The worst of the clergy sexual abuse crisis may be over in Massachusetts, but the Boston-based Voice of the Faithful sees a nationwide cancer on the Catholic Church that it plans to advertise during Pope Benedict's weeklong visit to the United States later this month.VOTF President Dan Bartley told members in an e-mail Monday that $51,000 has been raised so far, almost enough to buy a full-page ad in the New York Times. But he added that there is just one day left before the advertising deadline, and the group would also like to take out ads in other national newspapers, such as USA Today.
VOTF communications director John Moynihan told The Standard-Times that the abuse scandals have dropped off the screen in many places. "Being off the newspaper page, it is no longer in front of people's eyes," he said.
But the proposed advertisement points out that legal settlements in the United States alone totaled $617 million and now exceed $2.3 billion worldwide.
"Equally troubling is the fact that our leaders contributed to this terrible toll," it reads.
The group said it wants more accountability from the bishops, many of whom it says are still in their positions despite aiding and abetting clergy abuse through transfers and cover-ups of priestly abuse.
"Many Catholics know too well the human suffering and financial costs associated with the global clergy sexual abuse crisis," the ad states. "By 2004 in the U.S. alone, more than 4,300 priests were alleged to have abused almost 11,000 young people between the years of 1950 and 2002."
Not only does the group seek to remove offending bishops, it wants the church to open up its administration to lay accountability, citing surveys in which 85 percent of dioceses reported embezzlements within the last five years.
"Every parish and diocese would have fully engaged finance committees providing independent perspectives to pastors or bishops," it proposes.
The Diocese of Fall River was the epicenter of the first major scandal, involving the late James Porter, a former priest who became one of the first brought to trial. That experience caused then-Bishop Sean O'Malley, now Cardinal O'Malley, archbishop of Boston, to meet with victims, settle claims and put safeguards in place, although not to the satisfaction of everyone.
His reward was to be assigned by Pope John Paul II to clean up the mess in the Boston archdiocese left by Cardinal Bernard Law, who was transferred to the Vatican.
While Cardinal O'Malley continues to meet with Voice of the Faithful on occasion, his successor in Fall River, Bishop George Coleman, has largely avoided the group. There has not been a meeting between representatives of the diocese and the group "in quite some time," according to diocesan spokesman John Kearns.
In fact, said Mr. Moynihan, the SouthCoast area Voice of the Faithful chapter has largely dissolved. There is an active group within the diocese on Cape Cod, but its issues have generally been with the Boston archdiocese since the beginning.
He said interaction with Voice of the Faithful and local bishops varies widely across the country. Communication is especially good in Boston and New York and about a dozen other dioceses, he said.
"In the diocese of St. Petersburg, we jointly sponsored a day of atonement in which the ceremony was presided over by the vicar general," said Mr. Moynihan.
But where the pope is concerned, he said, "We don't think he understands what's happening in the U.S. church. We want to call his attention to reality."
Pope Benedict's visit is scheduled from April 16-20.
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