VOTF=H.E.R.E.S.Y.

Yes it is now time to look at modern dissent in the Church. Voice of the Faithful (VOTF), is probably the largest umbrella group for dissenters in the Church in the United States. I thought we'd look at VOTF's "Policies and Positions," compare them with VOTF's actions, and do a little analysis. Let's start!

Voice of the Faithful has not developed many policy positions to date, and those we have developed focus on the sexual abuse crisis.

That's quite impressive. An organization that is going on four years old has not developed many policy positions? Hmm...That sounds odd. Why support a group that stands for...nothing to date?

We have said that the Church has a responsibility to respond to survivors in a meaningful, healing way. We have said that bishops and laity in each diocese should engage in a serious and substantive dialogue.

Please....Please someone tell me what this means. This is psycho-babble. What does "bishops and laity...should engage in a serious and substantive dialogue" mean??? Are bishops not "dialoguing" with their flock now?

We have said that the structures of decision-making that gave rise to this crisis - secrecy and deception - should be exposed to the healing power of sunlight and disclosure.

Ahh yes, the mystical healing power of "sunlight and disclosure." I frequently go to confession to experience the healing power of sunlight and disclosure.

These policies make sense. These policies respond to the crisis facing our Church. These policies address the real problems confronting parish priests, bishops, and laity.

What policies make sense? I'm sorry did I miss something? I thought at the begining VOTF already stated they were anti-policy? They said they had a few policies related to the abuse scandal but...all that ammounted to was psycho-babble.

To state more specifically what we do and do not stand for:

Thank you, I'm glad they're getting specific--that means I can get specific too.

Voice of the Faithful is focused on those actions necessary to respond to survivors, to support priests who are living their vows, and to effect structural change that helps ensure this type of abuse never occurs again in the Catholic Church.

Hmm...supporting priests is a good thing, but what do they mean by 'structural change'--oh yeah what they were trying to say is that they want "democracy" as stated in not so many words in their "Open Letter to His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI."

We accept the teaching authority of the Catholic Church.

HA! Oh my, this is the funniest thing I've heard this morning. So I suppose challenging the Bishops authority, advocating contraception, demanding "equality in ordinations for women", slandering celibacy, and advocating homosexual priests are all well within the bonds of acceptable behavior while accepting the teaching authority of the Catholic Church.

We have taken no position on the many other issues that divide Catholics in 2002.

Oh but they have. VOTF may not state it on their webpage or in their pretty documents; however, it is blatently clear where the orginazition stands in it's support for heterodoxy. All one must do is search for news about them...(from the 'Daily Record)
describing a VOTF meeting:

"Among the proposed changes: a more open and inclusive church, including acceptance of women's ordination and the elimination of clergy's vows of celibacy and greater laity involvement."

We do not advocate the end of priestly celibacy, the exclusion of homosexuals from the priesthood, the ordination of women, or any of the other remedies that have been proposed across the spectrum of Catholic thought.

Very tricky...there's a double negative in there...did you catch it? Translation=We Want Gay Priests. The rest of the statement is false as they openly support the end of celibacy while supporting the ordination of women.

We do not endorse any organizations or interest groups.

Except Call to Action and all the other groups that along with VOTF have been banned from many dioceses. And odd---they don't endorse anyone yet they have an extensive "Links" page where readers can browse endlessly through hours of marginal Catholicism and outright heresy!

We do promote a full and open discussion about the root causes of the sexual abuse crisis and the remedies that are needed.

Ok...duh.

We do take the position that the bishops and the Vatican have failed to address the sexual abuse crisis and its consequences adequately.

Of course they would...and they use that to support inserting themselves into an "oversight role" of the Church which is only appropriate if one happens to be a Bishop.

We do take the position that bishops fail in their role as shepherds and teachers when they refuse to engage the laity in a meaningful and substantive discussion of the issues.

I honestly and truly don't know what shifty adgenda they are trying to hide by using the term "meaningful and substantive discussion" but if there is a member of VOTF reading this would you be so kind as to enlighten me?

We do take the position that Pope John Paul II rightly called clergy sexual abuse "crimes," and a "shame and scandal" for the Catholic Church.

Ok

We do believe that cleaning up this culture of deception and scandal is job #1 for the bishops.

What they forgot to mention is that they believe their #1 Job is oversight of the bishops--not just in their practical operation but in their theological teaching.

Voice of the Faithful will stay true to its mission and goals. We will support survivors of clergy sexual abuse. We will support priests in the faithful discharge of their vows. And we will work for structural changes that help ensure that clergy sexual abuse does not occur again in the Catholic Church. Ours will remain a philosophy of "centrism," of providing a voice for all people in the Catholic Church. In this way, we will "Keep the Faith and Change the Church."

Hmm..."Keep the Faith and Change the Church." Didn't that happen before by someone acting to "clean-up" the Church...oh yeah, his name was Martin Luther.

The other very disturbing thing about VOTF, besides being blatently heretical...is that I looked over their writings and I never saw Christ. Their website mentions Him maybe 3 or 4 times...maybe. For an organization which proports to be the voice of the faithful it seems to be much more of a loud voice and not faithful. Maybe they should rename themselves Voice of the Dissenters.

*As always share your thoughts, ask a question, make a comment, or give your suggestion for a topic by clicking the "Email a question or Comment" link on the right or just type the addres into the email yourself: josephjcheney@gmail.com (please include in your email whether or not you'd mind me posting parts of your conversation or if you'd like it to remain a private conversation...though I'd never use your name if I did post.)