stated “What inhibits priests from inviting young men to the priesthood is a matter for speculation.”
Read more at http://votf.org/vineyard/May7_2009/nwgps.html
News from the Affiliates
The Long Road to Justice: Lobbying for Statute of Limitations Reform
By Francis Piderit
On Tuesday, April 21, 2009, member organizations of the New York Coalition to Protect Children descended on the Capitol Building in Albany to lobby for passage of the NY Child Victims Act, sponsored by Assemblywoman Marge Markey in the NY Assembly (Bill No. A02596) and by State Senator Tom Duane in the NY Senate (S02586).
Here is a scene-by-scene replay of the day, the players and personalities, the action, the issues, and the lessons learned for wanna-be lobbyists of all ages.
To read more http://votf.org/vineyard/May7_2009/reform.html
We would love to hear about other affiliates across the country! Please contact vineyard@votf.org
Site Seeing
VOTF’s Bill Casey was interviewed on Seattle Public Radio (KUOW) about the upcoming lawsuit against the Seattle archdiocese.
To hear Bill’s remarks: http://votf.org/bcasey_050609.mp3
To read an article about the case in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/405867_church04.html
Mass celebrated to honor victims of clergy abuse
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/apr/30/st-john-evangelist-celebrates-mass-honor-victims-c/
Father Richard McBrien talks about the “Grieving Church.”
http://ncronline.org/blogs/essays-theology/grieving-church
More about Ruth Kolpack
http://www.isthmus.com/isthmus/article.php?article=25694
More on the investigation of women religious by the Vatican
http://ncronline.org/news/women/women-religious-meet-vatican-accusers-rome
Calendar
The Vineyard calendar is published twice monthly. If you have something to include about an event in your area, please send it to Vineyard@votf.org.
Elizabeth A. Dreyer, Fairfield University Professor of Religious Studies, will speak on Women's Spirituality for the 21st Century on Thursday, May 7 at 7:30 at the First Congregational Church on the Norwalk Green.
Dr. Dreyer, most recently author of Making Sense of God: A Woman’s Perspective, is general editor of the Called to Holiness series. She lectures widely on the Christian tradition, especially medieval mysticism, grace, the Holy Spirit and contemporary lay spirituality.
More information http://votf.org/vineyard/May7_2009/dreyer.html
Spiritual Thoughts
by Gaile Pohlhaus
Beliefs are faith put into words. Love is faith put into action.
We can be mistaken in both our words and actions. Dogmas seem to fossilize faith; at best they point to a truth but since words change in their meanings every day we can’t be sure that we got the point. The Holy Spirit did not intend to act as some mystical editor. I don't think we should idolize words, the Church (meaning the whole of baptized folk), nor the Eucharist (Communion, the Lord's Supper*), nor Jesus, nor the risen Christ.
Actions can also be pointing in the wrong direction. I am sure there were many well-intentioned folk on the Crusades and well-intentioned missionaries who confused Western Culture with following Jesus. We learn from our mistakes and sometimes we learn without making mistakes.
In any case when it comes to a choice, I believe that Love trumps Beliefs. (I am aware of oxymoron in preceding phrase.)
*I do not mean to imply that Eucharist = Communion = Lord's Supper; these words seem to have similar roles albeit in different churches.
Suggested Reading
Boston College’s Church in the 21st Century has added the following books to their suggested reading
Prophetic Witness: Catholic Women’s Strategies for Reform, Colleen M. Griffith, Editor
While many share the vision of a more inclusive and just church for the 21st century, practical strategies of reform and renewal are still desperately needed. This strikingly direct and practical volume brings together the voices of leading Catholic women theologians from across the U.S., presenting their particular strategies for the church.
Boston College’s Church in the 21st Century also recommends: Two Centuries of Faith: The Influence of Catholicism on Boston: 1808–2008; Thomas H. O’Connor, Editor
In recognition of the 200th anniversary of the Archdiocese, the president of Boston College authorized this series of scholarly essays focusing on the various ways in which Catholicism has influenced life and society in the Greater Boston area. Two Centuries of Faith covers such topics as Catholic Charities, parochial education, church-state relations, Catholic literary figures, the influence of women, the changing nature of parish life, as well as a contemporary history of the Archdiocese of Boston.
If you are interested in purchasing either of these books, please go to VOTF.org and follow the links to Amazon. VOTF will get a portion of the proceeds. What a great Mother’s Day present!
