VOTF Actions

In the Vineyard: May 4, 2012

dbdoucette — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:23:49 -0700

Voice of the Faithful National Statement -- Bishops Release 2011 Child Protection Audit; Continued Vigilance Necessary

votfpr — Thu, 03 May 2012 20:29:32 -0700

NEWTON, Mass., May 3, 2012 – With no fanfare and practically no media coverage, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released its 2011 child protection audit last month. Promoters of secrecy and cover-up of clergy sexual abuse in the Church might be rejoicing at this lack of attention, but Voice of the Faithful® sees it as an incitement to continued vigilance.

Voice of the Faithful’s concern about these audits remains their self-reporting process and lack of any means of censure or correction for bishops who refuse to follow or fail to follow the USCCB’s Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. Reliance of auditors on information filtered through the dioceses is evidence of the inherent weakness of the audit process. Further evidence of the audit’s weakness include court actions in Philadelphia and Kansas City, two dioceses that passed the audits during the periods when the transgressions occurred, yet still failed to report the abuse properly, and the refusal, without consequences, by dioceses in Oregon and Nebraska and several eparchies to follow the charter.

In addition, auditors visit only a minority of dioceses each year to conduct audits in person and prepare their report, and perhaps most alarmingly, the 2011 report warns of “growing complacency” on the part of bishops and superiors of religious orders to coordinate activities related to sex-abuse allegations.

As a result, although the 2011 audit report says the charter is doing a good job of raising awareness and training children, parents and Church employees to recognize abuse and its precursors, the audit remains focused on numbers, like numbers of people trained and costs associated with settlements and therapy for survivors. The report does not address the more critical issues of making the audits independent of diocesan control and holding bishops accountable when the reported information proves faulty. Both steps, are essential to healing and renewal for the Church.

VOTF notes, as well, that positive steps toward transparency and accountability and changes in attitude and language that have taken place in the Church since clergy sexual abuse became widely known 10 years ago are due in no small part to the light VOTF, other like organizations, prosecutors, victims’ lawyers and the media have shone on the scandal.

Voice of the Faithful—Voice of the Faithful is a worldwide movement of concerned mainstream Roman Catholics working to support survivors of clergy sexual abuse, support priests of integrity and increase the laity’s role in governance and guidance of the Church. More information is at http://www.votf.org.

Contact—Nick Ingala, 781-559-3360 Office, 617-291-3495 Cell, nickingala@votf.org

In the Vineyard: April 20, 2012

dbdoucette — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:43:25 -0700

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VOTF National Statement -- Voice of the Faithful Takes Nuns' Side

votfpr — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:53:41 -0700

NEWTON, Mass., apr. 20, 2012 – As the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith comes down on women religious in the United States for doctrinal impurity, Roman Catholic Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful supports the sisters.

On Wednesday, the Vatican mandated reform of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the largest leadership body of women religious in the United States, which represents about 80 percent of the 57,000 nuns in the country. Because of LCWR’s purported doctrinal impurity, the Vatican has appointed an archbishop to oversee the nuns’ reform.

The record of women religious in this country taking care of the most vulnerable in our society, creating the American hospital system, for example, is a primer on Gospel values. Their long service on the front lines of poverty and disease is worthy of the respect and admiration of all, VOTF among them.

Canon Lawyers are not giving LCWR much of a chance against the Vatican, which started LCWR in 1956 and to which the sisters answer.

VOTF believes that, although the Vatican may have Canon Law on its side, the sisters have Jesus’ example on theirs and his Scriptural admonition (Luke 20:46-47) about teachers of the law: “Be on guard against the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and love greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.”

Voice of the Faithful: Voice of the Faithful is a worldwide movement of concerned mainstream Roman Catholics working to support survivors of clergy sexual abuse, support priests of integrity and increase the laity’s role in governance and guidance of the Church. More information is at http://www.votf.org.

