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VATICAN RESPONSE
 | Voice of the Faithful's Newsletter | July 1, 2010 |
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Voice of the Faithful | P.O. Box 423 | Newton Upper Falls | MA | 02464 |
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  | | April is Child Protection
Month. Please check our web site for ways you can help combat the problem of child sex abuse. | In 2004, Voice of the
Faithful honored Fr. James Scahill of St. Michael’s parish in East Longmeadow MA with our Priest of Integrity award. Fr. Scahill continues to speak out in support of survivors and has called for all bishops to repent their roles
in any cover-ups. Recently, at Sunday Masses in his parish, Fr. Scahill repeated this call; you can hear his comments
about those homilies here. Fr. Scahill's courage has reportedly led some
Catholics to demand that his bishop defrock him. VOTF deplores the concept that speaking out against sex abuse by clergy and
its coverup by bishops should somehow deserve condemnation when it has taken the hierarchy years to even consider defrocking
many of the sexual abusers. We ask our members to please consider
writing two brief letters of support for Fr. Scahill: one to the bishop in Springfield, and one to Fr. Scahill himself. Their
addresses are below: Most Rev. Tomothy A. McDonnell, 76 Elliot
St., P.O. Box 1730, Springfield MA 01102-1730; Fax 4520804. Email addresses are TMcDonnell@diospringfield.org or M.Dupont@diospringfield.org (Diocesan Media Person)
Rev. Father James J.Scahill, St Michael's Parish Office, 128 Maple St.,
East Longmeadow MA 01028
(parish secretary email address is pbaran@charter.net ) Thank you, 
Dan Bartley, President
In conjunction with VOTF’s National Officers and Trustees
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2009. All Rights Reserved |
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Voice of the Faithful | P.O. Box 423 | Newton Upper Falls | MA | 02464 |
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VATICAN CITY, 20 MAR 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the English-language summary of the
Pope's Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland, which was made public this morning: The Pope
has written a Pastoral Letter to all the Catholics of Ireland, expressing his dismay at the sexual abuse of young people by
Church representatives and the way this was addressed by local bishops and religious superiors. He asks that the Letter be
read with attention and in its entirety. The Holy Father speaks of his closeness in prayer to the whole Irish Catholic community
at this painful time and he proposes a path of healing, renewal and reparation. He calls on them to remember the rock from which they were hewn, particularly the fine contribution
made by Irish missionaries to European civilisation, and to the spread of Christianity in every continent. Recent years have
seen many challenges to the faith in Ireland, in the wake of fast-paced social change and a decline in adherence to traditional
devotional and sacramental practices. This is the context in which the Church's handling of the problem of child sexual abuse
has to be understood.
Many factors have given rise to the problem: insufficient
moral and spiritual formation in seminaries and novitiates, a tendency in society to favour the clergy and other authority
figures, and a misplaced concern for the reputation of the Church and the avoidance of scandal, resulting in failure to apply
existing canonical penalties when needed. Only by careful examination of the many elements that gave rise to the crisis can
its causes be properly diagnosed and effective remedies be found. During their "ad limina" visit to Rome in 2006, the Pope urged the Irish bishops
to "establish the truth of what happened in the past, to take whatever steps are
necessary to prevent it from occurring again, to ensure that the principles of justice are fully respected, and above
all, to bring healing to the victims and to all those affected by these egregious crimes." Since that time he himself
has met victims on more than one occasion, listening to their stories, praying with them and for them, and he is ready to
do so again in the future. In February 2010 he called the Irish bishops to Rome to discuss with them the steps they are taking
to remedy the problem, with particular reference to the procedures and protocols now in place to ensure the safety of children
in church environments and to respond swiftly and justly to allegations of abuse. In this Pastoral Letter, he speaks directly
to a series of different groups within the Irish Catholic community, in the light of the situation that has arisen. Addressing the victims of abuse first of
all, he acknowledges the grievous betrayal they have suffered and he tells them how sorry he is over what they have endured.
He recognises that, in many cases, no one would listen when they found the courage to speak of what happened. He understands
how those in residential institutions must have felt, with no way of escape from their sufferings. While recognising how hard
it must be for many of them to forgive or be reconciled with the Church, he urges them not to lose hope. Jesus Christ, Himself
a victim of unjust sufferings, understands the depths of their pain and its enduring
effect upon their lives and relationships. Yet His wounds, transformed by His redemptive sufferings, are the very means by
which the power of evil is broken and we are reborn to life and hope. The Pope urges victims to seek in the Church the opportunity
to encounter Jesus Christ and to find healing and reconciliation by rediscovering the infinite love that Christ has for each
one of them. In his words to priests and religious who have abused young people, the Pope
calls upon them to answer before God and before properly constituted tribunals for the sinful and criminal actions they have
committed. They have betrayed a sacred trust and brought shame and dishonour upon their confreres. Great harm has been done,
not only to the victims, but also to the public perception of the priesthood and religious life in Ireland. While summoning
them to submit to the demands of justice, he reminds them that they should not despair of God's mercy, which is freely offered
to even the greatest of sinners, if they repent of their actions, do penance, and humbly pray for forgiveness. The
Pope encourages parents to persevere in the demanding task of bringing up children to know that they are loved and cherished,
and to develop a healthy self-esteem. Parents have the primary responsibility for educating new generations in the moral principles
that are essential for a civilised society. The Pope invites children and young people to find in the Church an opportunity
for a life-giving encounter with Christ, and not to be deterred by the failings of some priests and religious. He looks to
the younger generation to contribute to the renewal of the Church. He also urges priests and religious not to be discouraged,
but rather to dedicate themselves anew to their respective apostolates, working in harmony with their superiors so as to offer
new life and vitality to the Church in Ireland through their living witness to the Lord's redeeming work. Addressing
himself to the Irish bishops, the Pope notes the grave errors of judgement and failure of leadership on the part of many,
because they did not correctly apply canonical procedures when responding to allegations of abuse. While it was often hard
to know how to address complex situations, the fact remains that serious mistakes were made, and they have lost credibility
as a result. The Pope urges them to continue their determined efforts to remedy past mistakes and to prevent any recurrence by fully implementing canon law and co-operating with civil authorities
in their areas of competence. He calls upon the bishops, moreover, to rededicate themselves to the pursuit of holiness, setting
an example themselves, and encouraging the priests and the lay faithful to play their part in the life and mission of the
Church. Finally, the Pope proposes
some specific steps to foster the renewal of the Church in Ireland. He asks all to offer up their Friday penances, for a period
of one year, in reparation for the sins of abuse that have occurred. He recommends frequent recourse to the Sacrament of Reconciliation
and the practice of Eucharistic adoration. He announces his intention to hold an Apostolic Visitation of certain dioceses,
religious congregations and seminaries, with the involvement of the Roman Curia, and he proposes a nationwide Mission for
bishops, priests and religious in Ireland. This being the international Year for Priests, he holds up the figure of St. John
Vianney as a model and intercessor for a revitalised priestly ministry in Ireland. After thanking all who have worked so hard
to deal decisively with the problem, he concludes by proposing a Prayer for the Church in Ireland, to be used by all the faithful
to invoke the grace of healing and renewal at this difficult time.
| | | 03.20.2010 - Twentieth Year - Num. 54 |
| | | SUMMARY
OF PASTORAL LETTER TO IRISH FAITHFUL VATICAN CITY, 20 MAR 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the English-language summary of the
Pope's Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland, which was made public this morning: The Pope has written a Pastoral
Letter to all the Catholics of Ireland, expressing his dismay at the sexual abuse of young people by Church representatives
and the way this was addressed by local bishops and religious superiors. He asks that the Letter be read with attention and
in its entirety. The Holy Father speaks of his closeness in prayer to the whole Irish Catholic community at this painful time
and he proposes a path of healing, renewal and reparation.
He calls on them to remember the rock from which they were hewn, particularly the fine contribution made by Irish missionaries
to European civilisation, and to the spread of Christianity in every continent. Recent years have seen many challenges to
the faith in Ireland, in the wake of fast-paced social change and a decline in adherence to traditional devotional and sacramental
practices. This is the context in which the Church's handling of the problem of child sexual abuse has to be understood. Many factors have given rise to the problem: insufficient moral and spiritual formation in seminaries and novitiates, a tendency in society
to favour the clergy and other authority figures, and a misplaced concern for the reputation of the Church and the avoidance
of scandal, resulting in failure to apply existing canonical penalties when needed. Only by careful examination of the many
elements that gave rise to the crisis can its causes be properly diagnosed and effective remedies be found. During their "ad limina" visit to Rome in 2006, the Pope urged
the Irish bishops to "establish the truth of what happened in the past, to take whatever
steps are necessary to prevent it from occurring again, to ensure that the principles of justice are fully respected,
and above all, to bring healing to the victims and to all those affected by these egregious crimes." Since that time
he himself has met victims on more than one occasion, listening to their stories, praying with them and for them, and he is
ready to do so again in the future. In February 2010 he called the Irish bishops to Rome to discuss with them the steps they
are taking to remedy the problem, with particular reference to the procedures and protocols now in place to ensure the safety
of children in church environments and to respond swiftly and justly to allegations of abuse. In this Pastoral Letter, he
speaks directly to a series of different groups within the Irish Catholic community, in the light of the situation that has
arisen. Addressing the victims of abuse first of all,
he acknowledges the grievous betrayal they have suffered and he tells them how sorry he is over what they have endured. He
recognises that, in many cases, no one would listen when they found the courage to speak of what happened. He understands
how those in residential institutions must have felt, with no way of escape from their sufferings. While recognising how hard
it must be for many of them to forgive or be reconciled with the Church, he urges them not to lose hope. Jesus Christ, Himself
a victim of unjust sufferings, understands the depths of their pain and its enduring
effect upon their lives and relationships. Yet His wounds, transformed by His redemptive sufferings, are the very means by
which the power of evil is broken and we are reborn to life and hope. The Pope urges victims to seek in the Church the opportunity
to encounter Jesus Christ and to find healing and reconciliation by rediscovering the infinite love that Christ has for each
one of them. In his words to priests and religious who have abused young people, the Pope calls upon them to answer before
God and before properly constituted tribunals for the sinful and criminal actions they have committed. They have betrayed
a sacred trust and brought shame and dishonour upon their confreres. Great harm has been done, not only to the victims, but
also to the public perception of the priesthood and religious life in Ireland. While summoning them to submit to the demands
of justice, he reminds them that they should not despair of God's mercy, which is freely offered to even the greatest of sinners,
if they repent of their actions, do penance, and humbly pray for forgiveness. The Pope encourages parents to persevere in the
demanding task of bringing up children to know that they are loved and cherished, and to develop a healthy self-esteem. Parents
have the primary responsibility for educating new generations in the moral principles that are essential for a civilised society.
