Soon: Cardinal Levada?

Catholic World News reported on December 29 that the Italian press, and specifically the news agency ADN Kronos, is relaying rumors that Pope Benedict XVI might name new cardinals on January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, and that he might call a consistory on February 22, the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter at Antioch.

Catholic World News says Archbishop William Levada should qualify, because the heads of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith have always been cardinals.

In the most recent consistory, in October 2003, Pope John Paul II named 30 new cardinals.

"Unnamed Vatican officials" supposedly are the sources for the latest rumors.

Cardinal Mahony for Pope?

Patt Morrison of the L.A. Times devoted her December 29 column to 13 famous Californians whose star dimmed in 2005. She wrote that Cardinal Mahony "was said to have once harbored pope hopes." An item in The Wanderer many years ago claimed that unnamed big shots in California were pushing the Cardinal for the papacy. As the proverb goes, "Man proposes, God disposes."

Top 100 California lawyers list, 2002

J. Michael Hennigan (Hennigan, Bennett & Dorman, Los Angeles)

When the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles needed a miracle, it turned to Hennigan, who takes on - and often wins - the most controversial cases. He recovered $865 million, for instance, for Orange County in its bankruptcy. Recently, he brought what could be the largest class action in U.S. history, taking on State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance for 50 million policyholders.

"Have you ever seen him get pissed? He'll rip your head off."

[source]

Go HERE for a previous post on Cardinal Mahony's high-powered attorney, J. Michael Hennigan.

LA Times backpedals for rabbi

Did "lesbian" actress Ellen DeGeneres help cause this?


WORLD NET DAILY reports ...

A column by a rabbi published in the Los Angeles Times falsely asserted Rev. Jerry Falwell claimed lesbian actress Ellen DeGeneres played a role in the 9-11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina because she was the host of the Emmy Awards before both events.

The Times ran a correction explaining the Baptist minister "made no such claim."

Go HERE for the full story.

The rabbi in question is Stephen Julius Stein of Wilshire Boulevard Temple (Reform) in Los Angeles. I am no fan of Falwell, but I have to ask why Rabbi Stein would make a claim so patently false.

Surely the fact that the prevaricating rabbi is the co-chair of the Central Conference of American Rabbis' Gay and Lesbian Rabbinic Network and a "gay" activist might help to explain his animus toward Falwell. The Baptist preacher has often raised the hackles of the "gay community" by expressing the traditional Biblical view that homosexual acts are an "abomination."

Rabbi Stein's view, on the other hand, resembles that of the heretical organization, DIGNITY, which does not consider sodomy a sin at all. In a monograph posted on the CCAR website, Jewish scholar Frederick E. Greenspahn summarizes the revisionist interpretation when he states:

The purpose of this discussion has been to demonstrate that homosexual relationships need not be understood as violating biblical teachings. Homosexuality is not the real issue in the stories of Sodom, Gibeah, or Noah's son and may not even be a factor there. [CCAR Journal]

I think that about explains it.

A SIDEBAR to this story concerns LA's openly "gay" deacon, Eric Stoltz. Cardinal Mahony ordained Stoltz to the permanent diaconate in 2004. Here's the connection:

Earlier this year, Deacon Stoltz teamed up with Rabbi Stein, the Reverend Rick Byrum of the "gay" friendly St. James Episcopal Church, and a representative of Islam on an interfaith pilgrimage to the Holy Land. You can read about the pilgrimage and view photos of the event on a website designed by Stoltz (click HERE). Deacon Stoltz is the designer of St. James' website as well. The pilgrimage was sponsored by the Wilshire Center Interfaith Council on which both Stein and Stoltz serve as officers.

Now, how does one say "lavender mafia" in Yiddish?

Der Kardinal von Los Angeles

Go to THIS GERMAN SITE to view a nice collection of outrageous Cardinal Mahony pics.

It's nice to know the Germans are watching, but what a comfort it would be to know that one German in particular was taking a long, hard look at L.A.