Contact: Nick Ingala, 781-559-3360 Office, 617-291-3495 Cell, nickingala@votf.org

In the Vineyard: April 6, 2012

dbdoucette — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:13:40 -0700

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VOTF National Statement -- Religious Order Is First to Request Abuse Audit

votfpr — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:24:47 -0700

Voice of the Faithful® lauds move toward “complete disclosure…as to the reality of the sexual abuse of children and minors by clergy, religious or church workers”

NEWTON, Mass., apr. 2, 2012 – The Holy Ghost Fathers (Spiritans), C.S.Sp., in Ireland has become the first Roman Catholic Church religious order to request an independent public audit of clergy sexual abuse of children within the congregation. In an announcement on the congregation’s website March 30, the Spiritans said that, “until a complete picture is known of past and present abuse within the church, there can be no possibility of authentic accountability or renewal for the future.”

Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful® applauds this effort.

“Voice of the Faithful® has been working for 10 years to bring about the attitude toward transparency and accountability within the Church shown by the Irish Spiritans’ request for an abuse audit,” said Mark Mullaney, VOTF president. “Just as Spiritan priests, brothers and lay associates have dedicated themselves to the Holy Spirit, so also VOTF members seek to heal their Church by providing it with prayerful voices attentive to the Sprit’s will. It’s our mission and our constant desire.”

The Spiritans’ website announcement also read in part: “The Spiritans Congregation in Ireland has requested to be audited. The present Provincial Leadership Team, supported by the recent Provincial Chapter, believes that only a public audit of the reality of abuse committed by Spiritans can free the Congregation to carry out its mission of service among God’s people here in Ireland and overseas.”

The Spiritans also said the NBSCCC (National Board of Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland), whose “competency and independence” has been recognized by the Irish government, will conduct the Spiritans audit this May, and the report will be issued along with reports of audits on other dioceses and congregations.

John Morgan, NBSCCC chairman, will be a keynote speaker at Voice of the Faithful’s 10th Year Conference in Boston, Mass., Sept. 14-15, 2012.

Contact:
Nick Ingala, 781-559-3360, 617-291-3495 Cell, nickingala@votf.org

In the Vineyard: March 23, 2012

dbdoucette — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:49:41 -0700

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National Statement -- Church Reform Movement Voice of the Faithful Disappointed at Elevation of Lori to Archbishop of Baltimore

votfpr — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:40:35 -0700

NEWTON, Mass., Mar. 20, 2012 – Catholic Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful, which supports survivors of clergy sexual abuse, is disappointed at the elevation of Bridgeport, Conn., Bishop William Lori to archbishop of Baltimore, which the Vatican announced today.

Although Bishop Lori in many ways has acted to shore up child-protection policies and institute reforms in those policies, on the question of transparency he has fallen short.

Bishop Lori has supported measures to protect children from clergy sexual abuse, has instituted child protection measures in his Bridgeport diocese and was a key participant in the drafting in 2002 of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ national Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. He also has apologized to those abused by priests.

Despite this, Lori for years opposed disclosure of sealed documents alleging clergy sexual abuse, refused to remove priests from ministry who lost civil suits in which the diocese paid settlements to victims and has been taken to task by SNAP (Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests) for not honoring his promises of full transparency about priests and deacons removed from ministry up to date.

“We will never rid our Church of the clergy sexual abuse scandal and all its effects until we have complete and total transparency and accountability,” said Mark Mullaney, VOTF president. “We do not think elevating clerics whose actions demonstrate a preference for secrecy is the proper road toward healing.”

Contact:

Nick Ingala, 781-559-3360, 617-291-3495 Cell, nickingala@votf.org

VOTF National Statement -- Voice of the Faithful Sees Church Legal Pressure Crippling SNAP Effort to Protect the Vulnerable

votfpr — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:22:05 -0700

NEWTON, Mass., Mar. 13, 2012 – Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful stood with SNAP (Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests) during a press conference in Washington, D.C., today, as SNAP continues its efforts against forceful disclosure of confidential information about sexual abuse victims.

The press conference was held in front of the U.S. bishops’ conference headquarters, where bishops are holding administrative meetings, to express the view that the Church’s recent legal attacks, according to SNAP, “are crippling our work to protect the vulnerable and heal the wounded.”

Catholic Church lawyers defending clergy in child sexual abuse cases in Kansas City and St. Louis are demanding that SNAP hand over 23 years’ worth of confidential information, even though SNAP is not a party to the law suits. VOTF agrees with law professor and victims’ advocate Marci Hamilton, as quoted in today’s New York Times: “If there is one group that the higher-ups, the bishops, would like to see silenced, it definitely would be SNAP. And that’s what they’re after. They’re trying to silence SNAP.”

