Lay Catholic Group Wraps up National Conference in Providence, Associated Press, carried in My Fox Providence, October 21, 2007

Lay Catholic Group Wraps up National Conference in Providence

Associated Press, carried in My Fox Providence
October 21, 2007

http://www.myfoxprovidence.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=
4698193&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Providence, R.I. (AP) — The Catholic lay group Voice of the Faithful wraps up its two-day national conference in Providence.

And it's signaling it may be preparing to tackle controversial issues such as whether priests should be allowed to marry.

Providence Generic

The group was formed in 2002 amid anger over the clergy sex abuse scandal. But it's recently struggled with fundraising and focus as anger over the scandal has subsided.

The keynote speaker, Notre Dame theologian Reverend Richard McBrien, says Voice of the Faithful has had success demanding increased accountability from church leadership. But he says it wasn't time to declare victory.

He says the group would not be straying from its original mission by calling on the Vatican to reconsider mandatory celibacy for priests.