Send the Bishops a Message is an initiative of Voice from the Desert, Frank Douglas principal (email address: frankdouglas62@yahoo.com).

A group of distinguished reform-minded Catholics comprises the Send the Bishops a Message advisory board.  

Here are thumbnail sketches of the people sponsoring the website. 

David Biersmith, Kansas City, MO. Founder, owner, and president of a clinic that provides drug testing, gives pre-employment physicals, and treats workman’s compensation injuries. USMC retired. Marathoner runner. Past president of his parish’s Finance Committee (recently “fired” by the pastor because David launched an investigation into the way the cash was being handled). Father of two victims of sexual abuse by a priest. Member, National Representative Council, Voice of the Faithful. Member of SNAP. A graduate of Rockhurst College (Jesuit) with a major in math and physics. Did graduate work in physics at Kansas State University. Debby Bodkin, Palmdale, CA. Raised in a traditional Catholic family. Mother of 4 children who attended Catholic schools and colleges. Worked as a legal secretary for 25 years. Married to a former Catholic high school teacher who understands the need to protect all children from danger, despite career consequences.  Member of St. Edward the Confessor Catholic School Commission and Director of the St. Edward's Sunday Liturgy Program. Soon after the clergy abuse crisis erupted in 2002, one of her daughters asked: "Mom, would you have believed one of us girls if we had told you Father …molested us back then?" Debby’s heart skipped a beat that day and her life path changed; remaining silent was no longer an option if precious children were to be safe in the future. After trying to find peace in understanding the how's and why's of the horrific sex abuse crisis and starting a Letter to the Editor writing campaign, Debby realized the serious tragedy of the clergy abuse crisis: Society, through denial, had failed to protect God's most precious gift to the world, our children -- all in the name of God and religious privilege.

Tom Byrne, Shaker Heights, OH. 17 years as a manager in aerospace manufacturing companies for Department of Defense applications. 28 years of engineering and management experience in a consulting firm, bringing the metrics of efficiency and productivity to hospital and university/college markets.  A member of Voice of the Faithful and a strong supporter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. A graduate of Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). Has recently attended classes at CWRU and John Carroll University.   

Sam Cordova, San Fernando, CA. Born 76 years ago in Albuquerque, New Mexico, into a Cordova family who had been Roman Catholics for hundreds of years. Joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1951 and saw combat in Korea against the Chinese and North Koreans for 13 months. Stock broker for 40 years. Founder, CEO, and president of International Academy of Finance, now a holding company for a number of corporations.  Trained brokers for the New York Stock Exchange and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Actively involved parishioner at Saint Ferdinand’s church in San Fernando, CA, for 48 years.  Served in many capacities, including major donor and fund raiser, lector, usher, and member of Parish Council. Author of The Altar and the Crown, which documents evils perpetrated by many clergy, bishops, and Pope John Paul II. Sam possesses a BS in Law from the University of Denver Law School. 

Frank Douglas, Tucson, AZ.  30 years of technical and management and  experience in the aerospace and computer industries. Managed his own consulting business for 20 years, specializing in software quality assurance and marketing software services for Federal Government contracting. Publisher of the Voice from the Desert website. Served on the National Representative Council, and its Steering Committee, for the Voice of the Faithful; the lay board of advisers of a Jesuit retreat house; the administrative team for the Community of Light prayer group; and his parish's RENEW leadership team. Has an MS in Mathematics from the University of Notre Dame.

Thomas P. Doyle, Vienna, VA. Ordained a priest in the Dominican Order in 1970.  A Canon lawyer since 1978.  Served for 19 years as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force.  A certified addictions therapist. Directly involved in the clergy sexual abuse issue since 1984.  Involvement includes pastoral/spiritual support for victims and their families, canonical advocacy, consultant and expert witness in civil and criminal litigations, writer, and lecturer. Considerable experience assisting persons harmed by the institutional Church in ways other than sexual abuse.  A Hospice volunteer for many years. Awarded a doctorate in Canon Law and Master’s degrees in philosophy, theology, Church administration, Canon Law and Political Science.  Also a graduate of the Navy School of Health Sciences in addictions counseling. A certified divemaster and a licensed commercial pilot. Has two cats named Arnold and Charlie. 