How much longer can this brazen disobedience continue with impunity?

Benedict starts cracking down on liturgical abuses

SANDRO MAGISTER writes ...

In the Neocatechumenal Way, communion is taken while seated around a large square table, with a large loaf of bread that is divided among the participants and wine that is passes from hand to hand and is taken in large swallows.

But communion is not the only area in which there is a departure from the traditional liturgy. There are significant innovations in other parts of the Mass.

In mid-December, the founders and directors of the Neocatechumenal Way – Spaniards Kiko Argüello and Carmen Hernandez, and the Italian priest Mario Pezzi – received a two-page letter from cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, with a list of “decisions of the Holy Father” which they must obey.

Until recently, the founders and directors of the Way had shielded these practices by claiming they had received verbal authorization from John Paul II. But with Benedict XVI, playtime is over.

And it’s coming to an end for the liturgical abuses practiced throughout the Church. In this regard, pope Joseph Ratzinger’s document in conclusion of the synod of the Eucharist will be of great interest.

Go HERE to read Cardinal Arinze's letter to the leaders of the Neocatechumenate in which he informs them of "the Holy Father's decisions" regarding the irregular liturgical practices of the movement.

What little I know about the "Neocats" is that they are doctrinally orthodox, even if their liturgical practices heretofore have not been. Being the good Catholics that they are, I fully expect that their leaders will fully embrace the Holy Father's directives in a spirit of filial obedience.

What I'd like to know is when is Pope Benedict XVI going to start cracking down on the far more notorious liturgical abuses that go on in Los Angeles with the full approval and even endorsement of Cardinal Roger M. Mahony? Go HERE, HERE, and HERE for a few examples. And if and when the crack down comes, is there any reason to believe that such a corrective will be met with the same spirit of obedience? Sadly, the Cardinal himself has given us numerous reasons to answer that question in the negative.

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Warning: R-rated USCCB film office review

The USCCB Film Office review of the homosexual propaganda film "Brokeback Mountain" wasn't the only review in the December 23 Tidings that gives scandal. The "Mrs. Henderson Presents" review and its A-III (okay for adults) rating are w-r-o-n-g.

Yes, the USCCB office writes the reviews and rates the movies, but diocesan papers such as The Tidings should refuse to run reviews that give scandal.

"Mrs. Henderson Presents" is about a theater in London in World War II that has nude shows. Our U.S. bishops' film office calls the film a "patriotic true-life story," "well-made," "decorous," and having "predictably fine performances."

The film office of our hierarchy admits that the film has "Partial female nudity throughout, a fleeting scene of full-frontal male and female nudity, a premarital affair with tragic results, some innuendo, a smattering of profanity and rough language. (A-III, R)"

For many people that description will be an occasion of sin in itself. The film's A-III rating is proof of "ratings creep" downward at our bishops' film office; they're calling worse and worse things acceptable.

Cardinal Mahony in the past has defended nudity in films. The Catechism says of modesty that it: "means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden" (2521); "inspires one's choice of clothing" (2522); and "protests...against the voyeuristic exploration of the human body...and the solicitations of certain media that go too far in the exhibition of intimate things" (2523).

The Catechism (2525) adds, "Christian purity requires a purification of the social climate. It requires of the communications media that their presentations show concern for respect and restraint. Purity of heart brings freedom from widespread eroticism and avoids entertainment inclined to voyeurism and illusion."

And St. Matthew (5:28) quotes Jesus: "But I say: Anyone who even looks with a woman with lust in his eye has already committed lust with her in his heart."

Throughout the 20th century, Popes said a production code -- one that prevents evil from being filmed, rather than today's system of letting evil be filmed and then grading it -- is the way to stop indecency in the film industry. In the 1930's, our U.S. bishops -- a far different set than today's -- used a threat of national boycott by Catholics that forced Hollywood into accepting a decency code that kept filth out of films. The result was Hollywood's Golden Age of classic cinema.

