INDIANAPOLIS (IN)
The Catholic Telegraph
INDIANAPOLIS — Msgr. Lawrence Breslin, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, received the Voice of the Faithful Priest of Integrity Award July 10 at VOTF's national convocation. The award, which has been given annually since the group's founding three years ago, underscore's the group's stated goal to support priests of integrity.
"Msgr. Breslin has provided a model of leadership for all Catholics — ordained and unordained alike — to follow," said Jim Post, VOTF president. "He courageously named a fellow priest, who admitted the abuse, thereby placing the interest of the innocent victim ahead of a brother priest...Msgr. Breslin has demonstrated a commitment to truth and to bringing sunlight to the Catholic Church."
Kristine Ward, a Dayton resident and vice president of VOTF, noted that "We live in a time of crisis. We seek true reform. Models of exemplary leadership are needed as torchbearers of light in our church. Msgr. Breslin has been a bright light in the darkness of this tragedy."
Also honored at the convocation was Justice Anne Burke, who received the first St. Catherine of Siena Distinguished Lay Person Award. As interim chairwoman of theAbuse Tracker Review Board, Burke oversaw the study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice that measured the nature and scope of clergy sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in the United States. She also was instrumental in influencing the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ decision to maintain the audits mandated by the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People that measured the implementation of child safety protection policies in all dioceses across the country.