Coastal Delmarva Voice of the Faithful
Meeting History
October 2003 Formational Meeting
November 2003 Report from a Survivor
December 2003 Vote to Become Affiliate
January 2004 Sr. Jeanne Hamilton, Member of Diocese of Wilmington
Tribunal - The Laity’s Rights Under Canon Law
February 2004 Fr. Richard Reissmann, Pastor of St. John’s/Holy Angels Parish Newark, DE -- Priestly Ministry in the Diocese of Wilmington
March 2004 Andy Tracy – Report on a Pedophile Priest
April 2004 Election of Officers
May 2004 Carlene Sandella, Director of Liturgy, St. John’s/Holy Angels
Parish, Newark, DE – The Laity and the Documents of Vatican II
June 2004 Dialog with Fr. Raymond Forester – Dean of Ocean Deanery
Diocese of Wilmington
September 2004 Judy Miller – History, Accomplishments and Goals of
Montgomery County, MD VOTF
October 2004 Fr. Richard McBrien – “The Laity Are the Church: Reflections
In a Time of Crisis” – video presentation
November 2004 Report from a Survivor
December 2004 Fr. Robert Duggan, Pastor of St. Rose of Lima, Gaithersburg, MD What We Need to Do to Be a Successful VOTF Affiliate
January 2005 No Meeting
February 2005 Review of Coastal Delmarva VOTF Progress to Date
Open Discussion of Suggestions for Future Course of Action
March 2005 Continuation of Discussion begun in February
April 2005 Dr. David J. O’Brien, Loyola Professor of Roman Catholic Studies
Holy Cross College – The Catholic Church: Crisis and Reform
Catholic Church
June 2005 Preparation for VOTF Convocation 8-10 July, Indianapolis, IN
September 2005 Report on June 21, 2005 Meeting with Bishop Saltarelli
Report on July 2005 VOTF Convocation in Indianapolis
Discussion and Prioritization of Convocation Resolutions
October 2005 Robert McClory, Professor Emeritus at Medill School of
Journalism, Northwestern University—Faithful Dissenters:
Men and Women Who Loved and Changed the Church
November 2005 Dr. Bernard Prusak, Chair Department of Theology and Religious
Studies, Villanova University—The Church Unfinished:
Ecclesiology through the Centuries
December 2005 Christmas Social
January 2006 LCDR Kenneth Whitwell—Report on Being a Survivor of Sexual Abuse and Proposal to Change the Delaware Statute of Limitations in Cases of Child Sexual Abuse
February 2006 Report on National VOTF Accountability Campaign and
Small Group Discussion of Study Questions Relating to Changes in the Statutes of Limitations of the Sexual Abuse section of the Delaware Legislative Code
March 2006 Review of National VOTF Accountability Campaign Handbook, Reports on Statute of Limitations Study Questions, Discussion of Future Courses of Action for our affiliate
April 2006 Report on Ocean Deanery Lay Council, National VOTF call for Cardinal George’s resignation from the USCCB, Status of MD HB 1148, Easter Card for Diocesan Priests and St. Ann’s Pastoral Council election
May 2006 Father Thomas Doyle, video presentation – “Straight Talk”
June 2006 Dr. John Madison, Former NASA Senior lobbyist—Building a Coalition for Legislative Action: Shaping VOTF’s campaign to support DE HB 450
September 2006 Report on National VOTF Fall Campaign for Accountability. Decision to participate in the Accountability Petition. Presentation of Coastal Delmarva’s 12 Point Plan for action to support passage of a new Statute of Limitations bill in civil cases of child sexual abuse in Delaware.
October 2006 Attorney Christine Whitehead—An appraisal of DE HB 450 and Plans for Future Statute of Limitations legislation. DE November election and local candidate update.
November 2006 Report on December 2, 2006 Region 4 Gathering. Presentation of “Pray, Write and Meet” proposal to support introduction of new Statute of Limitations bill in DE legislature in January.
December 2006 Report on meeting with DE legislators Sen. Karen Peterson and Rep. Deborah Hudson to draft wording for new Statute of Limitations bill. Christmas Social.
January 2007 Mary Pat Fox, National VOTF President – Working for Truth: The Role of the Laity in the Guidance and Governance of the Catholic Church.
February 2007 Dr. James Walsh, Pastoral Counselor, Delaware Board of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency – Childhood Sexual Abuse: An Overview of Short-term and Long-term Consequences.
March 2007 Delaware State Senator Karen Peterson, Senate Primary Sponsor of Senate Bill 29, The Child Victim’s Act
April 2007 Viewing and Discussion of film “Hand of God.”
May 2007 Delaware State Representative Deborah Hudson, House Primary Sponsor of Senate Bill 29, The Child Victim’s Act.
June 2007 Dr. Robert West, Assistant Professor of Accounting, Villanova University – Internal Financial Controls in the Catholic Church.
September 2007 Charles Gallagher, Philadelphia Deputy District Attorney –
Recommendations Following the Philadelphia Grand Jury Investigation into Clergy Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
October 2007 Rev. Patrick McMahon, O. Carm., Historian and Director of the Carmelite Institute, Rome, Italy - How the Laity Lost Their Voice
November 2007 Rev. Quinn Connors, O. Carm.
Clergy Vocational Issues in the Catholic Church
December 2007 No Meeting
January 2008 Rev. Robert Hoatson, Ph.D.
The Road to Recovery: Supporting Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse
February 2008 Reverend Richard McBrien –Video Presentation
“VOTF & the Church: Where Do We Go From Here?”
March 2008 No Meeting
April 2008 Thomas S. Neuberger, Esq.
DE Senate Bill 29 and Sexual Abuse Litigation
May 2008 Rev. Donald Cozzens, David O’Brien, John Ryan – Video Presentation
“Priesthood in Crisis: Everyone’s Crisis”
June 2008 No Meeting