The Pope invites children and young people to find in the Church an opportunity for a life-giving encounter with Christ, and
not to be deterred by the failings of some priests and religious. He looks to the younger generation to contribute to the
renewal of the Church. He also urges priests and religious not to be discouraged, but rather to dedicate themselves anew to
their respective apostolates, working in harmony with their superiors so as to offer new life and vitality to the Church in
Ireland through their living witness to the Lord's redeeming work. Addressing himself to the Irish bishops, the Pope notes the grave
errors of judgement and failure of leadership on the part of many, because they did not correctly apply canonical procedures
when responding to allegations of abuse. While it was often hard to know how to address complex situations, the fact remains
that serious mistakes were made, and they have lost credibility as a result. The Pope urges them to continue their determined
efforts to remedy past mistakes and to prevent any recurrence
by fully implementing canon law and co-operating with civil authorities in their areas of competence. He calls upon the bishops,
moreover, to rededicate themselves to the pursuit of holiness, setting an example themselves, and encouraging the priests
and the lay faithful to play their part in the life and mission of the Church. Finally, the Pope proposes some specific steps to foster the renewal of the Church in Ireland. He
asks all to offer up their Friday penances, for a period of one year, in reparation for the sins of abuse that have occurred.
He recommends frequent recourse to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the practice of Eucharistic adoration. He announces
his intention to hold an Apostolic Visitation of certain dioceses, religious congregations and seminaries, with the involvement
of the Roman Curia, and he proposes a nationwide Mission for bishops, priests and religious in Ireland. This being the international
Year for Priests, he holds up the figure of St. John Vianney as a model and intercessor for a revitalised priestly ministry
in Ireland. After thanking all who have worked so hard to deal decisively with the problem, he concludes by proposing a Prayer
for the Church in Ireland, to be used by all the faithful to invoke the grace of healing and renewal at this difficult time.OP/SUMMARY PASTORAL LETTER/IRELAND
VIS 100320 (1200) HOLY FATHER'S PASTORAL
LETTER TO THE CATHOLICS OF IRELAND VATICAN CITY, 20 MAR 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the complete text of the Holy Father's
Pastoral Letter of The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to the Catholics of Ireland: 1. Dear brothers and sisters of the Church in Ireland, it is with great concern that I write to you
as Pastor of the universal Church. Like yourselves, I have been deeply disturbed by the information which has come to light
regarding the abuse of children and vulnerable young people by members of the Church in Ireland, particularly by priests and
religious. I can only share in the dismay and the sense of betrayal that so many of you have experienced on learning of these
sinful and criminal acts and the way Church authorities in Ireland dealt with them. As you know, I recently invited the Irish bishops to a meeting here in Rome to give an account of
their handling of these matters in the past and to outline the steps they have taken to respond to this grave situation. Together
with senior officials of the Roman Curia, I listened to what they had to say, both individually and as a group, as they offered
an analysis of mistakes made and lessons learned, and a description of the programmes and protocols now in place. Our discussions
were frank and constructive. I am confident that, as a result, the bishops will now be in a stronger position to carry forward
the work of repairing past injustices and confronting the broader issues associated with the abuse of minors in a way consonant
with the demands of justice and the teachings of the Gospel.
2. For my part, considering the gravity of these offences, and the often inadequate response to them on the part of the ecclesiastical
authorities in your country, I have decided to write this Pastoral Letter to express my closeness to you and to propose a
path of healing, renewal and reparation. It is true,
as many in your country have pointed out, that the problem of child abuse is peculiar neither to Ireland nor to the Church.
Nevertheless, the task you now face is to address the problem of abuse that has occurred within the Irish Catholic community,
and to do so with courage and determination. No one imagines that this painful situation will be resolved swiftly. Real progress
has been made, yet much more remains to be done. Perseverance and prayer are needed, with great trust in the healing power
of God's grace. At the same time, I must also express my conviction
that, in order to recover from this grievous wound, the Church in Ireland must first acknowledge before the Lord and before
others the serious sins committed against defenceless children. Such an acknowledgement, accompanied by sincere sorrow for
the damage caused to these victims and their families, must lead to a concerted effort to ensure the protection of children
from similar crimes in the future. As you take up the challenges of this hour,
I ask you to remember "the rock from which you were hewn". Reflect upon the generous, often heroic, contributions
made by past generations of Irish men and women to the Church and to humanity as a whole, and let this provide the impetus
for honest self-examination and a committed programme of ecclesial and individual renewal. It is my prayer that, assisted
by the intercession of her many saints and purified through penance, the Church in Ireland will overcome the present crisis
and become once more a convincing witness to the truth and the goodness of Almighty God, made manifest in His Son Jesus Christ. 3. Historically, the Catholics of Ireland have proved an enormous force
for good at home and abroad. Celtic monks like St. Columbanus spread the Gospel in Western Europe and laid the foundations
of mediaeval monastic culture. The ideals of holiness, charity and transcendent wisdom born of the Christian faith found expression
in the building of churches and monasteries and the establishment of schools, libraries and hospitals, all of which helped
to consolidate the spiritual identity of Europe. Those Irish missionaries drew their strength and inspiration from the firm
faith, strong leadership and upright morals of the Church in their native land. From the sixteenth century on, Catholics in Ireland endured a long period of persecution, during which
they struggled to keep the flame of faith alive in dangerous and difficult circumstances. St. Oliver Plunkett, the martyred
archbishop of Armagh, is the most famous example of a host of courageous sons and daughters of Ireland who were willing to
lay down their lives out of fidelity to the Gospel. After Catholic Emancipation, the Church was free to grow once more. Families
and countless individuals who had preserved the faith in times of trial became the catalyst for the great resurgence of Irish
Catholicism in the nineteenth century. The Church provided education, especially for the poor, and this was to make a major
contribution to Irish society. Among the fruits of the new Catholic schools was a rise in vocations: generations of missionary
priests, sisters and brothers left their homeland to serve in every continent, especially in the English-speaking world. They
were remarkable not only for their great numbers, but for the strength of their faith and the steadfastness of their pastoral
commitment. Many dioceses, especially in Africa, America and Australia, benefited from the presence of Irish clergy and religious
who preached the Gospel and established parishes, schools and universities, clinics and hospitals that served both Catholics
and the community at large, with particular attention to the needs of the poor. In almost every family in Ireland, there has been someone - a son or a daughter, an aunt or an uncle
- who has given his or her life to the Church. Irish families rightly esteem and cherish their loved ones who have dedicated
their lives to Christ, sharing the gift of faith with others, and putting that faith into action in loving service of God
and neighbour. 4. In recent decades, however, the Church in
your country has had to confront new and serious challenges to the faith arising from the rapid transformation and secularisation
of Irish society. Fast-paced social change has occurred, often adversely affecting people's traditional adherence to Catholic
teaching and values. All too often, the sacramental and devotional practices that sustain faith and enable it to grow, such
as frequent confession, daily prayer and annual retreats, were neglected. Significant too was the tendency during this period,
also on the part of priests and religious, to adopt ways of thinking and assessing secular realities without sufficient reference
to the Gospel. The programme of renewal proposed by the Vatican Council II was sometimes misinterpreted and indeed, in the
light of the profound social changes that were taking place, it was far from easy to know how best to implement it. In particular,
there was a well-intentioned but misguided tendency to avoid penal approaches to canonically irregular situations. It is in
this overall context that we must try to understand the disturbing problem of child sexual abuse, which has contributed in
no small measure to the weakening of faith and the loss of respect for the Church and her teachings. Only by examining carefully the many elements that gave rise to the present crisis can a clear-sighted
diagnosis of its causes be undertaken and effective remedies be found. Certainly, among the contributing factors we can include:
inadequate procedures for determining the suitability of candidates for the priesthood and the religious life; insufficient
human, moral, intellectual and spiritual formation in seminaries and novitiates; a tendency in society to favour the clergy
and other authority figures; and a misplaced concern for the reputation of the Church and the avoidance of scandal, resulting
in failure to apply existing canonical penalties and to safeguard the dignity of every person. Urgent action is needed to
address these factors, which have had such tragic consequences in the lives of victims and their families, and have obscured
the light of the Gospel to a degree that not even centuries of persecution succeeded in doing. 5. On several occasions since my election to the See of Peter, I have met with victims of sexual
abuse, as indeed I am ready to do in the future. I have sat with them, I have listened to their stories, I have acknowledged
their suffering, and I have prayed with them and for them. Earlier in my pontificate, in my concern to address this matter,
I asked the bishops of Ireland, "to establish the truth of what happened in the past, to take whatever steps are necessary
to prevent it from occurring again, to ensure that the principles of justice are fully respected, and above all, to bring
healing to the victims and to all those affected by these egregious crimes". With this Letter, I wish to exhort all of you, as God's people in Ireland, to reflect on the wounds
inflicted on Christ's body, the sometimes painful remedies needed to bind and heal them, and the need for unity, charity and
mutual support in the long-term process of restoration and ecclesial renewal. I now turn to you with words that come from
my heart, and I wish to speak to each of you individually and to all of you as brothers and sisters in the Lord.
6. To the victims of abuse
and their families You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry. I know that nothing can undo the wrong you have endured. Your trust
has been betrayed and your dignity has been violated. Many of you found that, when you were courageous enough to speak of
what happened to you, no one would listen. Those of you who were abused in residential institutions must have felt that there
was no escape from your sufferings. It is understandable that you find it hard to forgive or be reconciled with the Church.
In her name, I openly express the shame and remorse that we all feel. At the same time, I ask you not to lose hope. It is
in the communion of the Church that we encounter the person of Jesus Christ, who was Himself a victim of injustice and sin.
Like you, He still bears the wounds of His own unjust suffering. He understands the depths of your pain and its enduring effect
upon your lives and your relationships, including your relationship with the Church. I know some of you find it difficult even to enter the doors of a church after all that has occurred.
