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	'Imprimatur' or Not, 'Voice' Grows Among Catholics By Jim Haug The Daytona Beach News-Journal [Ormond Beach FL] November 19, 2005 ORMOND BEACH -- The Voice of the Faithful began in 2002 when Roman Catholics in Massachusetts met in a church basement to vent their anger over the sex abuse scandals. The group has since grown to 30,000 members with chapters in every state. A local chapter has just formed but without the endorsement of the Catholic Diocese of Orlando. Ten members representing parishes in Volusia and Flagler counties had their first meeting at the Ormond Beach Public Library because they were not allowed to use church property or use the church bulletins to make announcements. No explanation was given, but member Rose Keane surmised that "(church leaders) see us in opposition. We aim to rebuild the church, not tear it down." The Diocese of Orlando declined to comment for this story. On an informal and individual level, "there has been a lot of support from the clergy," said Bob Keane, a member of the local chapter. Nationally, the religious, such as priests and sisters, represent about 15 percent of the group's membership, said John Moynihan, the national communications director for the Voice of the Faithful, in a telephone interview. According to a poll by professors from Catholic University, two thirds of the Voice of the Faithful go to Mass every week and the majority, or 87 percent, has a college degree. "We're all very educated," said Dr. Joseph France, a member of the local chapter. "We're not a bunch of crazies." Bill Donohue, president of the conservative Catholic League, stressed some reservations about the group. "I'm in total favor of the laity (or church members) getting more involved," Donohue said in a phone interview. "(But) You have to know your place. They send out signals like they want to govern the church." He said they could become irrelevant as the sexual abuse scandals subside. Members of the Voice of the Faithful would like a greater say in organizational matters, such as how church money is spent. They would like priests to focus their energy on the sacraments and focus less on the day-to-day business of running a parish. "Why not hire a manager?" said Moynihan, who sees the sex abuse scandals as symptomatic of a larger disease -- too much power and little accountability for the bishops. The church is "still (organized) like a feudal system," Moynihan said. "All the responsibility is up, there's no responsibility down." France summarized the church hierarchy's attitude toward its membership as "pray, pay and obey." "The layman deserves a place at the table," France said. The Voice of the Faithful is careful to draw a distinction in their reform effort. While they want structural change, they're not challenging the church on doctrine. They're leaving hot-button topics like homosexuality or birth control alone. "We see that as a dead end," Moynihan said. The idea is "keep the faith but change the church," said Bob Keane, a member of the local chapter. Keane and his wife, Rose, became motivated to start a local chapter when they went to a Voice of the Faithful conference in Palm Beach County earlier this year. They were impressed by the group's support for the survivors of sexual abuse victims and "priests of integrity." Most priests are good, but they get "tarred" by the few that are bad, Moynihan said. Moynihan was not surprised the chapter in Volusia and Flagler counties would be banned from church property. Whenever authority is challenged, "people become worried," Moynihan said. THE NEXT 'VOICE' WHAT: Voice of the Faithful, a national group with 30,000 members in every state. WHY: Began in 2002 when Roman Catholics in Massachusetts organized to vent anger over sex abuse scandals; now seeks structural change within the church. WHEN: Local chapter will meet next at 3 p.m. Dec. 4, Ormond Beach Public Library, 350 S. Beach St. MORE INFO: Local organizers Bob and Rose Keane: rosenbobkeane@juno.com; Voice of the Faithful Web site: www.votf.org
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