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Minutes
of the Regional Meeting
Masonic Hall
Babylon, New York
May 6, 2004
The meeting
was opened with prayer.
Pat Zirkel, LIVOTF Co-Chair, shared the following opening
remarks.
The good news is: First, representatives from
LI Voice of the Faithful (whom you will meet shortly) will be meeting
with the Bishop's representatives next week to discuss a number of concerns.
Second, our numbers! We seem to be in the midst of a membership surge.
In the last several months we have signed up 389 new members. As of the
beginning of May (and not counting a further group of new members that
I know have filled out forms), LI VOTF has 1,954 members. Out of 134
total parishes in the diocese, 125 parishes have members. Fifty-eight
parishes participate in Parish Voice meetings.
Third, we are staying the course, holding to our vision of a church we
can be proud to belong to, a church into which the laity has significant
input, a church which is open and honest in all its transactions.
There is, of course, some bad news, too: First, as I may have mentioned
last month, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has rejected the recommendation
by a panel of prominent Roman Catholic lay people that the Bishops immediately
authorize a second round of independent audits of sex abuse procedures
in dioceses across the country. There will be a conference on this subject
in Manhattan on May 22.
Second, there is every indication that Rome doesn't get it yet. Liturgical
guidelines, for example, increasingly emphasize separation between
clergy and laity. And although Pope John Paul has said many good things
about what a Bishop should be — (for one thing, he said that Bishops "must
be, and appear to be, poor") — the Bishops being appointed
continue to have an authoritarian bent.
So, we continue to work toward a more participatory church, a church
of equals, a church into which all have input, a church that listens
to all.
Toward that end, and so that all of us can begin to experience a listening
church, we've planned tonight as your night.
Our agenda calls for a series of very short "door-opener" conversation-starters.
First up will be those who will be meeting with the Bishop's representatives.
Their brief conversation-starter will be followed by ten minutes or so
of open microphone for your questions and comments.
Then we'll have a few more "door-openers," each followed by
ten minutes of open mike. Board members who are present are up toward
the front so as to be available to answer your questions. I invite them
to jump in if they have something of substance to offer in response to
a question or comment.
Please be brief if you do get up to speak, so as to leave time for others
also. We'll start with a two-minute limit, and if need be, we'll shorten
that later in the evening.
Perhaps if we all keep in mind a listening and responsive church, there
will almost be no need for a time limit, because we'll all be aware of
limiting ourselves for the good of all. We do have one implacable time
constraint: we must begin to break up at 9:30 p.m., as usual.
One further development for tonight: We have a meeting evaluation form
that will be passed out a bit later. Please take a minute or two to check
off your answers. We really want to know how you feel about this meeting
format.
Thank you.
Pat Zirkel introduced Anne Kerrigan, speaking for the
Liaison Team.
Good evening. My name is Anne Kerrigan. I would like to give you an update
on the meeting between the Bishop's liaison team and the VOTF team.
The meeting is scheduled for May 13, 2004, at St. Joseph's in Brentwood.
As you may recall, at the last meeting, Pat Zirkel read the letter from
Msgr. Brennan as well as VOTF's response in which we questioned some
stipulations and made some proposals.
They requested strict confidentiality: we stated dialogue would not be
divulged BUT issues discussed would be.
They stated that they would send a report to Bishop Murphy at the end
of these sessions. We recommended a joint report after each meeting be
sent to Bishop Murphy.
The good news is that they responded by asking for recommended dates
for a meeting.
The bad news is that they did not specifically respond to our proposals
So we (VOTF) felt that we had to clarify the suggestions and proposals
before we could move forward.
HERE IS OUR RESPONSE . . . (The April 16 letter was read.)
HERE IS THEIR RESPONSE . . . (The April 29 response was read.)
[The correspondence referenced here is available on the LIVOTF website
in its entirety.]
