“Voice of the faithful”
Spits on the blood of the Holy Martyrs
Dennis Kozak@FaithfulVoice.com , September 12, 2002
The problem
with heresy is that there is enough truth in it to make it believable.
Like many Catholics, I have been deeply
pained by the revelations over the last months concerning the sexual abuse of
our children by members of the clergy.
At the same time I have been deeply pained by reports of priests being
summarily dismissed who have been merely charged with committing an awful act
many years ago, and have gone on to serve the people of God with great love and
dedication. In the beginning of
this scandal I must admit I paid very little attention to votf. That is, until members of my own
community started talking about it.
When I started to investigate what this group was all about I began
without any preconceived ideas as to what their agenda was. I decided that I would follow the
evidence and see where it leads me.
My search began in August of this year on its’ very own website, as it
existed in early August. I read in
the second paragraph of their welcome:
“Voice of the Faithful is a
Boston-based group formed in response to the crises in the Archdiocese of
Boston, and the broader difficulties afflicting the Catholic Church throughout
the world. The group seeks to aid
Catholic growth by providing a voice for the people of the church.”
Wow, I thought, that seemed like a
pretty full plate to me. I
wondered what they meant by it and how they proposed to accomplish this. My search for clues continued to its
Mission Statement:
“To
provide a prayerful voice, attentive to the Spirit, through which the Faithful
can actively participate in the governance and guidance of the Catholic
Church.”
Interesting, I mused. Not only are they responding to the
yet unnamed broader difficulties afflicting the Catholic Church throughout the
world, but now they are seeking to actively participate in the governing and
guiding of the Church while responding.
My interest was now aroused and I continued to see how they were going
to do this. I continued down their
website to their goals:
1.
Support
those who have been abused (seemed
ok to me)
2.
Support
priests of integrity (who could argue with that?)
3.
Shape
structural change within Church
Huh? What was that? Shape structural change within
Church?? What did they mean by
that? Was the roof on the
Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston leaking? No air conditioning? Hmmmm. This is getting interesting.
Under their heading, back then,
immediately following “Our Goals” came the heading, “Indicate your support by
sharing your email”, followed by this statement:
“If
you agree with our mission and goals, please indicate this by adding your name
to the list of Catholics supporting this effort and sharing your email below
(think of it as a petition or a vote on the above mission and goals”
I still had no idea how they were going
to accomplish this daunting task and decided I had better investigate further
before I gave my support. How
could they expect any thinking person at this stage to support its mission and
goals when they have yet to state how they intend to accomplish this? Suppose, for example, one of their
goals was that to put a man on the planet Jupiter. Ambitious enough, but what
if the method they intended to employ would be to take my body and put it in a
giant slingshot and send me off into deep space. No, I thought, it’s much too early to give my support. Let me see the way in which they
propose going about this daunting mission. My search for clues continued down its website until I came
to the section entitled “Highly recommended reading” with two links
listed. AT LAST, I thought. Now I
am going to find out more. I
decided to open the links under this section since the next section was only
listed as “Optional Reading (these papers do NOT
represent VOTF positions, but are solely the positions of the author. VOTF
welcomes all views
I reasoned that if votf took the time
to tell me what was NOT [emphasis theirs] their position in these optional
readings, then the highly recommended reading must more clearly put forth what
IS [emphasis mine] their position, since it had no qualifying statements
appended to it.
With high hopes I opened the document
titled “The Guide” by Anthony Massimini
And
there it was.
A thirteen page document with the heading,
“Discerning the Spirit, A guide for Renewing and Restructuring the Catholic
Church” lay before me. I was in
awe. Over the ages, untold numbers
of authors have written even more
untold numbers of books about the Church, its teachings and structures and this
guy has it all in a mere thirteen pages.
And so I read this guide authored by Anthony T. Massimini. When I read the information on his
credentials I noticed this odd entry…”He attended the first session of the
Second Vatican Council…..” I wondered
what weight that was supposed to give to his “Guide”. Last month I “attended a Yankee Game” but that certainly
didn’t make me a Yankee. I also
wondered in what capacity he attended it.
Was he a part of it? If so,
I wondered what title was attached to his name. Mr? perhaps, Dr? or Reverend?
When I had finished reading it, I read
it again. I will attempt to
explain the most outrageous statements of this “Guide”
1)
We are witnessing an historic collapse of leadership in the
Catholic Church in the United States….A new church is being born. The old form of leadership is dying and
the Spirit is raising up a new form of church structure, participation and
leadership. The laity will play a major role in the renewal and restructuring
of the church….”