Edward Friedl, Canton, OH.  16 years as a registered professional land surveyor, 4 years in homebuilding, and 30 years as a heavy highway construction estimator. Served 6 years on his parish council, 12 years on finance council, and 5 years on parish school finance committee. Also served as cantor, Eucharistic minister, and catechist. Spent 6 years in a seminary and one year in Gethsemane Trappist monastery under Novice Master Thomas Merton (Father Louis). Graduated from the University of Akron, OH, with a BA in liberal arts and Spanish. One year of law school. 

Kay Goodnow, Lenexa, KS.  Very active on the Internet in support of survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Passionate about the protection of children in all walks of life. Survivor of priest abuse, since 1953. Recently part of a settlement resolved among 47 clergy sex abuse victims in the Institutional diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. A wife of 45 years, mother of 3, and grandmother of 8.   

Jim Jenkins, Ph.D., Kensington, CA.  Married 1993 to Ellen Morrissey, M.D.  Two children:  Ben (13) and Matt (11).  Raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC.  Licensed clinical psychologist in private practice; psychotherapist for 30 years; member of the medical staff, Doctors Medical Center, San Pablo, CA.  Specializes in narrative approaches in therapy; at-risk children; trauma and PTSD; health psychology.  Previously, a classroom teacher, high school counselor, and hospital administrator.  Attends Newman Hall, UC Berkeley.  Chaired San Francisco Archdiocesan Review Board investigating allegations of clergy sexual abuse of children (2001-4).  Participated in Voice of the Faithful, National Representative Council (2002-present).  Avocation: an aspiring fiction writer.

 

Paul Kendrick, Freeport, ME.  Employed in financial services for 20 plus years. Co-founder, Maine Voice of the Faithful. Currently serves as Treasurer on Board of Directors of Southern Maine domestic violence agency. Served 4 years as crisis "help line" volunteer for local non-profit agency. Involved in raising funds for clean water project in Haiti. Jesuit educated at Cheverus High School, Portland, ME, and Fairfield University.  

Lisa Kendzior, Southlake, TX.  22 years of marketing and advertising experience in various industries with both advertising agency and client-side firms. Served on National Representative Council for Voice of the Faithful. Strong supporter of the survivor community including SNAP and Road to Recovery. Has a BS in Marketing/Communications from Bradley University.  

Vincent J. Nauheimer, Croton, NY. 4 years in US Navy. 25 years in sales and marketing. Owned local computer business. Former volunteer Custody/Visitation Mediator and New York State Lemon Law arbitrator. Currently teaching children with autism in the New York City school system. Father of two victims of clergy abuse; priest was defrocked. Children's advocate and longtime online member of various survivor groups. Writer and artist whose artwork, essays, letters, and poetry on clergy abuse can be found on websites on three continents. Published two books on clergy abuse; one of poems: "Silent Screams;" and the other "Epistles on Clergy Abuse," a compilation of letters written over an 8-year period.  BBA, Management, Iona College; MS in Ed. Mercy College; Post-Graduate certificate: Autism and Severe Disabilities, Pace University.   

Linda S. Pieczynski, Hinsdale, IL. 31 years as an attorney. Established her law firm in Hinsdale, Illinois, in 1984 after serving as an assistant state's attorney in DuPage County, Illinois, for over 7 years. Taught classes on child abuse and neglect at the master's level for National Louis University for 10 years after leaving the prosecutor's office. Joined the Call to Action (CTA) Board in 1992 and served as its national president from 1994 to 2000. Authored an article, later turned in a brochure, Keeping Our Kids Safe, for Church magazine. Currently serves on the Board of Dignity USA. 

Dick Regan, Hammondsport, NY.   3 years active duty and 3 years reserves, U.S. Marine Corps. 15 years of service with New York Police Department; retired as detective. Was a triathlete and produced triathlons for television.  Survivor of sexual abuse by a Catholic priest.   Works as an advocate for victims of sexual abuse throughout New York State.  Favorite quote: “Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.”