We were pleased with the response and so the Liaison Team has been preparing
for the meeting. (The team was introduced:)
Mr. Tom Myles
Mr. Jim Godfrey
Mr. John Mulvey
Mr. Kevin Connors
Mrs. Anne Kerrigan
Our "game plan" is to start the meeting with a prayer and then
refer back to Msgr. Brennan's letter, which states:
"Some pastors do not fully understand why the Bishop has not allowed VOTF
to use church property. A request was made (from the priests) to set up a liaison
team to discuss these concerns and to resolve differences."
We will ask what those concerns and differences are and then try to clarify
any "unresolved" issues. Hopefully, a mutually acceptable agenda
will be set at that first meeting, and we will proceed from there. Our
hope is that the agenda will include meeting in the churches, more financial
openness, compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children
and Young People, and an assortment of other issues. We are energized
by the opportunity to meet with the Bishop's team. We are looking forward
to an open and honest dialogue and exchange of ideas and we anticipate
positive outcomes.
Before I stop for questions, I would like to say on behalf of the liaison
team that we are honored to represent such a wonderful group of people.
We ask for your prayers and we want you to know that we will work tirelessly
on your behalf and on the behalf of VOTF members everywhere. We feel
hopeful and, most of all, we surely feel the presences of the Spirit
in all that is happening.
Thank you
Mrs. Kerrigan asked the members to feel free to ask questions. Those
questions follow.
Q: Can the Liaison Team stand so we can pray and ask the Holy Spirit
to bless them?
A: In response the team stood and the membership prayed for the Holy
Spirit to bless their mission.
Q: Why are Dan and Pat not on the Liaison Team?
A: The team was chosen by the Board, and it was decided that the Co-Chairs
would not attend, as Bishop William Murphy would not attend.
Q: Will the names of the Bishop's Team be made public?
A: We have requested those names in emails, and that request will be
renewed.
[In the time since the meeting, the names of the Bishop's Team have
been made public.]
Q: I notice five team members and one woman. Is there a woman on their
team?
A: We do not know that at this time.
Q: Will the meeting be taped?
A: That would not lead to free and open dialogue.
Q: What issues and questions do you expect to take to the meeting?
A: Among other issues, meeting on Church property, a Diocesan Financial
Council, Safety Committees, Parish Councils with representative membership,
and a Parish Council in every parish are topics that need to be addressed.
Q: This is a negotiating session. Is a primary goal meeting on Church
property?
A: First, we expect that this will be a series of meetings. Our main
goal is not meeting on Church property.
Q: There was the mention of a joint report regarding the meetings. Will
that report be sent only to Bishop William Murphy?
A: No. All LIVOTF membership will see the report.
Q: Will the recommendations made by the Bishop's Team be binding to Bishop
Murphy?
A: No, Bishop Murphy makes the final decision. The report will be joint,
it will be public, and the press will be know of its existence.
Q: I have been involved in collective bargaining. Bishop Murphy needs
to know that if he can veto any recommendation made by his representatives,
we can veto recommendations made by our representatives as well.
Pat Zirkel rose to comment to the membership that the
Board of Directors chose the Liaison Team and has great confidence in
them.
Q: As a show of good faith, ask them to publish the dates and locations
of LIVOTF meetings.
John Mulvey, Liaison Team member and member of the Board
of Directors, spoke to remind the members that the upcoming meeting will
not be likely to afford an opportunity to discuss real issues.
Q: What if the openness and transparency issue is not negotiable for
the Bishop's Team?
A: We won't know until we get there.
Pat Zirkel informed the membership that the Prayer Committee
has asked that members pray that God's will is discerned in the May 13
meeting and that all pray for the attendees of that meeting.
Pat Zirkel introduced Joan Bedosky.
GOOD EVENING, CHURCH! I've been asked to speak very briefly tonight on The
Statement of Identity and to look at "Whose statement is
it, anyway?"
This statement was written to the Board of Directors by the ad hoc committee
that was appointed by the Board to create a Strategy for LI-VOTF. A couple
of committee members compiled this paper at the culmination of the ad
hoc committee's work, although its contents were percolating throughout
the committee's entire process.