Yet Christ's own wounds, transformed by His redemptive sufferings, are the very means by which the power of evil is broken
and we are reborn to life and hope. I believe deeply in the healing power of his self-sacrificing love - even in the darkest
and most hopeless situations - to bring liberation and the promise of a new beginning. Speaking to you as a pastor concerned for the good of all God's children, I humbly ask you to consider
what I have said. I pray that, by drawing nearer to Christ and by participating in the life of His Church - a Church purified
by penance and renewed in pastoral charity - you will come to rediscover Christ's infinite love for each one of you. I am
confident that in this way you will be able to find reconciliation, deep inner healing and peace. 7. To priests and religious who have abused children You betrayed the trust that was placed in you by innocent young people and their parents, and you
must answer for it before Almighty God and before properly constituted tribunals. You have forfeited the esteem of the people
of Ireland and brought shame and dishonour upon your confreres. Those of you who are priests violated the sanctity of the
sacrament of Holy Orders in which Christ makes Himself present in us and in our actions. Together with the immense harm done
to victims, great damage has been done to the Church and to the public perception of the priesthood and religious life. I urge you to examine your conscience, take responsibility for the sins
you have committed, and humbly express your sorrow. Sincere repentance opens the door to God's forgiveness and the grace of
true amendment. By offering prayers and penances for those
you have wronged, you should seek to atone personally for your actions. Christ's redeeming sacrifice has the power to forgive
even the gravest of sins, and to bring forth good from even the most terrible evil. At the same time, God's justice summons
us to give an account of our actions and to conceal nothing. Openly acknowledge your guilt, submit yourselves to the demands
of justice, but do not despair of God's mercy. 8. To parents You have been deeply shocked to learn of the terrible things that took
place in what ought to be the safest and most secure environment of all. In today's world it is not easy to build a home and
to bring up children. They deserve to grow up in security, loved and cherished, with a strong sense of their identity and
worth. They have a right to be educated in authentic moral values rooted in the dignity of the human person, to be inspired
by the truth of our Catholic faith and to learn ways of behaving and acting that lead to healthy self-esteem and lasting happiness.
This noble but demanding task is entrusted in the first place to you, their parents. I urge you to play your part in ensuring
the best possible care of children, both at home and in society as a whole, while the Church, for her part, continues to implement
the measures adopted in recent years to protect young people in parish and school environments. As you carry out your vital
responsibilities, be assured that I remain close to you and I offer you the support of my prayers. 9. To the children and young people of Ireland I wish to offer you a particular
word of encouragement. Your experience of the Church is very different from that of your parents and grandparents. The world
has changed greatly since they were your age. Yet all people, in every generation, are called to travel the same path through
life, whatever their circumstances may be. We are all scandalised by the sins and failures of some of the Church's members,
particularly those who were chosen especially to guide and serve young people. But it is in the Church that you will find
Jesus Christ, Who is the same yesterday, today and for ever. He loves you and He has offered himself on the cross for you.
Seek a personal relationship with Him within the communion of His Church, for He will never betray your trust! He alone can
satisfy your deepest longings and give your lives their fullest meaning by directing them to the service of others. Keep your
eyes fixed on Jesus and His goodness, and shelter the flame of faith in your heart. Together with your fellow Catholics in
Ireland, I look to you to be faithful disciples of our Lord and to bring your much-needed enthusiasm and idealism to the rebuilding
and renewal of our beloved Church. 10. To the priests and religious of Ireland All of
us are suffering as a result of the sins of our confreres who betrayed a sacred trust or failed to deal justly and responsibly
with allegations of abuse. In view of the outrage and indignation which this has provoked, not only among the lay faithful
but among yourselves and your religious communities, many of you feel personally discouraged, even abandoned. I am also aware
that in some people's eyes you are tainted by association, and viewed as if you were somehow responsible for the misdeeds
of others. At this painful time, I want to acknowledge the dedication of your priestly and religious lives and apostolates,
and I invite you to reaffirm your faith in Christ, your love of His Church and your confidence in the Gospel's promise of
redemption, forgiveness and interior renewal. In this way, you will demonstrate for all to see that where sin abounds, grace
abounds all the more. I know that many of you are disappointed, bewildered
and angered by the way these matters have been handled by some of your superiors. Yet, it is essential that you co-operate
closely with those in authority and help to ensure that the measures adopted to respond to the crisis will be truly evangelical,
just and effective. Above all, I urge you to become ever more clearly men and women of prayer, courageously following the
path of conversion, purification and reconciliation. In this way, the Church in Ireland will draw new life and vitality from
your witness to the Lord's redeeming power made visible in your lives.
11. To my brother bishops It cannot be denied that some of you and your
predecessors failed, at times grievously, to apply the long-established norms of canon law to the crime of child abuse. Serious
mistakes were made in responding to allegations. I recognise how difficult it was to grasp the extent and complexity of the
problem, to obtain reliable information and to make the right decisions in the light of conflicting expert advice. Nevertheless,
it must be admitted that grave errors of judgement were made and failures of leadership occurred. All this has seriously undermined
your credibility and effectiveness. I appreciate the efforts you have made to remedy past mistakes and to guarantee that they
do not happen again. Besides fully implementing the norms of canon law in addressing cases of child abuse, continue to co-operate
with the civil authorities in their area of competence. Clearly, religious superiors should do likewise. They too have taken
part in recent discussions here in Rome with a view to establishing a clear and consistent approach to these matters. It is
imperative that the child safety norms of the Church in Ireland be continually revised and updated and that they be applied
fully and impartially in conformity with canon law.
Only decisive action carried out with complete honesty and transparency will restore the respect and good will of the Irish
people towards the Church to which we have consecrated our lives. This must arise, first and foremost, from your own self-examination,
inner purification and spiritual renewal. The Irish people rightly expect you to be men of God, to be holy, to live simply,
to pursue personal conversion daily. For them, in the words of St. Augustine, you are a bishop; yet with them you are called
to be a follower of Christ. I therefore exhort you to renew your sense of accountability before God, to grow in solidarity
with your people and to deepen your pastoral concern for all the members of your flock. In particular, I ask you to be attentive
to the spiritual and moral lives of each one of your priests. Set them an example by your own lives, be close to them, listen
to their concerns, offer them encouragement at this difficult time and stir up the flame of their love for Christ and their
commitment to the service of their brothers and sisters.
The lay faithful, too, should be encouraged to play their proper part in the life of the Church. See that they are formed
in such a way that they can offer an articulate and convincing account of the Gospel in the midst of modern society and cooperate
more fully in the Church's life and mission. This in turn will help you once again become credible leaders and witnesses to
the redeeming truth of Christ. 12. To all the faithful of Ireland A young person's experience of the Church should always bear fruit in a
personal and life-giving encounter with Jesus Christ within a loving, nourishing community. In this environment, young people
should be encouraged to grow to their full human and spiritual stature, to aspire to high ideals of holiness, charity and
truth, and to draw inspiration from the riches of a great religious and cultural tradition. In our increasingly secularised
society, where even we Christians often find it difficult to speak of the transcendent dimension of our existence, we need
to find new ways to pass on to young people the beauty and richness of friendship with Jesus Christ in the communion of His
Church. In confronting the present crisis, measures to deal justly with individual crimes are essential, yet on their own
they are not enough: a new vision is needed, to inspire present and future generations to treasure the gift of our common
faith. By treading the path marked out by the Gospel, by observing the commandments and by conforming your lives ever more
closely to the figure of Jesus Christ, you will surely experience the profound renewal that is so urgently needed at this
time. I invite you all to persevere along this path.
13. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is out of deep concern for all of you at this painful time in which the fragility
of the human condition has been so starkly revealed that I have wished to offer these words of encouragement and support.
I hope that you will receive them as a sign of my spiritual closeness and
my confidence in your ability to respond to the challenges of the present hour by drawing renewed inspiration and strength
from Ireland's noble traditions of fidelity to the Gospel, perseverance in the faith and steadfastness in the pursuit of holiness. In solidarity with all of you, I am praying earnestly that, by God's grace, the wounds
afflicting so many individuals and families may be healed and that the Church in Ireland may experience a season of rebirth
and spiritual renewal. 14. I now wish to propose
to you some concrete initiatives to address the situation.
At the conclusion of my meeting with the Irish bishops, I asked that Lent this year be set aside as a time to pray for an
outpouring of God's mercy and the Holy Spirit's gifts of holiness and strength upon the Church in your country. I now invite
all of you to devote your Friday penances, for a period of one year, between now and Easter 2011, to this intention. I ask
you to offer up your fasting, your prayer, your reading of Scripture and your works of mercy in order to obtain the grace
of healing and renewal for the Church in Ireland. I encourage you to discover anew the Sacrament of Reconciliation and to
avail yourselves more frequently of the transforming power of its grace.