Say that again? I don’t remember seeing any “For Sale
by Owner” signs on any church property in the United States. I’m sure CNN would have covered THAT
story. This is a pretty bold
statement to make. Even if what
Dr. Massimini said were true, since the leadership in the United States
(assuming he means the Bishops and Cardinals) receives its authority from, and
in communion with, the Bishop of Rome, and since the procedures for appointing
new leaders had been established centuries ago, where does he get the authority
to make the statement that the laity will play a major role in the “renewal and
restructuring” of the church? Was
I on vacation when Rome changed the process?
Sections 1 through 14 of this document present
one of the most twisted views on what has transpired in the church since Jesus
Christ ascended into heaven. It
seems clear to me that Dr. Massimini does not give much credence to the words
Jesus spoke when He said to Peter “You are rock, and upon this rock I will
build my church, and the jaws of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom
of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever
you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matt 16; 18 – 19)
Section 7,
(b)(iii) makes the outrageous statement:
The
new and restructured church will be fully open to collaborating with the Spirit
of Christ in getting involved in its own growth, and in getting involved in the
everyday world, elevating it with justice, peace, creativity, healing, joy,
freedom, hope and compassion, and thereby helping to make it more human. [Emphasis mine]
What!!!!! The good doctor wants the Spirit of Christ to make His
church more HUMAN????? Looks to me
that His church has been all TOO human and perhaps if we demonstrated more of
our divine nature we wouldn’t be in the mess we are in now,
Section 7, (c),(d),(e) tackles the
church’s misguided (according to the doctor) teachings on everything from Sex, the degradation of women and
marriage, the clerical culture, to
forced celibacy. I guess the
“Spirit of Christ” has sought fit to spend quite some time hovering over Dr.
Massimini’s home of late to give him the vision of how the “renewed and
restructured” (dare I say enlightened?) church will correct the evils that have
been foisted on the people of God for the last two millennia. The new church of Anthony Massimini
(will that make us massiminist’s?) minnie me’s is easier to say and probably
more to the good doctor’s liking) will have none of these silly teachings. With all this justice, peace
creativity, healing, joy, freedom, hope and compassion all over the place who
would want to leave this for heaven?
And now we come to Part 2: Rebuilding
the Church
Section nine
posits the question;
“Will the renewed, restructured church
have an authority system?
Catholics
do not question true church authority……..
They don’t? I thought that is what this movement was all about (see its
mission statement and its goals)
Now we come to the heart of the matter,
of what this whole “Voice of the Faithful” deception is all about in Section
10:
Laity are already preparing a
Constitution for the church, that will be in full accord with the teachings and
laws of the church…….
Constitution?
In accord
with the teachings and laws of the church?
Does that
mean that Jesus really meant to establish a democracy?
Was He lying
when He gave Peter the power to loose and to bind?
If so, why would any self respecting
massiminist want to guide and govern it?
This is heresy, pure and simple
And there is more heresy to follow in
Section 13 wherein Dr, Massimini states:
The new authority structure will be
built on the authority of the truth and love of Christ. Jesus’ authority came from the true
power of faith, i.e. from his (notice no capitalization for our Lord since this
statement removes His divinity)
Teaching
and living the truth
My gut tells me that the Father will
not be too pleased with being cut out of the picture in Dr. Massimini’s editing
room. Jesus said that all
authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him by His Father.
I also got the sense that if this was
votf’s position, I would find evidence of it in other documents that could not
be so characterized as the opinion of the author.
Having come to the conclusion of this
highly recommended “guide” in my effort to go where the clues and evidence lead
me, I now began to introduce a new standard in my search for the truth about
this organization. That standard
is the same standard employed by every criminal prosecutor in the United States
criminal justice system. In the
absence of a signed admission of guilt, to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a
jury of one’s peers the truth as to what the evidence points to.
This organization is not about the
sexual abuse of children by priests or the cover up by members of the
hierarchy.
This organization is not about the care
of victims who have been abused.
This organization is not about the
support of priests of integrity.
These are
the three flags that this organization is flying under for as long as it can so
as to attract as many people as possible.
The issues above are transitory and
will, in time, right itself.
That leaves the final goal and this organization’s
mission statement
This organization is seeking the dismantling of the papacy, the denial of the primacy of the Pope and causing an end to the church that my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, founded for all time. In His name, for His glory, and in honor of the blood of our holy martyrs who laid down their lives for Him and his Church, I cannot let them spit on their blood.
Pure
and simple.
And now I
will provide you with the evidence.