The statement was unanimously approved by the Board and became available
to Long Island's members through our website, newsletter and meeting
handouts.
One of our Board members suggested that the statement may be mistitled,
giving the impression it is the Statement of Identity for the entire
membership of Long Island Voice of the Faithful, rather than just for
the Board. I tended to agree, after reflecting back on the process that
I experienced as a member of the ad hoc committee.
While preparing for tonight, I re-read the document and I still agree
that it may be mistitled, but I also suspect that
the essence of the document, which hopefully
was influenced by the Spirit, speaks also of the identity of the entire
membership. Just as this identity continues to unfold among the Board
members, it may be unfolding among all members, because together we are
a work in progress.
So I submit to the Spirit's intentions, whatever they may be, while welcoming
comments and listening carefully to all reflections.
Having said that, I would like to move forward by highlighting a few
points made in the statement, in hopes of opening the door
for our exchange of ideas, comments, questions, etc. that will follow.
* We acknowledged our right to meet on church property
and if a change of venue for our meetings occurred, we would assume our
right quietly and with authority.
* We acknowledged that we had focused disproportionate
energy on the adversarial relationship with Bishop William Murphy, and
that it was defining our public image and our private dialogue.
* We acknowledged that LI-VOTF would better serve its
mission if it was defined its priorities, positions and goals rather
than by its responses and reactions.
* We acknowledged that we need to be immovable when
speaking the truth and expecting the truth from Church leaders.
* And we acknowledged that we need to demonstrate the
integrity, courage, and pastoral concern for our Church that we demand
of our hierarchy and priests.
(The following CONTEXT was suggested, in order to be more fully appropriate
and remain centered in the Gospel values and prophetic origins from which
we have grown.)
* As a fully legitimate, faith-filled, Spirit-directed
organization of the Catholic Church, our genuine authority empowers us
to communicate in an open and respectful manner, never compromising our
mission, and never abandoning the truth.
* We expect to participate in authentic dialogue on all
Church levels in order to advance lay participation in
the Church and to participate in the structures & resources
mandated by the Dallas Charter as we work for healing in our Church.
* With regard to the responsibilities of the
Church hierarchy, our role will be one of oversight, support,
and when needed, challenge.
We accept St. Paul's challenge to "Speak the truth with love," which
empowers us and gives us the only authority we need to
effect change in the Church.
We continue our Spirit-directed endeavor to speak TRUTH to POWER and
guard against putting the "institution" before our mission.
As a prayerful people, a people of integrity, we pray for the grace to
remain focused on our Spirit-inspired Mission, to be given the authority,
clarity and courage to speak TRUTH to power and to truly speak that truth
with LOVE.
I invite your comments to the following question: "WHAT TRUTHS DO
YOU THINK WE NEED TO BE SPEAKING TO POWER WITH
LOVE?"
The opportunity for the members to ask questions was offered. Those questions
follow.
Q: The national average of abusive priests is 4%. The average in this
diocese was 1.65%. The percentage in Boston was 7%. A 7% bishop should
not be rewarded with our diocese.
Q: There is an issue of double standard. Parishes are in trouble, but
when you try to address them, they won't take the first step and take
responsibility.
A: They have all the power. We would like to think we have some of the
truth. Remind them that they are to be the servants.
The greatest truth to power is that Bishop William Murphy must resign.
What he stands for, where he’s been, what he's done.
The only way he can truly serve the Church on Long Island is to step
aside.
Pat Zirkel introduced Joan Psotto speaking for the Strategy
Committee.
GOOD EVENING CHURCH!
I'm Joan Psotto . . . recently invited to fill out a term on the Board
of Directors until the elections in the fall. It is truly a privilege
to serve my church in this way.
I served on the Strategy Planning Committee that met last fall through
March of this year to discuss long-range planning. Much is said of the
three stated goals of VOTF; however, events in our church over the past
two years have occurred at a pace that has not permitted our leadership
time to strategize on how to best achieve those goals and in doing so,
how to get the most from our limited resources.