Particular attention should also be given to Eucharistic adoration, and in every diocese there should be churches or chapels
specifically devoted to this purpose. I ask parishes, seminaries, religious houses and monasteries to organise periods of
Eucharistic adoration, so that all have an opportunity to take part. Through intense prayer before the real presence of the
Lord, you can make reparation for the sins of abuse that have done so much harm, at the same time imploring the grace of renewed
strength and a deeper sense of mission on the part of all bishops, priests, religious and lay faithful. I am confident that this programme will lead to a rebirth of the Church
in Ireland in the fullness of God's own truth, for it is the truth that sets us free. Furthermore, having consulted and prayed about the matter, I intend to hold an Apostolic Visitation
of certain dioceses in Ireland, as well as seminaries and religious congregations. Arrangements for the Visitation, which
is intended to assist the local Church on her path of renewal, will be made in co-operation with the competent offices of
the Roman Curia and the Irish Episcopal Conference. The details will be announced in due course. I also propose that a nationwide Mission be held for all bishops, priests and religious. It
is my hope that, by drawing on the expertise of experienced preachers and retreat-givers from Ireland and from elsewhere,
and by exploring anew the conciliar documents, the liturgical rites of ordination and profession, and recent pontifical teaching,
you will come to a more profound appreciation of your respective vocations, so as to rediscover the roots of your faith in
Jesus Christ and to drink deeply from the springs of living water that he offers you through His Church. In this Year for Priests, I commend to you most particularly the figure
of St. John Mary Vianney, who had such a rich understanding of the mystery of the priesthood. "The priest", he wrote,
"holds the key to the treasures of heaven: it is he who opens the door: he is the steward of the good Lord; the administrator
of His goods". The Cure d'Ars understood well how greatly blessed a community is when served by a good and holy priest:
"A good shepherd, a pastor after God's heart, is the greatest treasure which the good Lord can grant to a parish, and
one of the most precious gifts of divine mercy". Through the intercession of St. John Mary Vianney, may the priesthood
in Ireland be revitalised, and may the whole Church in Ireland grow in appreciation for the great gift of the priestly ministry. I take this opportunity to thank in anticipation all those who will be
involved in the work of organising the Apostolic Visitation and the Mission, as well as the many men and women throughout
Ireland already working for the safety of children in church environments. Since the time when the gravity and extent of the
problem of child sexual abuse in Catholic institutions first began to be fully grasped, the Church has done an immense amount
of work in many parts of the world in order to address and remedy it. While no effort should be spared in improving and updating
existing procedures, I am encouraged by the fact that the current safeguarding practices adopted by local Churches are being
seen, in some parts of the world, as a model for other institutions to follow. I wish to conclude this Letter with a special Prayer for the Church in Ireland, which I send to you
with the care of a father for his children and with the affection of a fellow Christian, scandalised and hurt by what has
occurred in our beloved Church. As you make use of this prayer in your families, parishes and communities, may the Blessed
Virgin Mary protect and guide each of you to a closer union with her Son, crucified and risen. With great affection and unswerving
confidence in God's promises, I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of strength and peace in
the Lord. From the Vatican, 19 March 2010, on the Solemnity
of St. Joseph Prayer for the Church in Ireland God of our fathers,renew us in the faith which is our life and salvation,the hope which promises forgiveness and interior renewal,the charity which purifies and opens our heartsto love you, and in you, each of our brothers and
sisters. Lord Jesus Christ,may the Church in Ireland renew her age-old commitmentto the education of our young people in the way of
truth and goodness, holiness and generous service to society. Holy
Spirit, comforter, advocate and guide,inspire a new springtime of holiness and apostolic zealfor the Church in Ireland. May our
sorrow and our tears,our sincere
effort to redress past wrongs,and
our firm purpose of amendmentbear
an abundant harvest of gracefor
the deepening of the faithin our
families, parishes, schools and communities,for the spiritual progress of Irish society,and the growth of charity, justice, joy and peacewithin the whole human family. To
you, Triune God,confident in the
loving protection of Mary,Queen
of Ireland, our Mother,and of
St. Patrick, St. Brigid and all the saints,do we entrust ourselves, our children,and the needs of the Church in Ireland..../PASTORAL LETTER/IRELAND
VIS 100320 (4690) | |
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******************************************************************************************** | | | 03.20.2010 - Twentieth Year - Num. 54 |
| | | SUMMARY: - Summary of Pastoral Letter to Irish Faithful- Holy Father's Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland ___________________________________________________________ SUMMARY OF PASTORAL LETTER TO IRISH FAITHFUL VATICAN CITY,
20 MAR 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the English-language
summary of the Pope's Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of
Ireland, which was made public this morning: The Pope has written a Pastoral Letter to all the Catholics of Ireland, expressing
his dismay at the sexual abuse of young people by Church representatives and the way this was addressed by local bishops and
religious superiors. He asks that the Letter be read with attention and in its entirety. The Holy Father speaks of his closeness
in prayer to the whole Irish Catholic community at this painful time and he proposes a path of healing, renewal and reparation. He calls on them to remember the rock from which they were hewn, particularly
the fine contribution made by Irish missionaries to European civilisation, and to the spread of Christianity in every continent.
Recent years have seen many challenges to the faith in Ireland, in the wake of fast-paced social change and a decline in adherence
to traditional devotional and sacramental practices. This is the context in which the Church's handling of the problem of
child sexual abuse has to be understood. Many factors
have given rise to the problem: insufficient moral and spiritual
formation in seminaries and novitiates, a tendency in society to favour the clergy and other authority figures, and a misplaced
concern for the reputation of the Church and the avoidance of scandal, resulting in failure to apply existing canonical penalties
when needed. Only by careful examination of the many elements that gave rise to the crisis can its causes be properly diagnosed
and effective remedies be found. During their "ad limina" visit to
Rome in 2006, the Pope urged the Irish bishops to "establish the truth of what happened in the past, to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent it from occurring again, to ensure that the principles of justice
are fully respected, and above all, to bring healing to the victims and to all those affected by these egregious crimes."
Since that time he himself has met victims on more than one occasion, listening to their stories, praying with them and for
them, and he is ready to do so again in the future. In February 2010 he called the Irish bishops to Rome to discuss with them
the steps they are taking to remedy the problem, with particular reference to the procedures and protocols now in place to
ensure the safety of children in church environments and to respond swiftly and justly to allegations of abuse. In this Pastoral
Letter, he speaks directly to a series of different groups within the Irish Catholic community, in the light of the situation
that has arisen. Addressing the victims of abuse first of all,
he acknowledges the grievous betrayal they have suffered and he tells them how sorry he is over what they have endured. He
recognises that, in many cases, no one would listen when they found the courage to speak of what happened. He understands
how those in residential institutions must have felt, with no way of escape from their sufferings. While recognising how hard
it must be for many of them to forgive or be reconciled with the Church, he urges them not to lose hope. Jesus Christ, Himself
a victim of unjust sufferings, understands the depths of their pain and its enduring
effect upon their lives and relationships. Yet His wounds, transformed by His redemptive sufferings, are the very means by
which the power of evil is broken and we are reborn to life and hope. The Pope urges victims to seek in the Church the opportunity
to encounter Jesus Christ and to find healing and reconciliation by rediscovering the infinite love that Christ has for each
one of them. In his words to priests and religious who have abused young people, the Pope calls upon them to answer before
God and before properly constituted tribunals for the sinful and criminal actions they have committed. They have betrayed
a sacred trust and brought shame and dishonour upon their confreres. Great harm has been done, not only to the victims, but
also to the public perception of the priesthood and religious life in Ireland. While summoning them to submit to the demands
of justice, he reminds them that they should not despair of God's mercy, which is freely offered to even the greatest of sinners,
if they repent of their actions, do penance, and humbly pray for forgiveness. The Pope encourages parents to persevere in the
demanding task of bringing up children to know that they are loved and cherished, and to develop a healthy self-esteem. Parents
have the primary responsibility for educating new generations in the moral principles that are essential for a civilised society.
The Pope invites children and young people to find in the Church an opportunity for a life-giving encounter with Christ, and
not to be deterred by the failings of some priests and religious. He looks to the younger generation to contribute to the
renewal of the Church. He also urges priests and religious not to be discouraged, but rather to dedicate themselves anew to
their respective apostolates, working in harmony with their superiors so as to offer new life and vitality to the Church in
Ireland through their living witness to the Lord's redeeming work. Addressing himself to the Irish bishops, the Pope notes the grave
errors of judgement and failure of leadership on the part of many, because they did not correctly apply canonical procedures
when responding to allegations of abuse. While it was often hard to know how to address complex situations, the fact remains
that serious mistakes were made, and they have lost credibility as a result. The Pope urges them to continue their determined
efforts to remedy past mistakes and to prevent any recurrence
by fully implementing canon law and co-operating with civil authorities in their areas of competence. He calls upon the bishops,
moreover, to rededicate themselves to the pursuit of holiness, setting an example themselves, and encouraging the priests
and the lay faithful to play their part in the life and mission of the Church. Finally, the Pope proposes some specific steps to foster the renewal of the Church in Ireland. He
asks all to offer up their Friday penances, for a period of one year, in reparation for the sins of abuse that have occurred.
He recommends frequent recourse to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the practice of Eucharistic adoration. He announces
his intention to hold an Apostolic Visitation of certain dioceses, religious congregations and seminaries, with the involvement
of the Roman Curia, and he proposes a nationwide Mission for bishops, priests and religious in Ireland. This being the international
Year for Priests, he holds up the figure of St. John Vianney as a model and intercessor for a revitalised priestly ministry
in Ireland. After thanking all who have worked so hard to deal decisively with the problem, he concludes by proposing a Prayer
for the Church in Ireland, to be used by all the faithful to invoke the grace of healing and renewal at this difficult time.OP/SUMMARY PASTORAL LETTER/IRELAND
VIS 100320 (1200) HOLY FATHER'S PASTORAL
LETTER TO THE CATHOLICS OF IRELAND VATICAN CITY, 20 MAR 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the complete text of the Holy Father's
Pastoral Letter of The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to the Catholics of Ireland: 1. Dear brothers and sisters of the Church in Ireland, it is with great concern that I write to you
as Pastor of the universal Church. Like yourselves, I have been deeply disturbed by the information which has come to light
regarding the abuse of children and vulnerable young people by members of the Church in Ireland, particularly by priests and
religious. I can only share in the dismay and the sense of betrayal that so many of you have experienced on learning of these
sinful and criminal acts and the way Church authorities in Ireland dealt with them. As you know, I recently invited the Irish bishops to a meeting here in Rome to give an account of
their handling of these matters in the past and to outline the steps they have taken to respond to this grave situation. Together
with senior officials of the Roman Curia, I listened to what they had to say, both individually and as a group, as they offered
an analysis of mistakes made and lessons learned, and a description of the programmes and protocols now in place. Our discussions
were frank and constructive. I am confident that, as a result, the bishops will now be in a stronger position to carry forward
the work of repairing past injustices and confronting the broader issues associated with the abuse of minors in a way consonant
with the demands of justice and the teachings of the Gospel.
2. For my part, considering the gravity of these offences, and the often inadequate response to them on the part of the ecclesiastical
authorities in your country, I have decided to write this Pastoral Letter to express my closeness to you and to propose a
path of healing, renewal and reparation. It is true,
as many in your country have pointed out, that the problem of child abuse is peculiar neither to Ireland nor to the Church.
