Action

Focus - September 2, 2010

Voice of the Faithful Focus – A brief update highlighting issues and successes as we work together to Keep the Faith, Change the Church.  read more »

Focus - August 26, 2010

Voice of the Faithful Focus – A brief update highlighting issues and successes as we work together to Keep the Faith, Change the Church.  read more »

Press Release For Immediate release

NATIONAL STATEMENT ON VATICAN RESIGNATION REJECTION
August 13, 2010

The Vatican’s refusal to accept the resignation of two Irish bishops dramatically highlights the failure of Pope Benedict to hold himself and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church accountable for their role in the sex abuse scandal.

Cardinal Bernard Law left Boston in disgrace, and was awarded a rich sinecure in Rome. Two Irish bishops judged themselves to be unworthy of continued service as bishops, and the Vatican now rejects their decision. Meanwhile, Bishop John McCormack of New Hampshire announced yesterday that he had submitted his letter of resignation to Rome not because he decided he was indeed guilty of abetting abuse while serving under Law in Boston, but because he had reached the mandatory retirement age of 75. As with many others who covered up sins and crimes, Bishop McCormack should have been fired rather than awarded a position until his retirement.

The Vatican will never heal the wounds caused by this scandal until it shows that it is capable of holding the hierarchy accountable. Rejecting the Irish resignations without explanation displays a rank contempt, rather than a decent respect, for the opinion of the People of God, not to mention a watching world.
 

Focus - August 13, 2010

Voice of the Faithful Focus – A brief update highlighting issues and successes as we work together to Keep the Faith, Change the Church.  read more »

Press Release For Immediate release

FORMER NUN DONATES $75,000 TO VOTF TO ESTABLISH FUND TO AID WOMEN WRONGED BY THE CHURCH
August 9, 2010

 Erie, PA – Tomorrow Voice of the Faithful will formally accept a $75,000 donation from Lynette Petruska, a former nun who once served as chaplain at Gannon University in Erie. Ms. Petruska is donating the money to establish the Emily and Rosemary Fund, which will support women working in the Catholic Church who face financial hardship as a result of discrimination and injustice in the Church.
 

“I was fortunate to have a profession to which I could return,” Ms. Petruska says, “but many women serving the Church find themselves and their families at great risk when targeted by discriminatory practices or when they stand up to injustice. This is my way to help, at least in a small way.”
 

Ms. Petruska, an attorney practicing in St. Louis MO, decided to establish the fund because she herself experienced injustice and discrimination after opposing sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct committed by priests at the university. She later filed a lawsuit against both the university and bishop of Erie PA. She has named the fund after her two grandmothers, women who inspired Lynette with their strength and courage.
 

Tomorrow Ms. Petruska will be joined by Voice of the Faithful leaders as she presents them with a check for the fund. Voice of the Faithful members and friends of Ms. Petruska have been appointed as a committee to handle the applications and distribution of funds. Application instructions will be available on the Voice of the Faithful web site.
 

“We look forward to working with Lynette on this fund to help women who have been treated unfairly by the Church,” says Bill Casey, of the Voice of the Faithful Board of Trustees. Mr. Casey will be at tomorrow’s announcement.
__________________________________________________________________________________

About Voice of the Faithful:
Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) is a lay organization formed in 2002 in response to the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. The goals of the organization are to support survivors, support priests of integrity, and work towards structural change in the Church.
The organization was started in the basement of a church in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and has since expanded worldwide with 30,000 members and affiliates across the country and abroad. For more information about VOTF please visit www.votf.org or email Jessica at votfpr@votf.org or call 781-552-3360.
 

Focus - July 29, 2010

Voice of the Faithful Focus – A brief update highlighting issues and successes as we work together to Keep the Faith, Change the Church.  read more »

Syndicate content