LCVCLay Catholic Voices for Change
LCVCLay Catholic Voices for Change
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. . . LCVC represents concerned West Virginia Catholics
who through independent lay involvement are working to accomplish healing from the clergy sexual and financial abuse crisis in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
by promoting increased accountability and transparency
in our church.
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If you bring your gift to the altar,
and there remember that your brother has something against you,
leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.
First be reconciled to your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 5:23
We are troubled that the scandal of clergy sex abuse in our Church has been prolonged
and perpetuated by coverups in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.
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We are also troubled by the coverup in our diocese of the former bishop Michael Bransfield’s outrageous spending.
As lay people, we decry the crimes that have been committed. But we are forced to acknowledge that the coverups have been facilitated by our acquiescence to a culture of clericalism that has pervaded our Church.
It is now incumbent upon us to respond to the Catechism’s teaching that
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“the laity have the right and even at times a duty to manifest to the sacred pastors
their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church” and
“a right to make their opinion known to the other Christian faithful”
(CCC. 907)
We must hold ourselves accountable for changing our institution so that these crimes and their coverups cannot happen again.
We cannot leave it up to the hierarchy to tell us how it will solve this crisis. Until we resolve to to be part of the solution, there is no effective change.
Therefore, we challenge ourselves and all Catholics in our Diocese to commit to being prayerful, informed, and involved.
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from LCVC's first letter to
The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
with over 1,000 signatures
June 12, 2019
identity statement
We are concerned and involved
West Virginia Catholics addressing the crisis of sexual
and financial abuse
in the
Diocese of
Wheeling-Charleston
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mission statement
LCVC works to accomplish through independent
lay involvement
transparency, accountability and healing for clerical, sexual
and financial abuse
in the Diocese
of Wheeling-Charleston
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goals
In the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston LCVC
demands accountability for church sexual abuse
demands accountability for church financial abuse
effect change by promoting transparent communication
and independent lay involvement in church governance
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steering committee
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Frances Brownfield
Mary Ann Crowder
Allison DeGeorge
Chuck DiSalvo
Mary Ellen Koenn
Judy Pazerski
Patricia Schaeffer
Mark Switzer
...a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick tempered,
not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good,
sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,
holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
Titus 1:7-9