Nevertheless, the task you now face is to address the problem of abuse that has occurred within the Irish Catholic community,
and to do so with courage and determination. No one imagines that this painful situation will be resolved swiftly. Real progress
has been made, yet much more remains to be done. Perseverance and prayer are needed, with great trust in the healing power
of God's grace. At the same time, I must also express my conviction
that, in order to recover from this grievous wound, the Church in Ireland must first acknowledge before the Lord and before
others the serious sins committed against defenceless children. Such an acknowledgement, accompanied by sincere sorrow for
the damage caused to these victims and their families, must lead to a concerted effort to ensure the protection of children
from similar crimes in the future. As you take up the challenges of this hour,
I ask you to remember "the rock from which you were hewn". Reflect upon the generous, often heroic, contributions
made by past generations of Irish men and women to the Church and to humanity as a whole, and let this provide the impetus
for honest self-examination and a committed programme of ecclesial and individual renewal. It is my prayer that, assisted
by the intercession of her many saints and purified through penance, the Church in Ireland will overcome the present crisis
and become once more a convincing witness to the truth and the goodness of Almighty God, made manifest in His Son Jesus Christ. 3. Historically, the Catholics of Ireland have proved an enormous force
for good at home and abroad. Celtic monks like St. Columbanus spread the Gospel in Western Europe and laid the foundations
of mediaeval monastic culture. The ideals of holiness, charity and transcendent wisdom born of the Christian faith found expression
in the building of churches and monasteries and the establishment of schools, libraries and hospitals, all of which helped
to consolidate the spiritual identity of Europe. Those Irish missionaries drew their strength and inspiration from the firm
faith, strong leadership and upright morals of the Church in their native land. From the sixteenth century on, Catholics in Ireland endured a long period of persecution, during which
they struggled to keep the flame of faith alive in dangerous and difficult circumstances. St. Oliver Plunkett, the martyred
archbishop of Armagh, is the most famous example of a host of courageous sons and daughters of Ireland who were willing to
lay down their lives out of fidelity to the Gospel. After Catholic Emancipation, the Church was free to grow once more. Families
and countless individuals who had preserved the faith in times of trial became the catalyst for the great resurgence of Irish
Catholicism in the nineteenth century. The Church provided education, especially for the poor, and this was to make a major
contribution to Irish society. Among the fruits of the new Catholic schools was a rise in vocations: generations of missionary
priests, sisters and brothers left their homeland to serve in every continent, especially in the English-speaking world. They
were remarkable not only for their great numbers, but for the strength of their faith and the steadfastness of their pastoral
commitment. Many dioceses, especially in Africa, America and Australia, benefited from the presence of Irish clergy and religious
who preached the Gospel and established parishes, schools and universities, clinics and hospitals that served both Catholics
and the community at large, with particular attention to the needs of the poor. In almost every family in Ireland, there has been someone - a son or a daughter, an aunt or an uncle
- who has given his or her life to the Church. Irish families rightly esteem and cherish their loved ones who have dedicated
their lives to Christ, sharing the gift of faith with others, and putting that faith into action in loving service of God
and neighbour. 4. In recent decades, however, the Church in
your country has had to confront new and serious challenges to the faith arising from the rapid transformation and secularisation
of Irish society. Fast-paced social change has occurred, often adversely affecting people's traditional adherence to Catholic
teaching and values. All too often, the sacramental and devotional practices that sustain faith and enable it to grow, such
as frequent confession, daily prayer and annual retreats, were neglected. Significant too was the tendency during this period,
also on the part of priests and religious, to adopt ways of thinking and assessing secular realities without sufficient reference
to the Gospel. The programme of renewal proposed by the Vatican Council II was sometimes misinterpreted and indeed, in the
light of the profound social changes that were taking place, it was far from easy to know how best to implement it. In particular,
there was a well-intentioned but misguided tendency to avoid penal approaches to canonically irregular situations. It is in
this overall context that we must try to understand the disturbing problem of child sexual abuse, which has contributed in
no small measure to the weakening of faith and the loss of respect for the Church and her teachings. Only by examining carefully the many elements that gave rise to the present crisis can a clear-sighted
diagnosis of its causes be undertaken and effective remedies be found. Certainly, among the contributing factors we can include:
inadequate procedures for determining the suitability of candidates for the priesthood and the religious life; insufficient
human, moral, intellectual and spiritual formation in seminaries and novitiates; a tendency in society to favour the clergy
and other authority figures; and a misplaced concern for the reputation of the Church and the avoidance of scandal, resulting
in failure to apply existing canonical penalties and to safeguard the dignity of every person. Urgent action is needed to
address these factors, which have had such tragic consequences in the lives of victims and their families, and have obscured
the light of the Gospel to a degree that not even centuries of persecution succeeded in doing. 5. On several occasions since my election to the See of Peter, I have met with victims of sexual
abuse, as indeed I am ready to do in the future. I have sat with them, I have listened to their stories, I have acknowledged
their suffering, and I have prayed with them and for them. Earlier in my pontificate, in my concern to address this matter,
I asked the bishops of Ireland, "to establish the truth of what happened in the past, to take whatever steps are necessary
to prevent it from occurring again, to ensure that the principles of justice are fully respected, and above all, to bring
healing to the victims and to all those affected by these egregious crimes". With this Letter, I wish to exhort all of you, as God's people in Ireland, to reflect on the wounds
inflicted on Christ's body, the sometimes painful remedies needed to bind and heal them, and the need for unity, charity and
mutual support in the long-term process of restoration and ecclesial renewal. I now turn to you with words that come from
my heart, and I wish to speak to each of you individually and to all of you as brothers and sisters in the Lord.
6. To the victims of abuse
and their families You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry. I know that nothing can undo the wrong you have endured. Your trust
has been betrayed and your dignity has been violated. Many of you found that, when you were courageous enough to speak of
what happened to you, no one would listen. Those of you who were abused in residential institutions must have felt that there
was no escape from your sufferings. It is understandable that you find it hard to forgive or be reconciled with the Church.
In her name, I openly express the shame and remorse that we all feel. At the same time, I ask you not to lose hope. It is
in the communion of the Church that we encounter the person of Jesus Christ, who was Himself a victim of injustice and sin.
Like you, He still bears the wounds of His own unjust suffering. He understands the depths of your pain and its enduring effect
upon your lives and your relationships, including your relationship with the Church. I know some of you find it difficult even to enter the doors of a church after all that has occurred.
Yet Christ's own wounds, transformed by His redemptive sufferings, are the very means by which the power of evil is broken
and we are reborn to life and hope. I believe deeply in the healing power of his self-sacrificing love - even in the darkest
and most hopeless situations - to bring liberation and the promise of a new beginning. Speaking to you as a pastor concerned for the good of all God's children, I humbly ask you to consider
what I have said. I pray that, by drawing nearer to Christ and by participating in the life of His Church - a Church purified
by penance and renewed in pastoral charity - you will come to rediscover Christ's infinite love for each one of you. I am
confident that in this way you will be able to find reconciliation, deep inner healing and peace. 7. To priests and religious who have abused children You betrayed the trust that was placed in you by innocent young people and their parents, and you
must answer for it before Almighty God and before properly constituted tribunals. You have forfeited the esteem of the people
of Ireland and brought shame and dishonour upon your confreres. Those of you who are priests violated the sanctity of the
sacrament of Holy Orders in which Christ makes Himself present in us and in our actions. Together with the immense harm done
to victims, great damage has been done to the Church and to the public perception of the priesthood and religious life. I urge you to examine your conscience, take responsibility for the sins
you have committed, and humbly express your sorrow. Sincere repentance opens the door to God's forgiveness and the grace of
true amendment. By offering prayers and penances for those
you have wronged, you should seek to atone personally for your actions. Christ's redeeming sacrifice has the power to forgive
even the gravest of sins, and to bring forth good from even the most terrible evil. At the same time, God's justice summons
us to give an account of our actions and to conceal nothing. Openly acknowledge your guilt, submit yourselves to the demands
of justice, but do not despair of God's mercy. 8. To parents You have been deeply shocked to learn of the terrible things that took
place in what ought to be the safest and most secure environment of all. In today's world it is not easy to build a home and
to bring up children. They deserve to grow up in security, loved and cherished, with a strong sense of their identity and
worth. They have a right to be educated in authentic moral values rooted in the dignity of the human person, to be inspired
by the truth of our Catholic faith and to learn ways of behaving and acting that lead to healthy self-esteem and lasting happiness.
This noble but demanding task is entrusted in the first place to you, their parents. I urge you to play your part in ensuring
the best possible care of children, both at home and in society as a whole, while the Church, for her part, continues to implement
the measures adopted in recent years to protect young people in parish and school environments. As you carry out your vital
responsibilities, be assured that I remain close to you and I offer you the support of my prayers. 9. To the children and young people of Ireland I wish to offer you a particular
word of encouragement. Your experience of the Church is very different from that of your parents and grandparents. The world
has changed greatly since they were your age. Yet all people, in every generation, are called to travel the same path through
life, whatever their circumstances may be. We are all scandalised by the sins and failures of some of the Church's members,
particularly those who were chosen especially to guide and serve young people. But it is in the Church that you will find
Jesus Christ, Who is the same yesterday, today and for ever. He loves you and He has offered himself on the cross for you.
Seek a personal relationship with Him within the communion of His Church, for He will never betray your trust! He alone can
satisfy your deepest longings and give your lives their fullest meaning by directing them to the service of others. Keep your
eyes fixed on Jesus and His goodness, and shelter the flame of faith in your heart. Together with your fellow Catholics in
Ireland, I look to you to be faithful disciples of our Lord and to bring your much-needed enthusiasm and idealism to the rebuilding
and renewal of our beloved Church. 10. To the priests and religious of Ireland All of
us are suffering as a result of the sins of our confreres who betrayed a sacred trust or failed to deal justly and responsibly
with allegations of abuse. In view of the outrage and indignation which this has provoked, not only among the lay faithful
but among yourselves and your religious communities, many of you feel personally discouraged, even abandoned. I am also aware
that in some people's eyes you are tainted by association, and viewed as if you were somehow responsible for the misdeeds
of others. At this painful time, I want to acknowledge the dedication of your priestly and religious lives and apostolates,
and I invite you to reaffirm your faith in Christ, your love of His Church and your confidence in the Gospel's promise of
redemption, forgiveness and interior renewal. In this way, you will demonstrate for all to see that where sin abounds, grace
abounds all the more. I know that many of you are disappointed, bewildered
and angered by the way these matters have been handled by some of your superiors. Yet, it is essential that you co-operate
closely with those in authority and help to ensure that the measures adopted to respond to the crisis will be truly evangelical,
just and effective. Above all, I urge you to become ever more clearly men and women of prayer, courageously following the
path of conversion, purification and reconciliation. In this way, the Church in Ireland will draw new life and vitality from
your witness to the Lord's redeeming power made visible in your lives.
