| Abstract |
Our Lady's is the story of how one Boston suburban parish, energized by a dynamic leader, rose up against the powerful Church hierarchy to demand that their voices be heard. They became a part of what s been called the first full-scale laity revolt in the history of the Catholic Church. Father Walter Cuenin and his parishioners at Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Newton, MA. Was horrified and saddened when they learned that a popular priest had molested a number of local children years before. When it was revealed that the local church hierarchy, including Boston s Archbishop Cardinal Law, had known about the abuse for years but continued to transfer the suspected priest from parish to parish, their grief turned to collective outrage. Father Cuenin, a progressive and outspoken priest had clashed with Cardinal Law over issues like women?s ordination and gay rights in the past. Now he began to speak out publicly about problems in the Catholic Church, encouraging both his fellow priests and his parishioners to do the same. Voice of the Faithful was born, an organization demanding that lay people have a greater say in the running of the church. But in a culture where obedience is prized above all else, will a rebellious parish like Our Lady's be quashed? |