Let's tell Cardinal Mahony and the rest of our hierarchy: Bring back the Decency Code -- and while you're at it, clean up the USCCB Film Office!

queerasstoltz

Mr. Eric Stoltz, the openly 'gay' man who was ordained to the diaconate by Cardinal Roger Mahony in 2004, has been strangely quiet during the debates leading up to and following the Vatican's recent instruction on homosexuals and the priesthood. For an avowed homosexual who has boldly and broadly announced his disaffection with Church teaching, Stoltz' silence is queer indeed. I suspect that his boss told him to lie low for a while. Too much noise from L.A.'s most famous deacon might jeopardize the ordination plans of another openly homosexual Angelino who is currently in formation for the permanent diaconate. So I guess mum's the word, at least for now.

Fortunately, Eric Stoltz has strewn the world wide web with plenty of words which reveal as much about his archbishop as they do about himself. In August 2004, for example, the recently ordained 'gay' deacon wrote a letter to the editor of America magazine in which he stated:

In my class of 12 new deacons there were two physicians, a public-relations executive, a garment industry executive turned gardener, a vice president of a mechanical engineering company, an aerospace company executive, a parish business manager and a retired deputy sheriff, among others. They ranged in age from the minimum canonical age to the maximum. Single and married, Latino, Anglo, African American and Korean, gay and straight—we new deacons for Los Angeles are the new face of the clergy. Each year, more parishes like St. Brendan get their first deacon. I can tell you that the welcome and enthusiasm among these parishioners is overwhelming.

There is no vocations shortage in the Catholic Church. We have lay and diaconal vocations sprouting up everywhere, even more than my archdiocese can handle. Our Diaconate Formation Office is faced with tough choices on whom they can accept, given their limited resources. So where are the priestly vocations? God only knows. Let us not bemoan the loss of the status quo, but look gratefully to the future God is setting before us.

The letter is signed, "Deacon Eric Stoltz," but it's vintage Mahony through and through.

See my previous post on L.A.'s openly 'gay' deacon, Preaching the naked truth in L.A.

The quotable Mahony

"Light plus love equals peace and everybody feels that."

Wow, that's deeeep.

Go HERE for the KCAL-9 News video report on Christmas celebrations around the southland, including footage of Cardinal Mahony and his cathedral.

Pope Benedict's Christmas homily

Read it HERE.

Christmas at the cathedral

Click on the cathedral photo for details.

"Pulling the strings?"

The December 23 L.A. Times story "Door Kept Open for Priest-Sex Lawsuits" reported that on Thursday, Federal Judge William Q. Hayes upheld the California state law that temporarily nullified the statute of limitations on child sex abuse lawsuits so people could sue the Church for damages for allegedly not protecting them from molesters in the clergy.

The Diocese of San Diego had asked the court to declare that the law unconstitutionally violates the Church's religious freedom and due process rights. The diocese's attorney, J. Michael Hennigan, said the diocese is "strongly considering an appeal."

All the pending lawsuits against the Church depend on the law's being upheld.

Raymond Boucher, a lawyer for 560 claims against the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, called Cardinal Mahony "the puppet master, the one pulling the strings" behind the San Diego diocese's lawsuit. Hennigan, the Times notes, is the Cardinal's lead lawyer in clergy sex abuse cases. Hennigan says insurers are paying his fees in the San Diego case.

Hennigan says all the California bishops back the San Diego diocese's suit. He adds that Cardinal Mahony hopes to settle all the cases "before we get the final answer to this important question" (of the law's constitutionality).

Altogether, another sad chapter in a supremely sad serial.

Does "L" stand for "Liberal?"

Unfortunately, the December 23 Tidings runs the USCCB Film Office's capsule review of the homosexual propaganda movie "Brokeback Mountain" with the no longer valid rating that the USCCB first gave it -- namely, "L," for limited audience. Back on December 16, the USCCB, stung by protests, gave the movie a revised and richly deserved rating of "O," for morally objectionable for everyone, so the Tidings should have picked up on that by now.

