Bishop Gambino Zavala Admits Paternity Of Two Teenagers, Resigns His Post

Much has been written on this blog about Bishop Gambino Zavala, former auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles.  We know he's a former president of both Pax Christi and Interfaith Worker Justice.  He's presided at  the "closing liturgies" of the 2010 religious education conferences in Los Angeles - "liturgies" that are more accurately called farcical circuses.  And yes, he's whined about us bloggers who shine the light on progressive shenanigans within the Church.

I emphasized the word "former" in the previous paragraph for Zavala's resignation from his post has been announced - for cause.  He has disclosed that he fathered two children who are now teenagers.  They live in another state with their mother.  Let our prayers be with them.

There is a phrase "lex orandi lex credendi lex vivendi".  The (loose) translation from Latin yields "the law of prayer is the law of belief; the law of belief is the law of life".  Bishop Zavala's sad story is testimony to the truth of that Latin phrase.

Pray for him.  Also pray for Archbishop Gomez who has a bit of a mess to clean up in Mahoney's wake.

Pax Christi At Burtonsville Catholic Church - Community Organizing

Here's the announcement from a newsletter that I receive:

Fund our Communities.  Presentation and discussion on ways the U.S. military budget can be cut to free up money for community needs.  Tuesday, May 17.  7:30 p.m.  Parish Life Center Room 210, Church of the Resurrection, 3315 Greencastle Rd, Burtonsville, MD 20866. Sponsored by Pax Christi Burtonsville.

Here's a little background information on Pax Christi.  Its founding president is Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, formerly the Auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Detroit.  Yes, he's that one!  He's the gay-activist bishop that Rome had to force to resign.  He certainly is idolized by the left.

Its current president is Bishop Gambino Zavala, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.  I noted almost a year ago that he doesn't like blogs such as this.  Read why.  I suggest you read the entire post, and watch the clips of Bishop Zavala turning a Mass into an abysmal circus.

Bishop Zavala is also co-president of the board of Interfaith Worker Justice, an organization founding on Alinskyan principles.  Another director of that group is Tom Chabolla.  Where have we heard that name before?  Well, plenty on this blog.  He is a special assistant to the president of the SEIU - you know, the thugs that sent 500 people to stampede all over a bank official's front porch last summer?

So now that we have an idea of the dissidents who've been shaping Pax Christi's goals throughout the years, the above announcement comes as no surprise.  Read their website and see that they are big on dismantling national defense.  Ladies and gentlemen, the pacifism they promote is not in conformity with Catholic social teaching - the teaching that does recognize that a state has an obligation to defend its citzens against unjust aggression.  Whatever one might think of current military engagements, there is no justification for the gutting of the military. 

Now as far as "funding the communities" goes, upon whon does that onus lay?  Hint!  Remember the principle of subsidiarity?  If you don't, that's no surprise, as the progressive, big-government lovers don't want you to consider this basic tenet of Catholic social teaching.  As we saw Friday, even the USCCB would like to sweep that under the rug.  Answer to the question?  It's not with the Federal government, as is implied in the announcement; it's with us Catholics in the pews.

To those of you at the Church of the Resurrection, please ask your pastor why this is being allowed on Church property.  By the way - I looked on your parish website.  Under "social justice" I see Pax Christi, Just Faith - but I see no pro-life committee!  Why is that???

US Bishops Complain About Us Bloggers

At a convention of the Catholic Media Association (not to be confused with the Catholic Media Coalition, of which we're a proud member), Bishop Gambino Zavala (auxiliary of Los Angeles and chair of the US Bishops' Communications Committee), had some things to say about Catholic media - and blogs such as this one in general.  His comments about us bloggers:

Bishop Zavala's "Concern" about Bloggers - and the DISCLOSE Act

I am troubled that these two events seem to be coinciding so conveniently.  While I truly hope their almost simultaneous occurences are just coincidental, I cannot help but notice a common thread.  Too many "leaders" seem to view those of us, be we bloggers or Tea-Party activists, as threats to their cushy little situations.

Here's more information on the DISCLOSE act that passed the House.

