VOTFI launches Ribbon of Truth, Accountability and Justice

To symbolise our primary commitment to supporting survivors of clerical sex abuse, VOTFI have launched a lapel ribbon with the words:  'Truth, Accountability, Justice'.

Samples of the ribbon were presented to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin on Holy Thursday, April 1st, 2010.

We urge all to consider wearing this ribbon, to ensure that these principles will now prevail in our church.

Ribbon presentation, Holy Thursday 2010

The pastoral letter of Pope Benedict XVI
 
There are aspects of Pope Benedict XVI's pastoral letter that we warmly welcome - especially the recognition that a 'new vision is needed, to inspire present and future generations' in Ireland.  The letter will hopefully now precipitate a long-delayed conversation among Irish Catholics - priests, bishops and people together - out of which, with God's help, such a new vision will emerge. 

We welcome the papal recognition of the insights that survivors of abuse bring to the church and hope that this will inaugurate an intensive period of listening to them and their families.  We welcome his severe confrontation of those who perpetrated abuse.  We welcome also the direction now given to church leaders to cooperate with civil authority, and the call for spiritual renewal. 

However, the letter's analysis of the causes of the disaster we have suffered is weakened by a failure to recognise a basic structural problem in the church.  Secularism is blamed for a weakening of faith in Ireland, but there is no acknowledgement that it was secular agencies such as the media, the police, the civil courts and the state that uncovered a problem kept hidden by the church's own systems of governance.  There is no recognition in the pastoral that the concentration of powers exercised by bishops led to a conflict of responsibilities, to a culture of secrecy and in too many cases to an unjust and intimidatory response to victims which compounded their sufferings.

As it was these secular processes which created the circumstances that led to the Murphy report - and to this pastoral letter to Ireland - we find it remarkable that the letter makes no reference to this, and sees no serious problem with structures of church governance that did not make church leaders accountable for their actions, or for their failures to act, until secular agencies stepped in.

Changes are needed to canon law to bring about openness and accountability in the governance of the church, ridding us finally of the culture of deference and secrecy that has caused us so much disgrace, distrust and pain.  We regret that the pastoral has missed an opportunity to acknowledge this need, but hope that greater transparency and accountability will nevertheless come about as the church continues to learn.

Knowing that it is part of a long-term process of renewal, we believe that aspects of this pastoral letter will help that process reach fruition.  We too 'believe deeply in the healing power of [Christ's] self-sacrificing love - even in the darkest and most hopeless situations - to bring liberation and the promise of a new beginning'.

VOTFI Reorganises

The events of 2009-10 have galvanised many Irish Catholics into a realisation that their church is in deep crisis, and that things will never be the same again.  Our traditional lay tendency to wait for others to take the initiative has been shown to be deeply dangerous:  Irish lay Catholics must now adopt a different proactive role if their church is to recover and renew itself - and Irish bishops are now also promising an era of greater lay involvement.

The crises of 2009 have brought a significant number of new members to VOTFI, especially in the Dublin area.  Opportunities are now being explored for mobilising support for survivors of abuse and for revitalising Catholic commitment to the renewed and vibrant church envisaged by Vatican II.

To reflect this new reality we in VOTFI have reorganised ourselves.  The role of coordinator exercised by Sean O'Conaill from 2004-2010 was at Easter 2010 devolved to a Membership Support Team, some of whose leading members are Dublin-based.  Sean's location in Coleraine in Northern Ireland had never been ideal, and became disadvantageous to the growth of VOTFI in Dublin and other urban centres in Ireland.  Health concerns also advised that he should step down from the coordinating role at that time.

The thinking behind the formation of the Membership Support Team (MST) is that leadership should not be controlling and directive, but should instead encourage members to be proactive and creative in their own locales in fulfilling VOTF's mission and goals.  We feel sure that this is a time of opportunity as well as crisis, and that it is the individual members of VOTFI who will know best how to rise to those opportunities, in their own space.  

The MST will continue to consult the wider membership through the online groups that have taken VOTFI to its position as an acknowledged force for constructive lay participation in the life of the church in Ireland.  Recent assurances from Irish bishops that lay people will in future be far more involved in the life of the church give cause for hope - and everything depends on lay people being eager and willing to take on that role. With this reorganisation VOTFI hopes to forward that vision of the church, in collaboration with all who have a similar vision.

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

2. To support priests of integrity

3.To shape structural change within the Catholic Church.

Gentle Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
source of all wisdom, love and light.  Revive our spirits at a time of doubt and despondency.  Help us to witness to the truths our Church and our priests have brought to us over many centuries.  Help us to show that your Gospel can meet all the challenges of the moment and bring peace and friendship to all people on this island - so that Ireland can become again a source of light and joy to the world.  Amen

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