11. To my brother bishops It cannot be denied that some of you and your
predecessors failed, at times grievously, to apply the long-established norms of canon law to the crime of child abuse. Serious
mistakes were made in responding to allegations. I recognise how difficult it was to grasp the extent and complexity of the
problem, to obtain reliable information and to make the right decisions in the light of conflicting expert advice. Nevertheless,
it must be admitted that grave errors of judgement were made and failures of leadership occurred. All this has seriously undermined
your credibility and effectiveness. I appreciate the efforts you have made to remedy past mistakes and to guarantee that they
do not happen again. Besides fully implementing the norms of canon law in addressing cases of child abuse, continue to co-operate
with the civil authorities in their area of competence. Clearly, religious superiors should do likewise. They too have taken
part in recent discussions here in Rome with a view to establishing a clear and consistent approach to these matters. It is
imperative that the child safety norms of the Church in Ireland be continually revised and updated and that they be applied
fully and impartially in conformity with canon law.
Only decisive action carried out with complete honesty and transparency will restore the respect and good will of the Irish
people towards the Church to which we have consecrated our lives. This must arise, first and foremost, from your own self-examination,
inner purification and spiritual renewal. The Irish people rightly expect you to be men of God, to be holy, to live simply,
to pursue personal conversion daily. For them, in the words of St. Augustine, you are a bishop; yet with them you are called
to be a follower of Christ. I therefore exhort you to renew your sense of accountability before God, to grow in solidarity
with your people and to deepen your pastoral concern for all the members of your flock. In particular, I ask you to be attentive
to the spiritual and moral lives of each one of your priests. Set them an example by your own lives, be close to them, listen
to their concerns, offer them encouragement at this difficult time and stir up the flame of their love for Christ and their
commitment to the service of their brothers and sisters.
The lay faithful, too, should be encouraged to play their proper part in the life of the Church. See that they are formed
in such a way that they can offer an articulate and convincing account of the Gospel in the midst of modern society and cooperate
more fully in the Church's life and mission. This in turn will help you once again become credible leaders and witnesses to
the redeeming truth of Christ. 12. To all the faithful of Ireland A young person's experience of the Church should always bear fruit in a
personal and life-giving encounter with Jesus Christ within a loving, nourishing community. In this environment, young people
should be encouraged to grow to their full human and spiritual stature, to aspire to high ideals of holiness, charity and
truth, and to draw inspiration from the riches of a great religious and cultural tradition. In our increasingly secularised
society, where even we Christians often find it difficult to speak of the transcendent dimension of our existence, we need
to find new ways to pass on to young people the beauty and richness of friendship with Jesus Christ in the communion of His
Church. In confronting the present crisis, measures to deal justly with individual crimes are essential, yet on their own
they are not enough: a new vision is needed, to inspire present and future generations to treasure the gift of our common
faith. By treading the path marked out by the Gospel, by observing the commandments and by conforming your lives ever more
closely to the figure of Jesus Christ, you will surely experience the profound renewal that is so urgently needed at this
time. I invite you all to persevere along this path.
13. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is out of deep concern for all of you at this painful time in which the fragility
of the human condition has been so starkly revealed that I have wished to offer these words of encouragement and support.
I hope that you will receive them as a sign of my spiritual closeness and
my confidence in your ability to respond to the challenges of the present hour by drawing renewed inspiration and strength
from Ireland's noble traditions of fidelity to the Gospel, perseverance in the faith and steadfastness in the pursuit of holiness. In solidarity with all of you, I am praying earnestly that, by God's grace, the wounds
afflicting so many individuals and families may be healed and that the Church in Ireland may experience a season of rebirth
and spiritual renewal. 14. I now wish to propose
to you some concrete initiatives to address the situation.
At the conclusion of my meeting with the Irish bishops, I asked that Lent this year be set aside as a time to pray for an
outpouring of God's mercy and the Holy Spirit's gifts of holiness and strength upon the Church in your country. I now invite
all of you to devote your Friday penances, for a period of one year, between now and Easter 2011, to this intention. I ask
you to offer up your fasting, your prayer, your reading of Scripture and your works of mercy in order to obtain the grace
of healing and renewal for the Church in Ireland. I encourage you to discover anew the Sacrament of Reconciliation and to
avail yourselves more frequently of the transforming power of its grace.
Particular attention should also be given to Eucharistic adoration, and in every diocese there should be churches or chapels
specifically devoted to this purpose. I ask parishes, seminaries, religious houses and monasteries to organise periods of
Eucharistic adoration, so that all have an opportunity to take part. Through intense prayer before the real presence of the
Lord, you can make reparation for the sins of abuse that have done so much harm, at the same time imploring the grace of renewed
strength and a deeper sense of mission on the part of all bishops, priests, religious and lay faithful. I am confident that this programme will lead to a rebirth of the Church
in Ireland in the fullness of God's own truth, for it is the truth that sets us free. Furthermore, having consulted and prayed about the matter, I intend to hold an Apostolic Visitation
of certain dioceses in Ireland, as well as seminaries and religious congregations. Arrangements for the Visitation, which
is intended to assist the local Church on her path of renewal, will be made in co-operation with the competent offices of
the Roman Curia and the Irish Episcopal Conference. The details will be announced in due course. I also propose that a nationwide Mission be held for all bishops, priests and religious. It
is my hope that, by drawing on the expertise of experienced preachers and retreat-givers from Ireland and from elsewhere,
and by exploring anew the conciliar documents, the liturgical rites of ordination and profession, and recent pontifical teaching,
you will come to a more profound appreciation of your respective vocations, so as to rediscover the roots of your faith in
Jesus Christ and to drink deeply from the springs of living water that he offers you through His Church. In this Year for Priests, I commend to you most particularly the figure
of St. John Mary Vianney, who had such a rich understanding of the mystery of the priesthood. "The priest", he wrote,
"holds the key to the treasures of heaven: it is he who opens the door: he is the steward of the good Lord; the administrator
of His goods". The Cure d'Ars understood well how greatly blessed a community is when served by a good and holy priest:
"A good shepherd, a pastor after God's heart, is the greatest treasure which the good Lord can grant to a parish, and
one of the most precious gifts of divine mercy". Through the intercession of St. John Mary Vianney, may the priesthood
in Ireland be revitalised, and may the whole Church in Ireland grow in appreciation for the great gift of the priestly ministry. I take this opportunity to thank in anticipation all those who will be
involved in the work of organising the Apostolic Visitation and the Mission, as well as the many men and women throughout
Ireland already working for the safety of children in church environments. Since the time when the gravity and extent of the
problem of child sexual abuse in Catholic institutions first began to be fully grasped, the Church has done an immense amount
of work in many parts of the world in order to address and remedy it. While no effort should be spared in improving and updating
existing procedures, I am encouraged by the fact that the current safeguarding practices adopted by local Churches are being
seen, in some parts of the world, as a model for other institutions to follow. I wish to conclude this Letter with a special Prayer for the Church in Ireland, which I send to you
with the care of a father for his children and with the affection of a fellow Christian, scandalised and hurt by what has
occurred in our beloved Church. As you make use of this prayer in your families, parishes and communities, may the Blessed
Virgin Mary protect and guide each of you to a closer union with her Son, crucified and risen. With great affection and unswerving
confidence in God's promises, I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of strength and peace in
the Lord. From the Vatican, 19 March 2010, on the Solemnity
of St. Joseph Prayer for the Church in Ireland God of our fathers,renew us in the faith which is our life and salvation,the hope which promises forgiveness and interior renewal,the charity which purifies and opens our heartsto love you, and in you, each of our brothers and
sisters. Lord Jesus Christ,may the Church in Ireland renew her age-old commitmentto the education of our young people in the way of
truth and goodness, holiness and generous service to society. Holy
Spirit, comforter, advocate and guide,inspire a new springtime of holiness and apostolic zealfor the Church in Ireland. May our
sorrow and our tears,our sincere
effort to redress past wrongs,and
our firm purpose of amendmentbear
an abundant harvest of gracefor
the deepening of the faithin our
families, parishes, schools and communities,for the spiritual progress of Irish society,and the growth of charity, justice, joy and peacewithin the whole human family. To
you, Triune God,confident in the
loving protection of Mary,Queen
of Ireland, our Mother,and of
St. Patrick, St. Brigid and all the saints,do we entrust ourselves, our children,and the needs of the Church in Ireland..../PASTORAL LETTER/IRELAND
VIS 100320 (4690) | |
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 | Dear
Friends, If you are like us, you are tired of talking
about the need to change our Church. After all, we have all been talking for years. It's time to take action, which is exactly
what VOTF's Voices in Action campaign is doing. Take our Local Action team, one of five Voices in Action teams, as a case in point. Our team is working with parish leaders who
want to energize their laity and prepare for the future. We are building programs to help parishes transform finances and
launch Safe Environment committees. We are also crafting the tools VOTF affiliates need to get the word out and bring new
members in. And we are not alone. Other Voices
in Action teams are gearing up across the country. In the months to come, all VOTF members will be getting updates on
the obstacles we face, the progress we make, and the work still to be done. This campaign is a historic breakthrough for VOTF. Launched at our national convention last October, Voices in Action is a practical, multi-year pathway for transforming the Catholic Church we love. Through Voices in Action,
we are modeling the Church we want to see, the Church we want to be. Best of all, there is something in the campaign for everyone! Concerned about your parish? Complete this assessment so we can send you support. Wonder how to form a Safe Environment committee? Click here to get started. Want to make your affiliate stronger? Assess yourself here, and we will be in touch. We invite you
to take action any way you want, and every way you can. The
initial response to our work has been tremendously encouraging. But we all know talk is cheap. Action counts, but action also
costs. Help Voices in Action succeed by making your donation to Voice of the Faithful today. If it weren't for VOTF, where would we be?
Keep the faith, change the
Church, and thanks for your support, Francis Piderit
(pideritVOTF@piderit.com)
and Brad Pritts (bpritts@pritts.com)
for the Voices in Action Local Action Team |
| | ©Voice of the Faithful
2009. All Rights Reserved |
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 | Voice of the Faithful's Newsletter | February 5, 2010 |
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| The Irish government, after month upon month of delays, finally released the Dublin Report
on sex abuse of children by clergy in Ireland and the cover-up of that abuse by the bishops, the police, and the state authorities.