Earlier this year, VOTF joined nine other victims’ advocacy groups and the Missouri Press Association in a friend of the court brief asking the court to deny defendants’ requests to compel SNAP to turn over confidential information. The brief argued that anonymity and confidentiality are vital to the well-being of any sexual abuse victims’ group in order to work successfully with victims. SNAP executive director David Clohessy has since been deposed in an apparent “fishing expedition” for information beneficial to the defense. A Kansas City court hearing April 20 will determine whether SNAP will be compelled to turn over subpoenaed documents.

“The Church, whether in the guise of a couple of bishops or several, seems to be bent on continuing its protection of the institution rather than emphasizing compassion for child victims who speak out as adults about how devastating abuse is, not only in their own lives, but also in the lives of those all around them,” said Mark Mullaney, VOTF president. “The Church’s assets are important to its mission and many charitable activities, but not at the expense of atonement for the perpetration and cover-up of crimes against children. We need to get to a constructive way of healing.”

Contact:
Nick Ingala, 781-559-3360, 617-291-3495 Cell, nickingala@votf.org

In the Vineyard: March 9, 2012

dbdoucette — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 01:00:36 -0700

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VOTF National Statement -- Voice of the Faithful Sees Victory for Laity in Vatican Reversal of Cleveland Church Closings

votfpr — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:42:50 -0800

NEWTON, Mass., Mar. 9, 2012 – The Roman Catholic Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful sees a clear victory for the lay voices in our Church in the Vatican’s reversal earlier this week of church closings in the Cleveland Diocese.

Many resolute Catholic lay people in the Cleveland area have been battling the closing of 50 area churches in 2009 and 2010. Thirteen of the churches filed appeals with the Vatican, and the Vatican’s decree this week, rare but not unprecedented, completely reversed Bishop Richard Lennon’s order to close those churches. The Vatican ruled that Lennon had “erred procedurally and substantively” in issuing the closing order, according to an attorney representing some of the closed churches.

“We see this as a clear cut victory for the rights of lay Catholics who feel that their voices should count when the hierarchy makes decisions about their parishes. Parish churches, although they may not legally belong to parishioners, are certainly their spiritual homes, shelters for their faith, and part of their Catholic identity for themselves and for generations of family, friends and brothers and sisters in Christ,” said Mark Mullaney, VOTF president.

Contact:
Nick Ingala, 781-559-3360, 617-291-3495 Cell, nickingala@votf.org

VOTF National Statement -- Voice of the Faithful Agrees Conspiracy Memo in Priests' Case "Shocking"

votfpr — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:08:51 -0800

NEWTON, Mass., Feb. 28, 2012 – A newly discovered memo proves Philadelphia archdiocesan officials engaged in a conspiracy to cover up clergy sexual abuse in 1994. The memo also proves the Catholic Church reform group Voice of the Faithful’s long-held contention that Church hierarchy have covered up clergy sexual abuse to protect the Church’s reputation and assets at the expense of child victims of clergy sexual abuse.

According to media reports of court documents submitted by the archdiocese’s own lawyers, who called the memo a “shocking discovery,” Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, then archbishop of Philadelphia, ordered a list of abusive priests shredded. Also according to reports, the lawyers assert in the documents, “As this newfound memorandum proves, the District Attorney’s Office is entirely correct in its belief and assertion that an overarching Archdiocesan conspiracy existed in Philadelphia in the 1990s.”

The lawyers are defending Msgr. William Lynn, who has been charged with child endangerment for covering up clergy sexual abuse and transferring abusive priests from parish to parish while in charge of archdiocesan priest assignments.

Media reports of lawyers’ arguments during jury selection said Lynn compiled a list of 35 abusive priests in 1992. Lynn’s attorneys say Bevilacqua ordered Lynn’s supervisor, Msgr. James Molloy, to shred the list. Prosecutors say Lynn kept a copy of the list and memo and placed it in Malloy’s safe. Lynn described the list in 2005 grand jury testimony, but said he couldn’t find it. Bevilacqua and Molloy denied obstructing justice and destroying documents in their grand jury testimony. Although archdiocesan officials had found the memo in 2006, they turned it over to prosecutors only last month.

