Grassroots Group Urges Catholics to Re-direct Peter’s Pence Collection Donations on Sunday June 27
Tucson, AZ – June, 14, 2010
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The pope’s response to the clergy sex abuse crisis has been woefully inadequate, lacks a sense of urgency, is long on words and symbols, but short on substantive actions. In brief, the pope’s response is unacceptable. The June 27 Peter’s Pence collection provides Catholics a unique opportunity to cast a NO vote of confidence on Pope Benedict’s abuse crisis performance.
The grassroots group Send the Bishops a Message urges all United States Catholics to prayerfully and thoughtfully consider re-directing the donations that they would ordinarily earmark for the Peter’s Pence collection on Sunday June 27 (http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2010/10-108.shtml) to a non-church charity of their choice. For those who would like to donate to non-profit organizations that provide direct help to survivors of clergy sexual abuse, the group recommends that they choose the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) (https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/SNAP/OnlineGiving.htm and/or Road to Recovery International (http://www.road-to-recovery.org/page/support-road-recovery).
This is the right time for action, the right time to Send a Message to the pope. If you eat at a restaurant and the service is awful, you have three choices: 1) you can leave the usual tip—and the waiter has no incentive to change his/her ways; 2) you can leave no tip which enables delusional thinking such as "They probably forgot;” or 3) you can leave a penny (or two) so that there can be no doubt about your dissatisfaction with the service.
We urge Catholics to put one penny in the collection plate at Mass for Peter's Pence. If you put in the same amount you normally give, the church will continue business as usual with no incentive to change. If you don't put anything in, church officials can delude themselves saying, "It’s the bad economy.” If a significant number of people put a penny in the collection, which bears the message, “In God We Trust,” there can be no doubt about the laity’s dissatisfaction with the pope’s mishandling of the global clergy abuse crisis, which is crippling the church. It also sends the message that God, not the pope, is the proper focus of trust.
In a recent new CBS News/New York Times poll (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20004143-503544.html), 58 percent of Catholics say the Vatican has done a poor job handing child sexual abuses cases. These Catholics can vote by closing their pocketbooks and checkbooks when the Peter’s Pence collection plate gets passed in front of them. By placing just one US penny in the plate and re-directing their donations to a non-church charity they choose, Catholics can say to the pope: we want action, not mere words. We want real reform. Apologies, liturgies, and apostolic visitations are useful symbols, but in the end are of no real consequence.
Won't be at Mass on weekend of June 26-27, but still fed up with the scandal and want to make a statement? For 45 cents--a penny and a 44-cent stamp--your voice can be heard, too. Send the Bishops a Message recommends that you send a penny with a brief note to:
Peter’s Pence Collection
The Apostolic Nunciature, the Holy See
3339 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
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Send the Bishops a Message ( www.sendthebishopsamessage.com ) is a grassroots group of Catholics deeply disappointed, saddened, and exasperated about the ongoing failure of church officials to 1) reach out to heal wounded survivors of clergy sexual abuse; 2) protect children from dangerous clerical predators; and 3) hold accountable bishops and superiors of religious orders who enable and provide safe haven to these predators.
The group gets its message across by advocating that Catholics re-direct financial (cash, check, and credit card) donations on designated Withholding Sundays to a non-church charity of their choice.
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CONTACT INFORMATION:
Frank Douglas, Tucson, AZ; (520) 404-2489 (cell), (520) 579-9575 (home); frankdouglas62@yahoo.com
Dick Regan, Hammondsport, NY; (607) 368-0463; dickregan@yahoo.com
Kristine Ward, Dayton, OH; (937) 272-0308; kristineward@ hotmail.com
Steve Sheehan, Boston, MA; (617) 783-6336; Sheehan1777@aol.com