They released it on Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Highlights
of the report, which is receiving worldwide media attention, include: -
At least 102 priests (some reports say more than 170) involved and four archbishops -
As early as 1987, bishops in Dublin bought insurance to protect the
diocese against future claims of abuse.
The leader
of our VOTF affiliate in Ireland, Sean O'Conaill, has been helping us track the twists and turns and revelations in these
cases (a previous report appeared on child sex abuse in Irish Church-run institutions by priests, nuns, and lay people).
He is reporting now on the details in the Dublin Report. Here
is an overview of the report. At the bottom is a link to a web page we have set aside for posting Sean's extracts from the report as he works his way through it. You also can download
the full report from this site:
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/PB09000504. Media reports that summarize
the report include:
Media discussing how the report itself was developed suggest the Vatican refused to help
with the government investigation:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8382999.stm
Calls for resignations have already begun in Ireland:
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/ireland/eymhgbaucwsn/
Reuters provides a partial list of sex abuse scandals
in the Catholic Church globally since 2002:
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsMaps/idUSTRE5AP2IP20091126 The Los Angeles Times provides a good summary for U.S.
audiences:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-ireland-abuse27-2009nov27,0,1653487.story It is times like these that we most realize how critical
it is for us to maintain our voice, a voice of the faithful, and provide true lay input into Church matters, so that our
children and grandchildren no longer fall prey to abusers in a setting where they instead should be most cherished.
And in a continued spirit of Thanksgiving, I thank Sean for his diligence
and the huge amounts of time he has devoted to seeing that justice will prevail in Ireland. Peace,
Donna B. Doucette
Executive Director, Voice of the Faithful | |
|
|
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 | In
the Vineyard :: November 12, 2009 :: Volume 8, Issue 20 |
| National
NewsLong Island Conference – A Great Success!!
More
than 500 Voice of the Faithful members from across the country gathered at the Hilton Hotel on Long Island for the 2009 National
Conference on October 30 and 31. The successful event featured inspiring talks Saturday from Sr. Joan Chittister and Fr. Tom
Reese, each of whom encouraged VOTF to continue seeking reform. Equally important, we were encouraged to lead the way we wish
to follow, and to begin transformation by first changing ourselves. Also on Saturday, Voice of the Faithful presented
National Priest of Integrity Awards to Fr. Joseph Fowler and Fr. Donald Cozzens, and the St. Catherine of Siena Distinguished Lay Person award to author and journalist Jason Berry. VOTF also honored founder and former VOTF President Jim Post with a special award. Friday
night's program included insightful presentations by the Voices in Action campaign teams and moving
testimony from a survivor, Dick Regan. Mr. Regan shared part of his story, and that of his siblings, who were abused.
He was preceded by reports from a devoted group of vigilers in Long Island who have been standing in front of the cathedral
for years as a reminder of the harm done to victims and the failure of the Church to hold accountable all those who abused
who enabled abusers. Coming soon: VOTF is working with the vendor
who taped the conference to prepare DVDs of the various presentations. Keep an eye on the VOTF web site for more information,
text excerpts, and video clips as they become available—and to review the reports already posted there.
Your Help Needed for Study
At the VOTF Conference, Margaret L. Smith of John
Jay College described the current status of the Causes and Context Study commissioned by the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops. She urged VOTF attendees to help researchers examine the question of whether the information we now possess about
sexual abuse of youths in the Church has prompted reflections about the past—what events did you perhaps observe or
hear about in the past and can your reflections on those help them understand how to ask questions about such events? The
researchers are trying to understand how so many people somehow did not perceive such actions and relationships as abusive
when they occurred. To share your ideas, please email causes-context@jjay.cuny.edu.
Nominations for National Officer Positions
It is time for
the election of Voice of the Faithful's national officers for 2010-11. We invite you to take part in the governance of VOTF
by nominating qualified candidates for the positions of President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. All nominations
must be completed online and received by midnight EST on December 7, 2009—a firm deadline. Nominations will be acknowledged
by email within 2 business days. Please contact Bob Ott if an acknowledgement is not received in that time. For more details on eligibility and requirements
Priests of Integrity Awards
The Priest of Integrity Award
is the highest form of public recognition Voice of the Faithful gives to priests. Reverend Thomas Doyle was the first recipient,
in 2002. Since then only six other priests have been so honored at the National level. This year, 2009, two other remarkable
priests were given the Priest of Integrity Award: Reverend Donald Cozzens of Cleveland, Ohio, and Reverend Joseph Fowler of
Louisville, Kentucky.
The following profiles describe two priests who “walk the walk” side-by-side
with Voice of the Faithful members and with all others who strongly support those who are abused, who support (and challenge)
priests and bishops, and who work tirelessly to change our church. However, we think you will see that both of these priests
approach their ministry in very different and unique ways, based on their own personal gifts and experiences.
Continued
http://votf.org/vineyard/Nov12_2009/integrity.html
Opinion PieceDo You Know Where Your Money
Is Going?
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia recently announced that it is closing two of its high schools,
only months after announcing a five year, $200 million fundraising campaign. At the time that campaign commenced, Auxiliary
Bishop Joseph McFadden was quoted as saying, “Right now, we're making ends meet.” To me, that comment, juxtaposed
with the high school closings, sounds inconsistent with a $50,000 contribution by the Archdiocese to the effort sponsored
by the Diocese of Portland, Maine, to nullify marriage for same-sex couples in that state. But Philadelphia was hardly
alone. Records required to be filed under the government ethics and election practices laws of the state of Maine reveal that
as of October 20th, Catholic archdioceses and dioceses throughout the United States had contributed over $200,000 to the Ballot
Question Committee (“BQC”) organized by the Diocese of Portland to overturn a statute passed by the Maine legislature
and signed by its governor, a Catholic, authorizing same sex partners to marry. On last November 3, the initiative was approved.
Those same records indicate that the Diocese reported that more than $250,000 raised by the BQC was categorized as “General
Treasury Transfers”, which seems to indicate that those funds came directly from the Diocese of Portland. Continued
http://votf.org/vineyard/Nov12_2009/opinion.html
A Theologian Looks at How Portland Spent Its Money
We asked a Catholic theologian, Dr. Anthony T. Padovano, about the Portland diocese's fundraising for activity that
addresses civil legislation, and the channeling of funds from one diocese to another for that purpose. While noting that the
Catholic Church, like any church in America, has a right to address civil laws related to its doctrines and its moral teachings,
Dr. Padovano suggested that Catholics should consider these aspects: There a number of issues which need to be
taken into account: When people donate money to the Church, do they want that money to be used in legal
battles over sex abuse disclosure or settlement or over legal resistance to homosexual marriage? The Church
hierarchy has the right to define moral teaching on contraception, homosexual marriage or divorce; that teaching should
be consultative with the sensus fidelium and lay experience at large; Church administrators must be attentive
to respecting the consciences of all those in a pluralistic society and not coercing their compliance by legal means
in areas where people of good will differ; moral persuasion and theological argument are always better in these
instances, less counter- productive and more in line with the Gospel; if the Church's position is correct, it will prevail.
Dr.
Anthony T. Padovano, Catholic Theologian
Update on Bridgeport Decision After more than seven years of
litigation, including two adverse decisions by the Connecticut Supreme Court, the effort by the Diocese of Bridgeport to keep
secret more than 12,000 pages of documents pertaining to the abuse of children by priests of the Diocese has been effectively
ended by the United States Supreme Court. In a ruling issued last week, the Court denied the petition for certiorari
filed by the Diocese, meaning that the Court will not hear the appeal of the Diocese. On Tuesday, a Superior Court judge
ordered the Catholic Church to turn over documents related to sex abuse allegations involving priests by Dec. 1. Following
is a link to the article in the Hartford Courant.
courant.com/community/waterbury/hc-web-church-1111nov11,0,2031841.story
Christmas Shopping Already?Thinking of starting on your Christmas shopping?
Want to do it online? If so, please consider going to VOTF's website and following the link to Amazon.com. A small percentage
of each sale will go to support VOTF (although you will not pay any higher price). Last year, VOTF raised close to $800 dollars
during the Christmas season in this way. Painless!
Site SeeingA judge denies a request from McCormack, a convicted former priest to seal records in commitment battle.
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/11/
ex-priest-mccormack-fails-to-seal-records-in-commitment-battle.html
VOTF's Priest of Integrity, Father Fowler, speaks out against a convicted sex offender
being ordained as a minister.
A dedicated few remain vigilant to protect children after sex ...
John Allen discusses the differences young Catholics bring to Catholicism.
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102782686454&s=4384&e=
001gJbLMHpFmadCfD7b9cf6zg9BJLOqTwBHVvcungO9
LzsG_4nOTv2LrzKWuKJAv6fgUP0Nx4hSnjvV
q25-vJEjDoFahNcJEewTpK8GOOWnagi2hOhASIcIh5XECj006mHC
Bishop Gumbleton prevented from speaking at a Catholic Church on peace or nuclear
disarmament. Bishop Sample not allowed to open a Pax Christi meeting on Church property.
http://ncronline.org/news/peace/two-bishops-barred-speaking-catholic-venues
Delaware agreement - trials against diocese will be postponed but files released.
http://wjz.com/wireapnewsmd/Diocese.of.
Wilmington.2.1295638.html CALENDARBoston College Church in the 21st
Century
November 13, 2009, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
ANNUAL MINISTRY RENEWAL DAY
Called to
Become an Adult Church
Presenters: Jane E. Regan and John J. Shea, O.S.A.
Co-sponsored by The Church in the
21st Century Center
Location: Gasson Hall 100, Chestnut Hill Middle Campus
Free of charge, including lunch. Registration
required
More Information
North Shore/Seacoast and Lynn affiliates of VOTF
Fr. Robert Imbelli's talk, previously scheduled in our brochure for Oct. 21 has been postponed. The new date,
is May 23, 2010. 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. | |
| ©Voice of the
Faithful 2008. All Rights Reserved |
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Op-Ed Columnist The Nuns’ Story By MAUREEN DOWD Published:
October 24, 2009 WASHINGTON Once, in the first grade,
I was late for class. I started crying in the schoolyard, terrified to go in and face the formidable Sister Hiltruda.