Lynn’s lawyers argued that their client’s charges should be dismissed because any conspiracy to protect abusive priests came from Church officials above Lynn. Prosecutors portrayed defense arguments as “a combination of the dead-guys-did-it and the I-was-only-following-orders defenses.” The judge ruled that the case would proceed, and the trial is expected to start March 26.

Bevilacqua and Molloy have died, but court documents state the conspiracy also included Bishop Edward Cullen, now emeritus bishop of Allentown, Penn., and Bishop Joseph Cistone, now bishop of Saginaw, Mich. “Appallingly, none of these individuals is on trial,” said reports on the court documents.

“These Philadelphia Church leaders showed a scandalous lack of compassion for abuse victims,” said Mark Mullaney, VOTF’s president, “and attitudes similar to theirs today, plus the fact that two bishops implicated in the Philadelphia conspiracy still lead dioceses, render the Dallas Charter guidelines to protect children worthless. When Church leaders from around the world gathered for the Vatican’s “Toward Healing and Renewal” symposium in February, they talked for four days, showing great concern for abuse victims. VOTF now calls for the Vatican to translate statements of concern into action against bishops who have covered up the truth.”

Voice of the Faithful

Voice of the Faithful is a worldwide movement of concerned mainstream Roman Catholics working to support survivors of clergy sexual abuse, support priests of integrity and increase the laity’s role in governance and guidance of the Church. More information is at http://www.votf.org.

Contact:

Nick Ingala, 781-559-3360, 617-291-3495 Cell, nickingala@votf.org

In the Vineyard: Feb. 10, 2012

dbdoucette — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:36:50 -0800

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In the Vineyard: Jan. 27, 2012

dbdoucette — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:02:54 -0800

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Voice of the Faithful National Statement -- Catholic Church Reform Movement Voice of the Faithful Cautions Hierarchy

votfpr — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:29:03 -0800

World's Catholic Church leaders meet at Rome Symposium on Clergy Sexual Abuse Feb. 6

NEWTON, Mass., Jan. 24, 2012 -- The Roman Catholic Church has yet to develop an effective worldwide response to clergy child sexual abuse, even though widespread abuse was evident by the mid-1990s, exploded into crisis in the United States in 2002 and in the past few years has proven to be epidemic around the world. Church leaders worldwide will attend a symposium in Rome Feb. 6 to discuss such a response.

Voice of the Faithful cautions Church leaders that the time has come, and indeed is long past, not only for creating appropriate responses to abuse allegations in every diocese worldwide, but also for ending the secrecy and coverups that so exacerbate the crimes. Transparency and accountability are essential.

“Towards Healing and Renewal: A Symposium for Catholic Bishops and Religious Superiors on Sexual Abuse of Minors” is expected to draw delegates from 110 bishops’ conferences and superiors of 30 religious orders internationally.

Their goal in part will be to share “practical wisdom” of “experts in the fields of psychology, canon law, theology, and pastoral ministry” in order to promote a consistent, global response by the Church to reports of sexual abuse and to structure child protection policies. In this, the symposium points toward the May 2012 deadline for dioceses worldwide to develop guidelines for handling child abuse allegations.

The Vatican is right to bring worldwide attention and focus on this growing and continuing scandal that ruins lives and wounds the Church so deeply. The Vatican is right to seek a worldwide response to the enormous task of handling sexual abuse allegations amidst Church communities with such cultural, theological, sociological and governmental diversity. But the Vatican’s failure before now to look for global solutions and hold bishops accountable and the bishops’ actions in keeping abuse allegations secret leave VOTF without confidence that adequate guidelines will be forthcoming.

VOTF and other organizations and individuals that put children above institutional image will be watching closely for what comes from the symposium and May deadline.

Voice of the Faithful

Contact:

Nick Ingala, 781-559-3360, 617-291-3495 Cell, nickingala@votf.org

In the Vineyard: Jan. 13, 2012

dbdoucette — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:41:05 -0800

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National Statement -- After 10 Years of Clergy Sexual Abuse Headlines Voice of the Faithful Sees No Certainty Children Are Safe

votfpr — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:28:07 -0800

NEWTON, Mass., Jan. 5, 2012 – More than 130 people had come forward to tell their stories of childhood sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priest Fr. John Geoghan, reported The Boston Globe on Jan. 6, 2002. Over the next decade, around the world and as recently as last month in The Netherlands, came revelations that thousands of Catholic priests had abused tens of thousands of children in the last half of the 20th Century.

