Catholic Groups See Papal Visit As A Start

He came, he saw, but did he conquer?

That's the question of the hour regarding Pope Benedict XVI and his first trip to this country last month.

Generally, he scored high marks with his warmth and humility - traits that his detractors did not think he possessed. His surprise meeting with a few victims of sexual abuse by clergymen caught many off-guard, along with his public apology for what all survivors of these crimes have endured.

Those who already favored this pope were thrilled with the way he handled himself during the six-day visit to New York and Washington. And those who had serious reservations about whether his public and private appearances would have any meaningful impact on the state of American Catholicism say they have reason to be cautiously optimistic.

If nothing else, the pope's visit may have rekindled some of the faith of lapsed Catholics.

"We were very encouraged by what he had to say," says Dan Bartlett, president of Voice of the Faithful, a Catholic lay group that claims more than 35,000 members. "He gave a very clear message. Now we're waiting to see if the American bishops take his lead."

Specifically, that would mean those bishops responsible for knowingly transferring abusive priests from one parish to another would stand up and be held accountable.

When I asked for names, Bartlett would only say, "It's a long list." For now, he's not naming names.

"They know who they are."

Voice of the Faithful, which formed after the crisis was exposed in Boston in 2002, has several main agenda items: treat survivors of sexual abuse with justice and compassion, hold bishops accountable, embrace full participation of Catholic men and women in church decision-making, and require financial transparency in all governance matters.

A week before Benedict arrived, the group took out a full-page ad in The New York Times with a message to the pope and a statement urging Catholics to "transform our church." By last Wednesday, more than 7,500 supporters had signed a petition posted on the group's Web site, www.votf.org, asking the pope to consider those agenda items. It has been sent to the Vatican, but Voice of the Faithful is keeping the signature drive open.

"It was all very positive, seeing Catholics so unified and receptive to the pope's visit. But our declining numbers and challenges are still with us," Bartlett says. "So this is the time to keep up our work, while we're so energized."

David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, is urging Catholics to remain "skeptical and vigilant." It would be too easy to feel hopeful about the pope's expression of sorrow and regret over the sex-abuse crisis and put the issue to rest, he says.

"There's not a child on the planet who is safer today because of what the pope said."

Clohessy wants action, not words.

"At the bare minimum, he needs to discipline the corrupt bishops," he says. The pope should also ensure the sex-abuse prevention and discipline policies enacted by the U.S. bishops are enforced and make those guidelines global.

"Basically, the other 94 percent of the kids in the world aren't protected," Clohessy says.

The pope's visit apparently triggered some survivors to seek closure. More than 100 stepped forward in the past few weeks. That reinforces Clohessy's belief that there are still thousands who remain "trapped in shame and secrecy."

"Every time this ongoing crisis gets some public attention, we move a tiny step closer to healing and prevention," he says. "So we made some progress. We just can't get complacent at this point."

One group that counted on a papal push was Catholics Come Home, a nonprofit that addresses members who have drifted away from the faith. Discouraged by studies that show as many as 100,000 baptized Catholics in this country no longer practice and that only 33 percent of Catholics attend Mass weekly, the organization used Benedict's trip as a springboard for its TV ad campaign in two test markets, Phoenix and Lexington, Ky.

And the people responded. More than 6,000 from Phoenix went to the group's Web site to make inquiries; about 1,100 came forward with queries from Lexington.

In all, Catholics Come Home drew 120,000 unique visitors to the site, and at least two dozen dioceses expressed interest in establishing a come-home program within their own parishes.

Tim Peterson, the group's founder, said it was a perfect teaching and reaching moment.

"The pope was authentic, and the people felt it," he said. "His example of humility and spirituality encouraged them to reflect on their own faith. And for some of those who had strayed away for whatever reason, his example just may have brought them back."

There was some speculation that, given the pope's age - he turned 81 on his trip here - this could be his last U.S. appearance. I would bet against that. He seemed to genuinely enjoy his time with the American flock, a decidedly more enthusiastic group than his European congregants. Who wouldn't want to return to such a warm and rousing reception?

But note to pope: Give the people more than rhetoric. Give them action, particularly in the area where wrongs need to be made right.