After much intense debate, the Strategy Planning Committee was able to
present to the Board the March 2004 Statement of Strategy which has appeared
in our beautiful newsletter and on our equally attractive website. If
you haven't seen it prior to this evening, we do have copies available.
I've been asked to open our member discussion on this strategy statement.
Summarizing the document, you will note that the first two of our four
recommendations deal directly with needs arising from the sexual abuse
scandal. The third focuses on education of the laity, both among our
membership and beyond, on issues relating to VOTF goals. And the last
recommendation, also a monitoring role, relates to diocesan finances.
Just one word about the "monitoring" role we have suggested.
Of course, there were those among us who wanted to take on the world.
But in truth, it is the responsibility of our church leaders, of the
diocese, to put in place the recommendations of the Dallas Charter that
will ensure the safety of our children. It is also their responsibility
to ensure that those devastated by clergy sexual abuse will be ministered
to with justice and compassion. The diocese has the administrative structure
and the resources to do all that is required. VOTF is not in a position
to parallel programs that might be offered. But while the diocese has
the resources, we continue to have reason to question whether they have
the will. That is why we felt that VOTF needs to be in a monitoring or
watchdog role.
I've taken up too much time. We want to now what you think of the statement
and recommendations and what you, our members, hope that we can accomplish.
A final reminder: Your feedback is truly needed for us to plan future
meetings. Toward the end of this discussion Lisa and I will come up the
aisle to distribute the evaluation forms. Please fill them in and return
them to us before you leave tonight.
Thank you.
The opportunity for the members to ask questions was offered. Those questions
follow.
Q: Did the Committee attend the Oyster Bay meeting?
A: (The circumstance at Oyster Bay was explained as a situation where
parishioners were very unhappy with their pastor and were meeting to
discuss the request for his transfer.)
It was explained that the Coordinating Body in Oyster Bay was offered
the assistance of LIVOTF and preferred to handle this as a "family" situation
but was interested in advice from LIVOTF. LIVOTF was honoring that request.
Q: Regarding financial monitoring — it has been said that the next
big crisis will be finances. The article in the NY Times said
that Mr. Grafer stated, for example, that the reserves held by the diocese
were too high. Have you looked into this?
Kevin Connors, Co-Chair of the Finance Committee answered.
A: Dick Grafer, who wrote that report, has attended one of our Finance
Committee meetings. Please read the newsletter, which has information
on finances and Gospel values.
Q: Do all parishes publish receipts?
A: There is no requirement for parishes to do so.
Q: Because of no control over who becomes the pastor of a certain parish,
we got a pastor who was known to "cook the books." He has done
damage to several parishes through his mishandling of funds.
A: All abuses are interwoven.
Q: Most of the strategy seems to be on a diocesan level. However, there
seem to be flare-ups on parish levels. What, for example, are we doing
to help the people at St. Dominic's?
Phil Megna answered the question.
A: St. Dominic's did not want us "officially" involved.
Pat Zirkel
introduced Kevin Connors, who spoke about Structural
Change.
He explained that all change will happen at the parish level. The Parish
Voices play a vital role in facilitating this.
Regional LIVOTF needs to provide support. If the Parish Voices apply
pressure from the parish level, LIVOTF will bring pressure to bear directly
with Bishop Murphy.
Questions were then invited from the members. Those questions and answers
follow.
Q: When questioned regarding the identity of the members of the Pastoral
Council, they were published in the bulletin. Ask and it is a start to
gaining accountability.
Q: In one parish, more than half of the Pastoral Council members are
LIVOTF members.
Q: We had an appointed Parish Council. They suddenly disappeared. The
Pastoral Council members seem untouchable.
A: You always have the power of the purse.
Q: I contacted my Pastoral Council members to request the dates of their
meetings. I spoke with one member who informed me that I would need to
be invited by the pastor to attend a meeting. It was offered that my
question could be carried to the council by this member. My question,
Couldn't LIVOTF info be put in the bulletin? was answered by the pastor
stating that he felt no need to bring this up at this time.
