We’ve been over this before: Voice of the Faithful claims that it is not a liberal or conservative group, but they take no stand on “controversial” issues, i.e. they don’t stand up for the doctrine of the Church. I’ve given dozens of examples of their own words and actions that belie that claim and that reveal that the organization is nothing more than yet another retread of the same old dissenting heterodox voices.
The latest example comes from yesterday’s announcement of their annual Priest of Integrity Award. This year the recipient is Bishop Thomas Gumbleton.
The award will be presented by Mary Pat Fox, VOTF president, in recognition of Bishop Gumbleton’s prophetic voice in speaking out for survivors of clergy sexual abuse. The Bishop has also advocated a greater voice for the laity in the affairs of the Church. In January 2006 Bishop Gumbleton made nationwide headlines when he revealed that he had been sexually abused by a priest while a young seminarian. The next day he testified before the Ohio legislature in support of extending the Statute of Limitations for child sex abuse crimes.
I’m not sure why all those years of Gumbleton’s silence about the priest who allegedly abused him and his failure to demand a longer statute of limitations or greater action by the Church don’t disqualify him for this award or bring his integrity into question. I guess the primary qualification for VOTF is that he toes the party line now and is a constant voice of dissent, undermining the authority of the Holy Spirit and the magisterium.
At this Saturday’s award ceremony, Gumbleton will also give a talk entitled “Becoming Adults Catholics.” That’s actually quite appropriate since VOTF and its ilk needs to grow up and quit its silly teenage rebellion.
Technorati Tags:bishops, Catholic, Gumbleton, sex abuse, statute of limitations, Voice of the Faithful
VOTF was excommunicated, appealed to rome and lost. that means they arn’t even catholic, as near as I can tell. If we just ignore them, they’ll get board and quit throwing their fit—like my granddaughter.
Mitch, I don’t know if you’re being facetious but VOTF has not been excommunicated.
Mary Pat Fox, Hmmmm. A distant relation of that practicing warlock and former Dominican, Matthew Fox? Probably not, but on the same path as Matthew-“Whee! We, Wee All the Way Home: A Guide to Sensual Prophetic Spirituality -”
The Bishop of Linclon, Nebraska excommunicated, inter alia, VOTF members in his diocese. That decision was recently up-held.
No, that wasn’t VOTF, it was Call to Action. It couldn’t have been VOTF because the order was made 10 years ago, long before VOTF existed. It was that specific decision by Bishop Bruskewitz, applicable only to his diocese, that was upheld. Not VOTF though.
You’re right. My bad.
I got it figured out—VOTF protested the Excommunication of the CTA, on some grounds or other, claiming it would affect them also.
that meant that I got the two confused.
What I want to know is when Bishop Gumbleton will become a Catholic adult.