What follows is an unedited Q&A session with Peggie Thorp, founder and VOTF editor for In the Vineyard conducted via email. VOTF was created in light of the clergy sex abuse scandal. It should be noted that the opinions in this article do not necessarily represent those of the feature writer.
Q. What prompted the beginning of this organization?
A. Sheer outrage.
Q. What makes you think laity could make a difference?
A. Because the lay voice was the most glaring deficit when we looked at the "how" of so many decades of abuse, lies and cover up.
Q. Do you think you have made one? What have you accomplished?
A. The single most important challenge for Catholics is the establishment of a substantive lay voice. VOTF has placed that challenge on the table and it won't go away. Whether or not more Catholics recognize the call for intentional Catholicism remains to be seen - so far it is not encouraging.
Q. How has the church reacted to you?
A. With disdain, confusion and disingenuous criticism.
Q. What are your goals for the future?
A. No answer given.
Q. Do you think there will come a time when a group like yours will not be necessary?
A. Never. The problem is that we have always been necessary and didn't know it. Now we know it.
Q. What do you see the church doing right?
A. Establishing essential and universal standards for social justice and awareness. However, they don't even do this right all the time (Africa HIV and condoms issue).
Q. What problem areas do you think there are that still need to be addressed?
A. The second most glaring deficit in this Church is its institutionalized dismissal of women and our charisms.
Q. How do you keep an open dialogue with the church when you have harsh criticism to give?
A. Do so with genuine love of Church, which is both leadership and laity.
Q. Are you afraid that if you go too far, there will be retribution (excommunication)?
A. Irrelevant. Personally, I don't believe in excommunication nor do I recognize any prelate's authority in so doing. The triune God exists, period. Faith and grace exist outside the institutional Church as well as inside.
Q. What would you like to say to readers about your organization, faith, and the church?
A. Differed to answer at another time.