Joan
Bedosky made a presentation on "Where's the
Action? Parish VOICES!"
I'm very impressed by the latest data provided by our hardworking Communications
Committee! Obviously, YOU, the members of LI-VOTF, have been working
hard also, by speaking and being the Voice of the Faithful in all walks
of your life! YOU are increasing our membership! Not only are we the
largest affiliate in the country according to Jim Post, president of
VOTF, but we also continue to grow, slowly and steadily, toward the 2,000
mark!
As our membership grows, the number of parishes without members continues
to diminish, leaving us now with only 9 parishes out of 134 that are
still not benefiting from the courage, strength and integrity of VOTF
members!
These parishes are listed on the front of the handout.
If you know people in these parishes, especially any Nassau members with
us tonight, how about inviting them to our next Regional Meeting on Thursday,
June 10, which will be in Manhasset? You and your guest will receive
free buttons and car window decals!
Let’s cross that 2,000 mark by then and also diminish the non-VOTF
parishes by at least 1!
* Fifty-eight parishes are participating in Parish Voice
meetings in 25 locations. That's 43%. Parish Voice Contacts, Coordinators
and Moderators are working hard not to let the "Terrible 2s" (that's
the stage we're in!) get to them! They are finding wonderful speakers,
celebrating anniversaries with Masses, and are linked up now via a communication
system whereby they can exchange ideas, agendas, insights and meeting
information one another.
* They have created three Provinces on Long Island — Western,
Central and Eastern — again for the purpose of networking, support,
and strength. Each Province has two Interim Coordinators who will meet
for the first time on the 27th to establish their purpose and represent
their members. They are heading toward forming a Representative Council,
with elected Province Coordinators, in hopes of fulfilling the need for
dialogue, collaboration, and decision-making avenues.
* We have five Parish Voices in need of leadership — they
are also listed on the front of this handout. Anyone here from these
parishes, please step up to the plate! Come talk with me at the end of
the meeting. We have a very dedicated committee and many PV contacts
that are willing to lend a hand! We also have MANY resources available
just for the asking!
* A list of parishes participating in PVs is on the
reverse side of the handout, and their meetings are listed on our website
under "Parish Voices." If you would like to visit or have more
information about any of the existing PVs, please call or write to the
PV contact listed on the website.
* If you would like to start a PV, please see me or
any committee member after the meeting or find my number or email address
on the website under "Working Committees."
Well, you've heard more from me tonight than you have in the past year
and half!
Enough said for awhile, I promise!
The opportunity for the members to ask questions was offered. Those questions
follow.
Q: We would like to have an Anniversary Mass for our Parish Voice. Our
pastor said that he would be uncomfortable saying that Mass. Is there
a solution?
A: We have a Jesuit visitor who was delighted to say our Mass. We sent
an invitation to our pastor but received no response. But we were open
and honest. We held our mass in the Village Hall.
Q: My pastor handled it by saying the Mass for a "group of parishioners."
Leo Cuomo spoke on the subject of Vigils.
We are a prayerful and peaceful group. We conduct our Vigils in that
way.
A sign-up sheet was circulated for the May 25 Vigil. It will begin at
7:30 p.m. Please bring a flashlight.
Q: Ask police if we are imposing on the rights of the Episcopal priest
across the street from the diocese.
A: An emissary will go to the pastor of the Episcopal Church and speak
with him.
A: I wrote to the Bishop and told him that I had attended the Vigils
and my reasons for doing so. Write to him and tell him you are going
to attend. Tell him why.
Q: Please attend the Vigil on the 25th.
Phil Megna reminded the members that on June 6 to be
at Hecksher Park, Field 3, from 1 p.m. to dusk. The Mass will be at 4
p.m. Bring your kids, your picnic, and please bring a dessert to share.
There is information available in the flyer at the back of the room.
Pat Zirkel stated that it had been a great meeting and
that this was certainly something that needed to be done repeatedly.
The meeting was ended with prayer.
Respectfully
submitted,
Janet Godfrey