January Update
We're starting 2004 in high gear, with more education and even more action, so we can put what we've learned to good use.
Our second meeting of the year will be on Saturday, 1/31 at 10:30am at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 43 Massachusetts Ave., Haworth, NJ. (see website for directions). Our guest will be Paul Dinter, author of The Other Side of the Altar and the intriguing title of his talk is Sacrifice and Sacred Violence: How the Church can get out from under its self-imposed priesthood crisis. Paul was an outstanding speaker at our Fordham convention, and we're looking forward to having him back with us. We'll be serving bagels and coffee again, so please join us for some good food and conversation. Survivor News:- On January 6, the Catholic Church released a self-audit report. The report measures dioceses' compliance with the Church's own new rules regarding clergy sexual abuse of children. Information is available by diocese and measures current performance against the standards of the bishops' "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People." You can view the results at www.usccb.org.
- SNAP issued a press release on January 8 commenting on the results of the report. According to the release, "During the last 18 months, at least 150 Catholic priests from 56 dioceses who were removed or retired facing credible sexual abuse allegations have quietly moved away, according to a church-sponsored report released two days ago." For the full text and more information regarding SNAP, visit www.snapnetwork.org.
- We encourage you visit www.bishop-accountability.org and become a "Ten Minute Activist". The website, which is the largest source on the internet of information about the Catholic sexual abuse crisis, provides step-by-step instructions so you can assess your diocese's response to the Dallas charter. Your feedback will help Bishop-Accountability.org compile a national assessment of the audit and will help VOTF's Goal 1: To support those who have been abused.
Our Structural Renewal Action Group has done an amazing job of writing our "Statement of Purpose" as VOTF/NJ. We've posted it on the website (you can click the link on our home page at www.votfnj.org) or, if you don't have internet access, we'd be happy to mail you a copy. The plan is to get your approval and then launch our Action Plan which the group has also developed. We're hoping for lots of feedback and participation as we move into this important phase of our work.
Our liturgies continue to be such a blessing! Next one is on Sunday, January 18 at 4pm at Loyola Retreat House, 161 James St. in Morristown. Our celebrant will be Fr. Dennis from Assumption Church. If you can't make it then, keep in mind that we gather every first and third Sunday, same time, same place, and we'd love to have you join us!We now have video and audio tapes of Anthony Padovano's ground-breaking talk on the "History of the American Catholic Church." It's so important that we share this information about our early church's democratic roots. Please let us know if you'd like a copy (you can send a small donation for postage if you'd like, but it's not necessary) and we'll mail it. Or, pick one up at the next meeting on the 31st. And after you've viewed it or heard it, please pass it along and let us know where it went!
No, we don't own stock in Hallmark, but it's not too early to start thinking about Valentine's Day. Will you consider offering your masses, prayers and good works during the month of February for the well-being of our priests? We'll be sending them a spiritual bouquet to be delivered on February 14.We continue to ask for your help in our growing ministries:
- Communications: Can you be our contact person for one newspaper or other media outlet? We'll provide the material. All you'll need to do is call, fax or email. This is *such* an important way to build our community, and we'd be very grateful for your help in this area.
- Priest Support: Joe and Joan Barrett have done an extraordinary job in keeping open the lines of communication with our priests. We'd like to double our efforts in that department this year so our clergy will know we are here to support them, especially now when they are stretched so thin. Please let us know if you think you can help writing notes, making calls, or sending prayers.
Believe it or not, there's much more, and we'll write again soon to fill you in. Or better yet, come hear about it all in person at our next meeting. It's such a grace to see you face to face, and to sing, pray and learn together. May we all continue to be blessed in this good and holy work that we've been called to do.
Your VOTF/NJ Team
There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ~Anais Nin
NJ VOTF is a 501(c)3 organization, and all donations from 2003 to the present are tax deductible. We are very grateful for your generosity.