SouthCoast Voice of the Faithful members say the Fall River diocese is ignoring them because the lay group refuses to back church positions on controversial issues such as birth control, women’s ordination, celibacy and gay marriage.
Local representatives of the Catholic activist group formed in the wake of the clergy sexual abuse crisis say representatives of Bishop George W. Coleman have effectively stopped talking with them.
A spokesman for Bishop Coleman denied the charge but refused to answer any media questions about it.
The local Voice members say they take no position on these social issues because their membership includes a diversity of opinion on them.
They say their sole goal is to help victims of sexual abuse, support priests of integrity and increase lay participation in church administration.
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They (diocese officials) were saying that by not taking a position, you’re not supporting the church’s position," said J. Christopher Boyd, a member of the Voice negotiating team and a member of Christ the King Parish in Mashpee. [Source]
The longer VOTF operates the more it outs itself as an organization that is the voice for anything but faithful. As time goes on they find it harder and harder to maintain the illusion of their agenda. Not that it was ever a very good illusion, but they did try in public to walk the line and not say anything against Church teaching. The majority of the leadership are nothing more than heterodox parasites that have latched on to the sexual abuse problem to further their goals. They have become a secondary infection. All this talk about priests of integrity is so much nonsense since they are more likely to fight against a truly faithful priest. They first awarded Rev. Thomas P. Doyle, O.P their Priest of Integrity award. He was also subsequently fired as an Air Force Chaplain for disobedience in not providing daily Masses. This is just so much nonsense about diversity of opinions on controversial items. They are only controversial because there are those that don’t fully accept the truth of the Catholic faith. They would seek to be controversial when people became faithful – a word VOTF throws around, but knows nothing about. I think truth in advertising laws should force them to change their name. Voice of the Heterodox, Dissidents, Secularists, etc. Or they could be allowed to retain faithful as long as it was preceded by ‘un.’
Too bad that the bishop’s spokesman denied the charge that VOTF was being ignored precisely because of the positions it holds. This should be readily accepted and broadcast that dissident groups will be ignored by the Church.
5 comments
This should be readily accepted and broadcast that dissident groups will be ignored by the Church.
…and their members excommunicated, a la Bishop Bruskewitz.
Here, here!!! If you’re going to act like Episcopalians then go join their church, and stop unraveling this one.
I agree with Lucy. It seems the Anglican/Episcopalian Church satisfies all their desires. Oh, except maybe they want a pope. Just not THIS pope. Why don’t they just start a church of their own?
They don’t need to be ignored, they need to be condemned, and their chapters rooted out.
All in all I have to say that Bishop Coleman is awesome! The Fall River diocese has many great priests, such as Fr. Roger Landry, and seems to be in great shape. Unfortunately VOTF is a bane and a scourge all bishops must deal with. Bishop Coleman could do better, but it’s alot easier when you’re judging this as an outsider rather than standing in the bishop’s shoes.