Amnesty For Illegal Aliens Makes For Strange Bedfellows In Catholic Circles.

Let's take a look at Pax Christi.  We haven't done so in a while but in Montgomery County MD behooves us to do so.  They put on a nice pacifist front and they claim to be Catholic, but underneath that nice sanctimonious image they project lies an organization that is at odds with the Church on several key matters of faith and morals.

Over the years Pax Christi has cropped up like kudzu.  See some basic information here.   I won't rehash everything, but will highlight some key points.

• Two of its former presidents, Bishop Thomas Gumbleton and Bishop Gambino Zavala.  Both these prelates were forced to resign.  No, I don't mean just resign from Pax Christi; I mean resign from their posts as bishops, both for grievous causes.
• Three years ago, I blogged on the American Catholic Council, an organization thoroughly steeped in the heresy of Americanism.  At that time the ACC linked to member organizations, including Pax Christi.  Well, bust my britches, that link has disappeared!  Why, oh why, do you think that happened?   Hmmm!
• Discover the Networks has much information about Pax Christi and its sordid networks.

That's enough information for now - certainly enough to understand why the flyer below, inserted in yesterday's parish bulletin, caught my eye.

Let's ponder the subject matter of the flyer.  It regards immigration: illegal immigration to be precise.  Now let's think for a minute.  No Catholic in their right mind has any problem with immigration per se.  Most of us are immigrants or the descendants of immigrants.  So why the perceived need for all this "discussion"?  Ladies and gentlemen, in a very circuitous fashion these progressives are trying to get us to acquiesce to blanket amnesty for those who imperiously break our laws.  Of course they dare not say so openly, lest their disingenuous thought-reform gambits be laid bare for all to see.

I've been blogging a bit about this misguided effort to reward those who disobey our laws; see a montage of these posts here.  Please notice the June 22 post, where I quote Section 2241 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  The Catechism states that host nations should welcome immigrants to the extent that they are able.  Who determines that "extent"?  This question alone makes plain that the debate regarding the immigration matter falls within the realm of prudential judgment.  That is to say that good Catholics can have legitimate differences of opinions regarding the various facets of the immigration question.  There is no one "Catholic position" on this matter.  Moreover, Pope Benedict XVI reiterated that national bishops' conferences have no inherent authority per canon law.  For the USCCB to state that there is a "Catholic position" here is flat out presumptuous, if not downright deceitful.

That section of the Catechism states quite plainly that the immigrants have a duty to abide by the laws of their host countries and to recognize their "duties to their countries of adoption".  In other words, they should expect no consideration above and beyond that experienced by other citizens.  Some in the "immigrant rights" movement have trouble with the concept of "equal justice".  One such individual might be Salvador G. Sarmiento, one of the speakers; at least he demonstrated such trouble in a situation regarding his wife's traffic violations.

One hazard of the bishops flirting with pet causes of progressives is that they engage in unseemly partnerships with organizations that are at clear variance with Church teachings, sometimes to the point of dissent and disobedience.  In this flyer we see (yet again) another incongruous alliance, this time with Pax Christi.  It's quite likely that Pax Christi won't trot out their gripes with the Magisterium at St. Francis' on Oct 30th.  However, in this partnership, the Church is lending to Pax Christi - as an organization - credibility that it just doesn't deserve.

It is this alliance with Pax Christi that renders the upcoming "discussion" utterly unacceptable.  I am exploring the feasibility of a picket of this event.  I will keep you posted.

Msgr Pope's Piece On Catholics Who Raise Their Voices

Msgr Charles Pope of Washington DC recently wrote on his blog (hosted by the Archdiocese of Washington) a piece called "Is Being A Bishop Like Herding Cats?  It Shouldn't Be".  I urge all to read it, along with the comments.  In that piece, he laments what he calls a "dismissive attitude" towards the bishops, something that he calls "a common attitude among many theological and ecclesial conservatives as well."  Unfortunately, Msgr speaks too much in generalities; without specific examples, it's difficult to discern the impetus behind his comments. 

Note: this piece is a long read, so..