Resources for Interacting Effectively with Your Diocese &
Members of Your Affiliate

What is the need you're facing in your Voice of the Faithful Parish Voice affiliate?

Some affiliates are facing the need to reverse a banning from Church property. Some PV's need to attract new members. Many of you have requested talking points with which to respond to frequently posited objections to VOTF during your meetings.

PVs have expressed other needs, as well:

   •The need for supporting citations from canon law, Vatican II or scripture to reinforce the rightful
    existence of VOTF;
   •The need for organizational, educational, and other ideas for PV activities;
   •The need for sample press releases to announce their new affiliate or protest a wrongful action by their
    bishop;
   •The need for ways to approach parish priests in their dioceses.

The letters, articles, talking points, press releases, and activities in this toolkit are meant as samples and suggestions - they are decidedly NOT prescriptive. We offer them as a resource to trigger your thinking and to draw from, IF and AS you need them. Some of these you can also find on the VOTF National Web site. Others - like the "Talking Points for Thorny Questions" and Jim Post's memo on "How to Meet with Your Bishop" - cannot be found elsewhere.

I also like to encourage you to spend some time on the Voice of the Faithful Web site where you will find a wealth of information, talking points, and ideas - particularly on the home page an in the sections called "VOTF in the News" and "Educating Ourselves."

This toolkit will be subject to frequent revision as our collective knowledge and experience grow. Please help us by sending your feedback and additional ideas to Luise Dittrich at lcahill2@attbi.com.

Pax et lux,

Luise Cahill Dittrich
VOTF Communications Team