As I long ago predicted, Voice of the Faithful is continuing its slow unmasking as heterodox organization, nothing more than a dressed up Call to Action, trotted out in time to use the Scandal as an excuse to recruit new members. Matt Abbott reproduces an email from the National Representative Council of VOTF that say they plan to call for a discussion of that which is settled doctrine, namely women’s ordination.
... Whereas, women are excluded not only from governing positions within the Church’s hierarchical structure, but also from many ministerial leadership roles; and
Whereas, the deterrence of future abuses by the hierarchy is dependent on the entire People of God,
THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED THAT:
Voice of the Faithful calls for Church-wide discussion on advancing equal access for women to all positions of leadership and ministry within the Catholic Church.
Remember that quaint time a few years ago when VOTF leaders laughed behind their hands as they told the world that the organization wouldn’t take a stand on doctrinal controversies? Those of us who saw the writing on the wall pointed out that not to take a stand on doctrine is not to uphold the doctrine. It’s like saying you refuse to say whether you love your country because you’re not taking a stand on patriotism. Of course, the evidence has been right on their web site all along. (While that page claims that “the articles, speeches, and essays that will be offered here represent their authors’ thoughts and reflections, rather than VOTF policy,” the only papers offered on that page in the past four years have been those advancing heterodox views. That represents something more than the authors’ views.)
What’s so silly about this resolution proposal is that it claims that women are excluded from the ordinary life and leadership in the Church. Have you been in a chancery or parish office lately? Apart from the priests, how many men do you see? Almost none. This resolution denigrates the contribution of millions of women, lay and religious, around the world who do much of the face-to-face work of the Church. Now, how many dioceses have female chancellors? In Rome, how many women are among those who work in the curia and even in congregations and councils? Have you ever heard of Ingrid Stampa?
But in the grey-haired Sixties revolutionary world of much of the VOTF leadership, what is important is not service, but power. The priesthood is a means to an end, not an end in itself. And that’s why VOTF is doomed to follow all the dinosaurs of the heterodox hippy-dippy Sixties into the boneyard of history.
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bk_keywords:Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, Catholic priesthood.
Yes, power it is, but is MATERIAL power. Now I thought all these good 60’s hippies were non-materialists? Well, maybe in their quaint purchases from politically correct stores, but in the end, they want material power, there aint a lick of concern about the SPIRIT here at all.
They want to TELL YOU WHAT DO TO.
Several weeks ago, a regional leader of VOTF referred to the bishops’ task of re-translating the English text of the Mass as “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.” This week, the national leadership is lamenting the participation of the laity in what is, until now, rearranging the aforementioned deck chairs.
Oh, and they still wonder why they’re ignored.
I don’t think they’re ignored as much as it is a matter of them talking to themselves.
From day one of VOTF’s official debut on the pages of the Boston Globe (and timing was everything to these folks, they may be heterodox but they’re not stupid – in fact, they are self described ‘highly educated, important people’) my question has been one of looking around… why do Catholics lobby for what the Anglicans/Episcopans have? The state of that denomination is one of disunity, fracture and contradiction. They are falling apart and falling further and further from the Truth each day – they are a mess. One day they will be no more if they continue on the road they are on – and that road is the one VOTF beckons the Catholic Church to take.
Anyhow, in my neck of the woods VOTF was pretty big in terms of membership at one time. I think there are maybe 4 or 6 active members, last time I checked. They don’t even have meetings anymore because no one goes to them.
Good example of “by their fruits you shall know them”.
Good point, JJ – but I think the TaT indoctrination is all about cya and insurance. VOTF (as I recall) kindly volunteered to lead the effort. The thing is, Tat has never been deployed in my Arch of Boston parish – and as far as I know, none of the area AofB parishes either. I know it’s around, but not in my area. I don’t know if the lack of TaT implementation is linked with the lack of area VOTF members…?
My kids are only in CCD for the two manditory years surrounding the Sacraments (Holy Communion and Confirmation). Other than that (the non manditory years), they are taught at home.