On its’ website as it existed in
August there was a section entitled
“Learn more
about the group or contact us”
One of the bulleted items as this entry
Jim Muller was,
at that time, the President and founder of VOTF. This presentation craftily lays out his views as to the
analysis of causation of the current problem. It presents “the Visible Problem ( the abuse of children by
priests and the institutional cover-up), the Possible Proximate Causes (Obligate
Celibacy, lack of women priests, secrecy, too little of Vatican 11,
homosexuality, permissive society, too little prayer, too much of Vatican 11)
and the Underlying Cause
(Centralized Power with No Voice of the Faithful)
Let me remind you, these are not my words, they are his. Although
you cannot find this presentation anymore on the website as it exists
today. It has been mysteriously
deleted from its site. Don’t be fooled into believing that maybe it is because
they no longer believe it to be true.
It is still presented to all newcomers as they receive their
indoctrination (see the website
with the minutes of their meetings at http://olhc.org/minutes.htm
). Another part of this
presentation is titled “Power
Structure of the Changed Church” Layered on top of the conservative
and liberal name tags is a box filled in with this entry, “Constitution for Voice”. The final slide in this presentation is
a chart with a bell curve on it.
To the left of the curve is the Protestant church, In the center of the bell and at its
apex, is the mass of the voice of the faithful. Finally to the right, with the least number of individuals
is the entry “Papal Authority Only” . That
suggests to me that they would like to remove a few keys, and maybe all the
keys, on the key ring the Pope has been entrusted with.
Need more evidence to prove to you
beyond a reasonable doubt as to what the evidence is saying? Keep reading
·
Time
magazine, on Monday Jun 17, 2002 wrote and article entitled “Rebels in the
Pews” and quoted Jim Muller, a founder of this group, as saying, “Two hundred
years ago, Americans gave representative democracy to the secular world. We’re
now attempting to do the same thing again – this time for the church”
·
In the
same piece was Muller was queried as to why he not would state this as his
organization’s official position. He stated that he does not want to get too
hung up on divisive specifics and that is his guiding principle. “By keeping the focus, we get the
center.”
We will not negotiate our right to exist
We will not negotiate our right to free speech as American Catholics.
Funny, last
time I passed the church I thought the sign said it was a Roman Catholic Church
In this same
gathering the group issued a “Declaration to the Pope” which began with these
words….
“We the
faithful, in order to form a more perfect church…..” sure sounds like a preamble to me. With each passing day this group is getting more and more
militant. Post graciously offered,
at that same meeting, for “them (the bishops) to be
one with us”
In his Speech
at its July 20th International/Constitutional Convention Mr Muller was quoted
as saying
“…..Why might hierarchy share power with laity, as called for by Vatican II? Groups rarely relinquish power, it must be taken……”
VOTF likes to quote selected parts of the documents of
Vatican II in its call to arms.
On its website they cite:
“They [the laity] are, by [reason of] knowledge,
competence or outstanding ability which they may enjoy, permitted and sometimes
even obliged to express their opinion on those things which concern the good of
the Church. (Vatican ll, Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church, n, 37)
Apparently
they decided not to include the very next sentence which states:
“When occasions arise, let this be done through
the organs erected by the Church for this purpose.”
Undoubtedly they would not take the
next paragraph too kindly either since it states:
“The
laity should, as all Christians, promptly accept in Christian obedience
decisions of their spiritual shepherds, since they are representatives of
Christ as well as teachers and rulers in the Church.”
Perhaps votf should re-read the entire
document of Lumen Gentium, paying particular attention to the third chapter (
On the Hierarchical Structure of the Church and in particular on the
Episcopate) which states:
“………the
college or body of bishops has no authority unless it is understood together
with the Roman Pontiff, the successor of Peter as its head. The pope’s power of primacy over all,
both pastors and faithful, remains whole and intact. In virtue of his office, that is as Vicar of Christ and
pastor of the whole Church, the Roman Pontiff has full, supreme and universal
power over the Church. And he is
always free to exercise this power.”
(Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, n 26)
This section
is like trying to find the pea under the shell game.
Remember the good Dr. Massimini and his
“guide”? Well since votf
reorganized its’ website, finding his “Guide” is like trying to throw a rope
around the wind. ‘The Guide” has
fallen from its lofty billing as “Highly recommended reading, to a separate billing under Educating
ourselves, with a commentary that it is only the author’s thoughts and
reflections, rather than votf policy.
But it still highly recommends it.
·
Voice of the Faithful is focused on those actions necessary to
respond to survivors, to support priests who are living their vows, and to
effect (a tad more militant than
shaping) structural change that helps ensure this type of abuse never occurs
again in the Catholic Church
My comment:
Since votf wants to institute “representative
democracy” in the Church, they would do well to consider that in the United
States of America we DO have a constitution and we certainly have a pedophilia
problem, legal abortion and a myriad of other evils. Votf fails to realize that you simply can’t legislate
morality.
