My cousin, 20+ years my junior, is Fr John Sistare and he is Fr. Kiley's associate pastor. Ordained only 3 years, he has taken on, in hot debate, the VOTF. It's too bad it is too far for you. They have a wonderfully orthodox parish with two excellent preachers.
How are you received by VOTF?
They DISLIKE us (orthodox) with a passion. They look at us like we're the plague. We have been accused of being ultramontanists. hehehe
It seems that "up my way" most priests support VOTF - what's it like in your diocese?
Most of our priests are indifferent to the VOTF. There are many who vocally challenge the agenda of VOTF and we try to make our presence known at every meeting. There are not many who outwardly support VOTF in the diocese of Providence.
My daughter will be attending a Catholic HS next fall. The freshman religion teacher is a member of VOTF and I am unsure how to handle it. I am on the VOTF mailing list for the local chapter and so is she.
I am very weary of their agenda. It's not so much their blatant heretical statements. It's how they covertly are attempting to protestantize the Catholic faith that is the real danger.
After one meeting I attended the priest (young, jeans and sandals, no collar) approached me and told me not to believe the bad things I hear about VOTF, the ones making accusations against them are archaic and out of touch.
Our local chapter is fairly large, and as far as I know, I am the only one around who opposes them. It's lonely!!
The problem as I see it, is 1st: bad catechisis. Most of the people (all older than I am and I am 43) either didn't know their catechism or were divorced or have divorced kids or a kid who is a homosexual. So they have an axe to grind. They were trying to find time to schedule a speaker from CORPUS and Call to Action - but I believe they backed down from that since they don't want to be on "that side" at least in print. But they sure are kissing cousins.
2nd: Especially at first, a lot of people were furious at the blatent disregard for the abused children/teenagers of the laity and the kid glove treatment of the abusing priests. So VOTF was the only game in town to join. It still is. This is where the orthodox drop the ball and do not provide an alternative forum for people to carp and feel like they are doing something constructive. Fortunately, apathy and a natural wariness of "groups" have most Catholics staying at home.
I think VOTF is so big here because of the backing of theologians/priests/"intellectuals" at Boston College, the Jesuit Center, Regis College, Holy Cross, etc. Many of the priests here promote and back VOTF. In fact, supposedly VOTF was formed by a couple of priests who were mad at Cardinal Law as he disciplined them on and off through the years over their heterodoxy. They knew that they could not form a group opposing him, but they could recruit a few big guns around to do it for them.
I wish the orthodox (SSPXers Tridentine advocates and us ortho's in the pews) could speak with one voice instead of arguing over Latin/English, kneeling/standing, etc. - we have no cohesive platform like VOTF has.