Support for Priests
VOTF Letter
Voice Of the Faithful
VOTF Latest News Coverage
Contact: John Moynihan 617-680-2131, jmoynihan@votf.org
For Immediate Release - Voice of the Faithful Declares
Support for Priests Regardless of Sexual Orientation Urges
Membership to Wear Green Ribbons as Sign of Support
Candlelight Vigils Planned for Six Cities
Newton, MA - December 7, 2005 On the upcoming weekend of
December 10-11, Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) is asking its
members to show their support for Catholic priests
regardless of any priest's sexual orientation. In an
e-mail message sent out to its 30,000 members nationwide,
the Catholic reform organization called on its membership
to demonstrate: their support of Voice of the Faithful's
second goal - to support priests of integrity, regardless
of sexual orientation. and their belief that excluding
homosexuals from the priesthood is not a solution to the
clergy sexual abuse crisis
VOTF members are asked to wear a green ribbon visibly
displayed at the Mass they attend this weekend, December
10-11, and subsequent weekends. In addition, VOTF
affiliates will be holding prayerful candlelight vigils in
cities across the country. Vigils are planned for the
following locations:
CA - Los Angeles Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555
W Temple St. 6:00 PM
IL - Chicago Chancery Office, 155 E. Superior St. 7:00 PM
MA - Boston Cathedral of the Holy Cross, 1400 Washington
St. 7:00 PM
Fall River Chancery Office,
423 Highland Ave. 3:00 PM
Springfield St. Michael's
Cathedral, Eliot St. 7:00 PM
PA - Philadelphia Cathedral of Sts. Peter & Paul, 18th & Parkway 7:00 PM
In the e-mailed announcement of this action, VOTF noted:
'As many Catholics have been aware since January 2002, our
good priests have been under siege. In February of that
year our fledgling organization pledged our support for
those 'priests of integrity' - we knew our servant leaders
by their pastoral presence in our lives. We know them still.
The organization stressed that - the support of Voice of
the Faithful for priests of integrity comes with no
'asterisk' - in the wake of the recently released Vatican
document on homosexuality in US seminaries, it is time to
be demonstrable in that support. We invite you to join a
National gesture of our conviction that a vocation to the
priesthood is not and should not be restricted by one's
sexuality. As was quoted in the Tablet by Fr. Timothy
Radcliffe, 'We should be more attentive to whom our
seminarians may be inclined to hate than whom they love.
Racialism, misogyny and homophobia would all be signs that
someone could not be a good model of Christ.'
Ray Joyce, Executive Director of VOTF stated: - We are
told in Acts of the Apostles that the early Christian
community was recognized when observers would say of them,
'See how they love one another.' What better time to live
that message?
About Voice of the Faithful: Voice of the Faithful (VOTF)
is a worldwide movement of concerned mainstream Catholics
formed in response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis. The
group's mission is to provide a prayerful voice, attentive
to the Spirit, through which the Faithful can actively
participate in the governance and guidance of the Catholic
Church. Its goals are to support survivors of abuse,
support priests of integrity, and shape structural change
within the Catholic Church in full accordance and harmony
with Church teaching.
VOTF Mission Statement:
To provide a prayerful voice, attentive to the Spirit,
through which the Faithful can actively participate in the
governance and guidance of the Catholic Church.
Our Goals :
1. To support those who have been abused
2. To support priests of integrity
3. To shape structural change within Church
Pray Each Day at Noon:
Jesus, Lord and Brother, help us with our faithfulness.
Please hear our voice, and let our voice be heard. Amen.
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