·
We accept the teaching authority of the Catholic Church.
My comment:
And which
church might that be? The Church as is exists today or the church after it has
been “buttressed by the Voice of the Faithful as depicted in Jim Muller’s slide
presentation? The evidence seems
points to the latter since both Dr. Massimini, Jim Muller and Jim Post talk of
the “secrecy and deception” that has permeated the Church and therefore its
teaching. It is interesting to
note that there is no statement accepting the governing authority of the church
in this position paper
·
We have taken no position on the many other issues that divide
Catholics in 2002
My comment:
I’m not surprised
either, since the minute they endorsed a transfer of the office of loosing and
binding from the Pope to the 2/3 majority, or any other of the “hot button”
issues specified in their “call for papers”, they would lose the center (and, most importantly, their wallets) they so cherish.
“Voice of the Faithful members
represent the “great middle” of the Catholic Church – “the people in the
pews”. Our policy is “centrist”,
not extremist. We have joined together with the aim of restoring trust between
the Catholic laity and hierarchy – and rebuilding the Church, not tearing it
down.”
“We are also “inclusive” as Jesus was
inclusive, and we seek to present
this model to the Church hierarchy as an alternative to a closed and deeply
flawed clerical culture. We are
committed to providing an open and safe forum for ALL Catholics to freely and
respectfully discuss the challenges of our Church, regardless of their views on
specific issues. We take no
position on any sex or gender issues and have no interest in doing so. Our goal is to bring the laity to the
table of governance and guidance of the Church per the moral imperatives of
Vatican II.
I agree that Jesus was inclusive and wanted all men to be
saved. But He certainly didn’t
leave any doubt as to the way to attain their salvation. Votf sets itself to be “enlightened” to
give safe harbor to everyone’s views.
Jesus told us that the gate was narrow. As long as Votf can avoid getting pinned down on those pesky
“divisive specifics”, the money from the “great middle”, the “people in the
pews” will keep coming in. Sooner
or later they will have to stop their working groups and let the great two
thirds decide what their position is.
On that day Votf will either go out of
business, after hurting thousands of innocent people, or separate itself from
Rome.
Jesus did not say to His Apostles: “I give two thirds of you the keys of
the Kingdom of Heaven”
Final
Thoughts on Votf’s founder, Dr. Jim Muller
Prior to redesigning its website
votf had a page about the origin
of Voice of the Faithful. The
first sentence of that page stated”
“In short,
the effort grew out of one man’s desire not to leave the church without trying
to improve it.”
Think about that statement for a
minute. Does it also mean that if
the venerable Dr. cannot improve it, or improve it to whatever his definition
of improvement means, that he WILL leave the church? What happens to all the
people in the pews he has following him?
What a model of commitment.
Jesus promised that He would be with us
always, not matter how unimproved we are.
Let me close by quoting another
encyclical which seems to have relevance today:
“The
underlying principle of these new opinions is that, in order to more easily
attract those who differ from her, the Church should shape her teachings more
in accord with the spirit of the age and relax some of her ancient severity and
make some concession to new opinions.
Many think that these concessions should be made not only in regard to
ways of living, but even in regard to doctrines which belong to the deposit of
faith. They contend that it would
be opportune, in order to gain
those who differ from us, to omit certain points of her teaching which are of
lesser importance, and to tone down the meaning which the Church has always
attached to them. It does not need
many words, beloved son, to prove the falsity of these ideas if the nature and
origin of the doctrine which the Church proposes are recalled to mind. The Vatican Council says concerning
this point” “For the doctrine of
faith which God has revealed has not been proposed, like a philosophical
invention to be perfected by human ingenuity, but has been delivered as a divine
deposit to the Spouse of Christ to be faithfully kept and infallibly
declared. Hence that meaning of
the sacred dogmas is perpetually to be retained which our Holy Mother, the
Church, has once declared, nor is that meaning ever to be departed from under
the pretense of pretext of a deeper comprehension of them. –Constituto de Fide Catholica, Chapter
4
Testem
Benevolentiae Nostrae
Concerning
New Opinions, Virtue And Grace, With Regard to Americanism
Pope
Leo XIII , January 22, 1899
Nice try,
Wormwood, but you have been exposed
In My Humble
Opinion
A syllable
in the true voice of the faithful
Dennis Kozak@FaithfulVoice.com , NY
September
12, 2002
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