Father Montgomery, who looked like a handsome young priest out of a 1930s movie, found me cowering and took my hand, leading
me into the classroom. Sister Hiltruda looked ready to pop, but she couldn’t say a word to me, then or ever.
There was no more unassailable patriarchy than the Catholic Church. Nuns were second-class citizens then and —
40 years after feminism utterly changed America — they still are. The matter of women as priests is closed, a forbidden
topic. In 2004, the cardinal who would become Pope Benedict XVI wrote a Vatican document urging women to be submissive
partners, resisting any adversarial roles with men and cultivating “feminine values” like “listening, welcoming,
humility, faithfulness, praise and waiting.” Nuns need to be even more sepia-toned for the über-conservative
pope, who was christened “God’s Rottweiler” for his enforcement of orthodoxy. Once a conscripted member
of the Hitler Youth, Benedict pardoned a schismatic bishop who claimed that there was no Nazi gas chamber. He also argued
on a trip to Africa that distributing condoms could make the AIDS crisis worse. The Vatican is now conducting two inquisitions
into the “quality of life” of American nuns, a dwindling group with an average age of about 70, hoping to herd
them back into their old-fashioned habits and convents and curb any speck of modernity or independence. Nuns who took
Vatican II as a mandate for reimagining their mission “started to look uppity to an awful lot of bishops and priests
and, of course, the Vatican,” said Kenneth Briggs, the author of “Double Crossed: Uncovering the Catholic Church’s
Betrayal of American Nuns.” The church enabled rampant pedophilia, but nuns who live in apartments and do social
work with ailing gays? Sacrilegious! The pope can wear Serengeti sunglasses and expensive red loafers, but shorter hems for
nuns? Disgraceful! “It’s a tragedy because nuns are the jewels of the system,” said Bob Bennett,
the Washington lawyer who led the church’s lay inquiry into the pedophilia scandal. “I was of the view that if
they had been listened to more, some of this stuff wouldn’t have happened.” As the Vatican is trying to
wall off the “brides of Christ,” Cask of Amontillado style, it is welcoming extreme-right Anglicans into the Catholic
Church — the ones who are disgruntled about female priests and openly gay bishops. Il Papa is even willing to bend Rome’s
most doggedly held dogma, against married priests — as long as they’re clutching the Anglicans’ Book of
Common Prayer. “Most of the Anglicans who want to move over to the Catholic Church under this deal are people
who have scorned women as priests and have scorned gay people,” Briggs said. “The Vatican doesn’t care that
these people are motivated by disdain.” The nuns are pushing back a bit, but it’s hard, since the church
has decreed that women can’t be adversarial to men. A nun writing in Commonweal as “Sister X” protests,
“American women religious are being bullied.” She recalls that Bishop Leonard Blair of Toledo, who heads
one of the investigations, moved a meeting at the University of Notre Dame off campus to protest a performance of “The
Vagina Monologues.” “It is the rare bishop,” Sister X writes, “who has any real understanding of the
lives women actually lead.” The church can be flexible, except with women. Laurie Goodstein, the Times’s
religion writer, reported this month on an Illinois woman who had a son with a Franciscan priest. The church agreed to child
support but was stingy with money for college and for doctors, once the son got terminal cancer. The priest had never been
disciplined and was a pastor in Wisconsin — until he hit the front page. Even then, “Father” Willenborg
was suspended only because the woman said that he had pressed her to have an abortion and that he had also had a sexual relationship
with a teenager. (Maybe the church shouldn’t be so obdurate on condoms.) When then-Cardinal Ratzinger was “The
Enforcer” in Rome, he investigated and disciplined two American nuns. One, Jeannine Gramick, then of the School Sisters
of Notre Dame, founded a ministry to reconcile gays with the church, which regards homosexual desires as “disordered.”
The other, Mary Agnes Mansour of the Sisters of Mercy, headed the Michigan Department of Social Services, which, among other
things, paid for abortions for poor women. Marcy Kaptur, a Democratic congresswoman from Toledo and one of Bishop Blair’s
flock, got a resolution passed commending nuns for their humble service and sacrifice. “The Vatican’s in another
country,” she said. “Maybe people do things differently there. Perhaps the Holy Spirit will intervene.”
Nicholas D. Kristof is off today.
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| Outspoken Catholic Bishop Steps Down After Stormy Tenure | | Religion News Service | | | A
Pennsylvania Catholic bishop whose public scoldings of politicians--including Vice President Joe Biden--created a stir nationwide
resigned on Monday (Aug. 31), citing stress and lack of confidence in his leadership. Bishop Joseph Martino was appointed
in 2003 to head the Diocese of Scranton, a heavily Catholic corner of northeastern Pennsylvania. His relatively brief tenure
was marked by battles with local parishes, a teachers union, college administrators and a number of politicians, particularly
over abortion rights. "For some time now, there has not been a clear consensus among the clergy and the people of the
diocese of Scranton regarding my pastoral initiatives or my way of governance," Martino said Monday at a press conference.
The Vatican appointed Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia, as temporary head of the Scranton diocese, which
encompasses about 350,000 Catholics in 11 counties. |
| The Republican (Catholic Church) Captivity | | National Catholic Reporter | | Last November at their post-election meeting, a vocal minority of bishops lamented the election results, aghast
that not only a majority of Americans, but more tellingly a majority of Catholics, had voted to make Barack Obama President
of the United States. So extreme were the comments of these few bishops that some could easily have confused them with Republican
ward-heelers, and be prone to the fear that a new "Republican Captivity" of our Church was in full force. A lot
of the bishops' hysteria at their November meeting was over that great Republican bogeyman, the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA),
which was not a part of the Democratic platform, and had absolutely no priority among the issues facing the new administration.
This did not prevent the public lamentations of select bishops on how FOCA would force Catholic hospitals to close - despite
the insistence of the Catholic Health Association to the contrary. |
 | Dear Friends, When we announced to you earlier this week our need to raise $60,000
by July 31st to keep our national office open, we notified the media in an example of financial transparency. In just
48 hours, 352 members have contributed over $33,000 (more than half of our goal) to help us meet our immediate crisis.
We greatly appreciate both the words of encouragement and any amounts you are able to
contribute. If you would like to contribute, donate now. Media coverage also has elicited comments from long-standing naysayers and critics. We certainly
didn't expect a contribution from The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, but Director of Communications Susan
A. Fani went so far as to issue the following yesterday: | Voice
Is Toast Voice of the Faithful is now preparing its obituary. After lecturing the Catholic Church
for years on such matters as financial accountability, the organization is in financial ruins. According to Voice officials,
it needs $60,000 just to pay its summer bills. Good luck: it is well-known that Voice members are incredibly stingy.
To the extent that the Church made necessary reforms, it effectively spelled the demise of Voice. It was
always a close cousin to Call to Action, another moribund organization, and now the cat is out of the bag. To think that
Voice can exist as a volunteer group is delusional. Quite frankly, Voice is toast. |
In contrast David Clohessy, Executive Director of SNAP is quoted in the National Catholic Reporter's story
yesterday as follows: “Millions of Catholics are grateful that clergy sex crimes and cover ups
are finally being exposed. We hope they'll step up to the plate and support this pioneering organization that works so hard
to make the church a safer, healthier place.” Clohessy warned that “an unchecked, all-powerful
Catholic hierarchy is dangerous. Like politicians, bishops need checks and balances to thwart or at least reduce arrogance,
callousness and recklessness. That's what VOTF steadfastly provides and what the church desperately needs.” SNAP Outreach Director Barbara Dorris posted the following statement in response to the NCR article.
“In a church largely characterized by lay apathy and indifference, VOTF has motivated
and guided tens of thousands of Catholics to make a real difference. Every Catholic who wants a safer, healthier church
should support this dedicated group, not just with lip service but with donations. I'm sending a check in today.”
Who do you find compelling? Those who claim that our Church's leadership
knows best and has taken care of business since 2002, or those who see the systemic flaws in our wounded Church such as
SNAP and VOTF, and want to make a difference for the better? We hope that you will join 350 of your colleagues
help us maintain our national presence with your contributions. You can donate online or mail your contribution to P.O. Box 423, Newton, MA 02464
Dan Bartley, President
| |
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Newton Upper Falls | MA | 02464 | |
 | Dear Friends: The release of a report this month on the 60-year clergy sexual abuse scandal and cover-up involving more than 800 children abused at Irish institutions
is, frankly, yet another example of how the leaders of the Catholic Church don't get it. Why do I say that? Because after seven years of watching scandal after scandal unfold around the world, we still are left with too many
questions. Questions about why bishops and others who knew of the abuse kept silent and, in far too many cases, enabled
additional abuse. Questions about how a Church committed to caring for the weakest and the neediest of us all could
so violate their trust—and then cover up the violations. Questions that the Irish bishops themselves say must
be answered: WHY and HOW could this happen? Voice of the Faithful adds another question:
How can we renew our Church without first holding accountable those who enabled such abuse? If
you believe, as we do, that Church leaders must be held accountable in any country where clergy abused children without penalty—and
it has occurred in many places—please give now to Voice of the Faithful so that we can make your voice heard. Our affiliate in Ireland
is doing all that it can to organize people who will act in concert to bring about change in response to the latest revelations.
Even prominent Irish bishops are calling for explanation and examination. But they need
our help. And they need us to demand greater accountability among Church leaders here in the U.S. as well. After all, our
own record is rather bleak—seven years after the wave of revelations that began in Boston, only one bishop has
lost his job and only one bishop has been put on leave. If you agree that this is
unacceptable, I hope you will do two things: - Give to Voice of the Faithful, which is your voice to demand change.
- Read more about the scandal in Ireland, and forward this email
to all your friends to let them know what is going on there: VOTF Ireland; VOTF Ireland Press Release; VOTF National Press Release. VOTF Ireland's Sean O'Conaill was on BBC radio and can be heard 19 minutes into the program.
It is every Catholic's responsibility
to help change our Church. It may seem like an insurmountable challenge. But by supporting VOTF and telling your friends to
stand up and be heard, you lead us to become a better Church. Sincerely,
Dan Bartley
VOTF President
P.S. Please consider committing to a monthly donation via credit card. You can do this online, and it is a great way to support our efforts continuously throughout the year. |
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