[american colleen]

I'm sending a copy of this e-mail to all of the "talkmeisters" in the Greater Boston area who have been touting VOTF as an alternative to turn to in this time of (unothodoxy) crisis.

My parish priest vaguely referred to them in last weeks parish newsletter as an alternative to the Cardinal's appeal - I'm sending this to him as well.

[american colleen]

Just a few names off the top of my head.

[Saundra Duffy]

Interesting.

[Aquinasfan]

Voice of the Faithful < /flushing sound>

This group reminds me a lot of the Reform Party. I suspect they will come to a similar end. So long Kumbaya Krowd.

Thanks for the post.

[eno_]

I was suspicious when the Usual Suspect leftists in the media start mentioning this organization. I'm not a Catholic, but I pray for Catholics because the Church seems to have enemies inside and out. What Catholic organizations can be counted on not to try to protect homosexual priests?

[Argus]

Bump for later.

[billbears]

bump for later

[maryz]

Verrrrry interesting! But basically what some of us (to name no names) suspected from the beginning. I wish they'd said more, though, about "the kinds of programs VOTF wants to fund"; maybe I can guess.

I did see the little piece in the Herald a few days ago about VOTF's permanent plans. If I remember the numbers right, their recent convention brought in $250,000 and cost $100,000-$150,000. With the rest, they want to set up an office and hire a full-time staff. Even if they count one person as constituting a "staff," they've got a ways to go, unless the "staff" is willing to use his living room as the VOTF office.

Interesting that they shut down the bulleting board on their website; remember how, before their convention, they were really, really, really trying to attract more conservatives to the membership, and they even invited conservative speakers (who do not recall receiving invitations)?

[NYer]

Excellent job of reporting, Colleen. Aren't we surprised (/sarcasm)! Form a group and every weird, perverted and demented sycophant comes out of the woodwork!!

Leonard Swidler, professor of Catholic thought at Temple University. Well-known for his work in the formation of a "global ethic" with dissenting theologian Hans Kung

Shouldn't that read Swindler?

SIECUS promotes guidelines for sex education for children grades K-12, guidelines which approve of children ages 5-8 being taught that masturbation and homosexuality are acceptable practices.

Should be renamed SICKNESS to suit the program's objectives.

VOTF just announced that it's starting an additional fund-raiser in order to keep its own operation running, to the tune of $1 million

I hope the media gets this message out to the public!

[Jim Noble]

Another attempt by left-wing American Catholics to reinvent Protestantism.

The problem with this is that it's been invented already. We've had 500 years (plus or minus) to learn about its good and bad points. Anyone who wants to pursue a Protestant Christian way of relating to our Lord and His Church has an abundance of opportunities.

In my very, very humble opinion, these Roman Catholic "protestants" want to retain the powerful features of their Church, but want them to be used to mandate alternative theology, rather than the theology of the Pope and the bishops. This is fundamentally dishonest.

It's not new to have a conscience. It's not new to discover the Bible. It's not new that bishops can be wrong, even evil criminals. It's most certainly not new that a faithful walk with Christ can involve turning your back on powers and principalities.

Why not go all the way, and become Protestants?

[chatham]

Thank you for the ping.
This post puts into words the doubts I have had regarding this group. I'll send this along to one of the administrators on the board of VOTF and see what I get as a response.
This article would be very hard to dismiss out of hand.