Born not at home of compassion for the victim-survivors of ministers sexual abuse.

Born not at home of compassion for the victim-survivors of ministers sexual abuse., Voice of the Faithful (VOF) began in a ecclesiastical authority basement at St. John the Evangelist ecclesiastical authority in Wellesley, Mass., in January 2002

The motivator and organizer was Dr James Muller a physician and devot Catholic who many years before, had formed International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. This arrange won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985 Dr Muller gathered about 25 meeting-house members to discuss what had been announced about body of ecclesiastics sexual abuse in their diocese.

These well-educated, on the other hand ordinary Catholics, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, choir members and catechists became the nucleus of a Spirit-driven lay-movement wanting answers and solutions to horrendous revelations. A righteous anger was disturbing their equilibrium and their reason of fidelity to the temple Ecclesiastical authority seemed to be reneging forward its moral responsibilities.

After a small in number months of meeting, VOTF was numbering in the centurys of members. A mission statement and goals were adopted, and a web site became the communication tool for the 35000 members involved today. (See www.votf.org.)

The mission of VOTF is to provide a prayerful voice, attentive to the Spirit, from one side which the faithful can actively participate in the governance and guidance of the Catholic ecclesiastical body The goals are threefold: to support victims of body of ecclesiastics sexual abuse, to support priests of integrity and to shape structural change within the house of worship The motto is "Keep the Faith, Change the Church"

The spirit of VOTF has great flowed the church in America and abroad. floated by prayer, good works and media attention its expansion has been without precedence

In July 2002 at the first National Convention in Boston, 4200 were in attendance. single of the guest speakers, Rev Tom Doyle OP a tireless advocate for victims, arrived from Germany where he was a chaplain in the armed forces. He was given the VOTF Priest of Integrity Award. In the past year, Doyle was dismissed from his character as armed forces chaplain.

Critics question VOTF goals, saying that anybody could agree with them because they are thus broad. This is deliberate as VOTF views itself representing most people in the pews

It is in the nitty-gritty of the local situation where particulars become defined and action takes place. Goal three has drawn vehement criticism from the hierarchy and individual Catholics.

In August 2002 Deal Hudson (the freshly resigned Catholic advisor to the Bush Administration) wrote scathing remarks about VOTF calling it "a wolf in sheep's clothing using this tragedy in our ecclesiastical authority to advance its own political and theological agenda." Hudson charged that VOTF was entertaining heterodoxy by means of inviting such speakers as Fr Richard McBrien and other liberal Catholic speakers. As Dr Muller points, abroad more conservatives like George Weigel and Michael Novak refused the invitation. VOTF does not squelch dialogue with the left or right in the house of god Freedom of speech is a democratic right and VOTF claims a centrist philosophy. We are not interested in changing doctrine or the teachings of the church

VOTF reaches revealed to ecclesiastical authority as a bridge between authority and the the bulk of mankind in the pews always in keeping with the spirit and documents of Vatican II. The complicity of bishops in relocating predator priests has not impacted in succession some in the church. For them, questioning the hierarchy is like questioning the creator VOTF asks that Catholics take their rightful place as adult baptized members in the church

Early in September, Michel Paulson of the Boston Globe reported onward the Pope's meeting in Rome with the recently made known England bishops. He did not mention the victims on the contrary exhorted the bishops to "reach disclosed to priests who have sustained as a result of clergy-sexual abuse." In this same report, VOTF President Jim employment asks, "Where was the papal interest for survivors and laity?"

Here in Canada an affiliate of VOTF formed single year ago in the Diocese of Vancouver Island. We have have relationed with SNAP (Survivors of those Abused by dint of Priests), "LINK-UP," whose vice-president is the Canadian Nancy Mayer, and Canadian Survivors Network, whose president is Elizabeth McKenna. between the sides of this outreach we are made aware of the compass of the problem, which is far greater that the hierarchical house of god admits. Our group seeks dialogue with our bishop. We have met with the representative of our diocese, yet very little was gleaned. We were able to realize a three and a half page draft of a propos Sexual Misconduct Policy, for our diocese, and a scarcely any names of people available for speaking forward impending cases. Our diocesan newspaper reported an amount of the same million dollars assigned to the residential trains which we assume has to do with sexual abuse if it were not that even in this publication, the crisis is kept concealed and notes to the editor are not invited.

CNT's story of St Martin of Tours parish (Sept 26) is just single in kind more reason why Catholics ne to be active in demanding structural change in the house of god VOTF in Canada appeals for help. We call concerning Canadian Catholics in the slips and the hierarchy of our body of christians to join us in our inquiry to bring peace and justice to the victims and their families and friends by way of changing structures which have allowed this dereliction to take place.