Voice of the Faithful, comprising thousands of concerned mainstream Catholics, has dedicated the last decade to supporting survivors and conscientious priests and trying to change Church structure and governance to help prevent scandals like child sexual abuse.

“Sadly, in spite of the Church hierarchy’s numerous apologies to survivors and wide variety of mandated programs, we cannot be sure our children are safe,” says Mark Mullaney, incoming president during VOTF’s 10th anniversary year.

First, Mullaney points out, the Church’s agencies for reporting and handling sexual abuse allegations are not independent of Church control or influence and their processes are not transparent. Second, the Church has not censured or removed any official or bishop discovered to have been involved in keeping clergy sexual abuse secret or to have transferred accused abusers instead of removing them immediately from ministry.

The Church deserves credit for enormous strides in improving its vigilance of child sexual abuse, and attitudes have changed dramatically, according to Mullaney.

“But the Church has been implicated in stealing the innocence of thousands of children, irreparably ruining the lives of most of them,” he says. “VOTF will continue its struggle until the Church does at least two things. First, improves child protection guidelines to mandate specific disciplinary action for violations. Second, makes diocesan review audits more effective by ensuring unrestricted access to personnel files and complete independence of auditing agencies.”

Mullaney adds, “When it comes to the Church’s abuses, the Church hierarchy has been like the proverbial broken record. The record has been playing for 10 years now. Our firm desire is that it stops now.”

Voice of the Faithful

Contact:
Nick Ingala, 781-559-3360, 617-291-3495 Cell, nickingala@votf.org

In the Vineyard: December 30, 2011

dbdoucette — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:56:19 -0800

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In the Vineyard: December 16, 2011

dbdoucette — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:28:53 -0800

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Emily & Rosemary Fund for Women in the Catholic Church Awards $5,000 to Former Michigan Teacher

votfpr — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:17:35 -0800

NEWTON, Mass., Dec. 21, 2011 – 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.

The Emily & Rosemary Fund grant review committee determined Linda Bohlinger, Oscoda, Mich., presented material in her grant application that indicated she was wrongfully terminated from Holy Family Catholic School in East Tawas, Mich. Written comments in Bohlinger’s record, for example, did not agree with her positive numerical performance scores and her work history did not appear to warrant losing her job. At the time she had been a teacher for 24 years.

In response to a disciplinary letter removed from her employment history and later put back into her file, Bohlinger wrote, “I have never had a write up, I have never had a complaint from a parent, I rarely need a substitute, I feel I need to defend myself and have been blindsided by this disciplinary action.” The disciplinary report included four alleged incidents within three months of 2009, and Bohlinger’s contract was not renewed for 2010. She had been at the school for four years.

Bohlinger said she will use her grant to continue her education and start a Spanish immersion tutoring business to help meet the educational needs in her rural community. “We applaud your plans to share your gifts with Spanish-speaking communities,” the review committee said in its award letter. “The review committee is pleased to provide you this funding, and we hope that it will assist in getting you started in a new educational direction.”

“The Emily & Rosemary Fund grants provide women with an opportunity for redress,” said Dan Bartley, VOTF president, “and the grants actually are funded by a woman who was callously wronged by her Church employers.”

Lynette Petruska, formerly a Roman Catholic nun and now a St. Louis attorney, established the Emily & Rosemary Fund in 2009. The fund helps support women who lose employment in the Roman Catholic Church as a result of injustice or discrimination and also supports women who are working to bring about justice and equality in the Church. Petruska said she experienced injustice and discrimination after opposing sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct by priests at Gannon University, Erie, Penn., where she was appointed the first female chaplain in 1999.

Emily & Rosemary Fund for Women in the Church grants are awarded in October and April. Grant applications are available at http://www.votf.org. Completed applications are accepted by e-mail at office@votf.org.

Voice of the Faithful

Voice of the Faithful is a worldwide movement of concerned mainstream Roman Catholics working to support survivors of clergy sexual abuse, support priests of integrity and shape structural change within the Church. More information is at http://www.votf.org.

Contact:
Nick Ingala, 781-559-3360, 617-291-3495 Cell, nickingala@votf.org