Voices Of The Faithful? (votf)

[Aloysius]

i'm real confused... cuz they keep sendin me crazy emails and stuff that are all pro-life and anti-homosexual-marriage and stuff... are they just blatantly lying about their position?

[cmotherofpirl]

They are telling you part of their position.
The part they are not mentioning is the fact they want to remake the Church in their own image.
Satan always inserts truth somewhere in his lies.

[p0lar_bear]

Al,

Actually, they might not support abortion or gay marriage, so they aren't necessarily lying. The problem is they do support a democratic Church, women in the priesthood, contraception, etc. Being right on a couple of things doesn't mean the organization is good.

[Aloysius]

i listened to some debate between the cofounder of VOTF and some Call To Action person, and the cofounder of VOTF was anti-contraception as well. He also had alot of fidelity, calling upon the teaching of the Church alot and calling it infallible, including the teaching of Humanae Vitae.

I guess all that means is not everyone in VOTF is bad, right?

[p0lar_bear]

Al,

Not everyone who joins VOTF is bad, most are probably just looking for some avenue to try to respond to the abuse crisis.

However, I'm reticent to consider any of the national leaders as faithful or orthodox. I may have been wrong on the contraception issue (I thought I had read a statement to that effect, but I can't always keep it all straight). Even so, here are three quotes from national leaders:

[quote]A "changed Church" would have a broader base of power with checks and balances, and would be much stronger. If conservative, moderate, and liberal faithful were able to agree on a constitution for democratic representation of the views of the faithful, strong supports could be added to the Church. Laity speaking for a democratic institution could participate with the clergy in the balanced exercise of executive, legislative, and judicial power. James E. Muller, M.D., at the 2002 Conference, July 20, 2002 [url="http://www.votf.org/Convention/muller.html"]http://www.votf.org/Convention/muller.html[/url][/quote]

[quote]For centuries, the only form of government most people knew was monarchy. Even today there are countries throughout the world that are either monarchies or dictatorships. But the Church is not any ordinary society. Although its temporal leadership could perhaps conceive of no other form than monarchy it is entirely possible that God's vision was more expansive. If we listen to the words of Christ and especially learn from his actions, we see looming up that word that strikes fear and trembling in churchmen .... democracy! Why? Because it surely is evident that this was the reality that Christ lived by in his ministry. Why the fear and trepidation? Because to accept democracy means to shed the deep seated misconception that to serve means to control. Fr. Thomas Doyle, at the 2002 Conference, [url="http://www.votf.org/Convention/tomdoyle.html"]http://www.votf.org/Convention/tomdoyle.html[/url][/quote]

[quote]
“Leader dismayed at active opposition
By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff  |  May 11, 2004

WINCHESTER -- The president of Voice of the Faithful, a lay organization that has studiously avoided wading into debates over social issues, last night criticized the active role bishops have played in opposing same-sex marriage.

"We look with dismay at bishops who openly criticize the homosexual community and criticize gay rights," James E. Post, the organization's president, told about 150 people at a Voice of the Faithful meeting at St. Eulalia Church in Winchester.

In an interview afterward, Post told reporters, It is discouraging to see the archbishop using archdiocesan resources to run this campaign against gay marriage and to speak out in a way that is so divisive.*

Post said Voice of the Faithful, which claims 35,000 members nationwide, has not taken a position on same-sex marriage, and said "it's not our issue."

But, Post said, it was important to speak out because we can't do our work without acknowledging the deterioration in the environment in the Catholic Church.*”
[url="http://www.faithfulvoice.com/social.htm"]http://www.faithfulvoice.com/social.htm[/url][/quote]

In addition, at the Mass at the 2002 Convention, the priest celebrant made comments supporting women in the priesthood. (I don't have the exact quotes with me right now).

A number of the people who have been invited to speak at meetings throughout the US are people known for strongly supporting views contrary to the Church.

[jasJis]

Envoy magazine had a great article about VOTF about a year ago. Maybe you could search on-line. Basically, the organization of VOTF was taken over by more radical elements than what the organization was started with. It's a clear case of more politicaly astute persons taking over an organization for their own purposes and agenda. They do support women priests and having the lay choose pastors and Bishops. I think they are heading in the wrong direction. The lay should take over more of the secular/administrative duties in a parish and let the priests be ministers, but we shouldn't muck about in the Sacramental roles and responsibilities of priests and Bishops.