Bob Schwiderski, Wayzata area of the Twin Cities, MN.   Father of 4 children raised in the Catholic faith. Second oldest of ten Catholic baptized brothers and sisters. 3 years of active duty in U.S. Army with 2 years of service overseas in combat assignments. Very successful public economic development career with significant accomplishments in industrial, commercial, and residential revitalization and expansion projects throughout Minnesota . Outspoken advocate for the recovery from and prevention of sexual abuse. Clergy sexual abuse victim of multiple rapes as a prepubescent child. Well known within the survivor advocacy community for not being limited by state or national borders for the cause of recovery and prevention of all sexual abuse. Motto:  “I will be silent no more – forever.”  

Stephen A. Sheehan, Boston, MA.  15+ years as a career military officer, United States Army. 30 years sales and marketing experience in oriental rugs, publishing, and publishing technology. Member of Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) National Representative Council and Survivor Support Working Group. Publisher, VOTF News. Member of SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests),  NAPSAC (National Association for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children), and Call To Action. BS from Boston College in History and Government.

John Shuster, Port Orchard, WA.  A married Roman Catholic priest whose day job is sales representative for a major global, broad-based health care company. Provides spiritual guidance and sacramental ministry to individuals and families on evenings and weekends. Ordained in 1979 to serve as a priest in the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), a Roman Catholic missionary order. Graduated from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1980 with a Masters of Divinity with specialization in cross-cultural ministry. During 4 years as a celibate priest, served in Mexico , and at parishes in East Los Angeles and South Central Los Angeles. Transitioned to married priesthood due to pressures of sexual politics in the institutional priesthood.  Serves as Vice President of Celibacy Is The Issue (C.I.T.I.) whose Rent A Priest program puts people in touch with married priests. Board member of the Survivors Network of Those Abuse by Priests (SNAP) Interviewed about the married priesthood by Mike Wallace on the CBS 60 Minutes program.

Rick Springer, Chicago, IL. Rick's short bio will appear here soon.

Michael J. Sweatt, Portland, ME, and N. Kingstown, RI.  Following a 10-year career in management in a clinical laboratory, has held various positions in sales and marketing management in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and environmental sciences markets. A life-long Catholic, has participated, for over 40 years, in several ministries and committees, commissions, and boards at the parish level.  Has chaired both Parish Pastoral Councils and Parish Finance Councils and has conducted parish retreats for lay leadership. One of the co-founders of Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) in Maine and formed the Maine VOTF Council.  Currently a member of VOTF in Maine and member of VOTF's National Survivor's Support Working Group.

Kristine Ward, Dayton, OH. Professionally engaged in the employee benefits field working with both public and private clients. Background in print and broadcast journalism and adult literacy. Freelance journalism credits include coverage of the most recent papal election through print, television, and Web-based news outlets. Catholic parish involvement includes service on parish and finance councils, liturgy, worship, bereavement committees, St. Vincent de Paul, and as a lector, Eucharistic minister, and leader of Communion services. Was the first Voice of the Faithful officer elected nationally from outside the Boston geographic area. Currently chairs the board of the House of the People in Dayton, Ohio, a shelter for Rwandan refugees.

Lena Woltering, Belleville, IL, and Fort Wayne, IN. Active in church reform and social justice work for many years.  Served on the National Board of Call To Action (CTA) for 11 years and was Coordinator of Fellowship of Southern Illinois Laity (FOSIL), a local CTA affiliate, from 1993 to 2003. Served on the State Board of the Illinois Death Penalty Moratorium Project, which was successful in persuading state leaders to halt executions while the entire capital-punishment process in Illinois is examined.  Also worked in prison ministry with the Missouri group Residents Encounter Christ and served on the board of Seeds of Hope, a ministry advocating for people with disabilities. Currently does local chapter organizing for Call To Action and travels the country helping folks organize local lay synods.  As that movement picks up, she hopes that a National Lay Synod for all of the People of God can be convened in a few years. A native of Southern Illinois, Lena currently divides her time between Belleville and Fort Wayne, where her husband is currently employed.