No doubt much of the fault lies with the USCCB Film Office, which should have rated the movie "O" right off the bat. Of course, they also should have blasted the film's blatant immorality and crude cinematic propaganda instead of praising it as "a love story."

"L" rhymes with "hell," in this case.

Concerns about Niederauer

LIFESITE reports ...

SAN FRANCISCO, December 22, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, president of Human Life International, says he is worried that Niederauer is “gay friendly.” Speaking to MichNews.com’s Matt Abbott, Euteneuer said, “If the pro-gay attitudes, policies and statements of the new Archbishop of San Francisco have been reported accurately—and we have no reason to believe they have not—then his opinions run counter to the spirit and intent of the Vatican instruction on homosexuals in the seminary.”

Getting a read on Archbishop-elect Niederauer

Father George Niederauer, 1962

Last year Bishop Nierderauer published a book of "spirituality," Precious as Silver: Imaging Your Life with God. I just skimmed the pages posted on Amazon and I did not find anything particularly thrilling or controversial about the work. HERE is THE TIDINGS' review of the book.

The December 15 news conference that announced the appointment of Niederauer as the next archbishop of San Francisco revealed much more about the former L.A. priest who was ordained a priest with Cardinal Roger M. Mahony and is a life-long friend of current CDF prefect, Archbishop William Levada.

By all accounts, Niederauer is very bright, extremely well read and witty. Those qualities were in evidence as he handled reporters' questions with deftness and even charm. It appears that he was well liked in Salt Lake and seems to be held in high esteem among L.A. clergy.

When asked about the big issues, specifically "abortion" and "marriage," Niederauer said ...

"I want to say that I believe what my Church teaches and what I teach on behalf of my Church which is respect for life from its very beginnings to its to its very end and that in the context of hope for life forever with the Lord. I have to say that I have the conviction that the Church has in its teaching that marriage is a union between man and woman. But that does not mean I do not care about and want to serve everyone in the Church in San Francisco."

In response to a question about the recent Vatican instruction on homosexuality and priesthood, Niederauer referred to what he considered the single most important phrase in the document: "affective maturity." This, he said, is the sine qua non for determining who should be ordained to the priesthood. In this way, the archbishop-elect adroitly avoided the question of whether homosexual men should be priests.

St. Tookie

David McNew / Getty Images

Convicted murderer Stanley "Tookie" Williams' 4 hour long funeral service at Bethel AME Church in Los Angeles was attended by an estimated 2000 mourners. Among the attendees were Jesse Jackson, Louis Farrakhan and "rapper" Snoop Dogg.

Williams, one of the "founders" of the gang known as "the Crips," was put to death by lethal injection on December 13 for the cold-blooded murder of 4 people 24 years ago. His conviction was based in part on the testimony of those who were accomplices in committing the crimes.

According to reports, Jesse Jackson mumbled something unmemorable like, "We must kill the idea of killing to stop killing."

That's just so Jesse.

An emotional Snoop Dogg recited a "rap" (=corny poem) which he had composed in honor of the executed murderer whose mortal remains were encased in a gold-trimmed, white casket.

Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan, however, was the boldest:

"[Williams] will be greater in death than he ever was in life."

He compared the Crips founder and convicted quadruple murderer to Jesus "saying both had been betrayed by false witnesses and sent to their death after politicians failed to intervene."

Farrakhan then "canonized" Stanley "Tookie" Williams "the patron saint for all those struggling in the gang life."

"If you feed on the words of brother Stan, he will come closer to you and you will not only see the redemption of Brother Stan, but you will be part of his redemption," Farrakhan said. [source]

The next thing you know Congresswoman Maxine Waters will be sponsoring a bill to change the name of the Harbor Freeway to the "St. Stanley 'Tookie' Williams" Freeway.

Don't molest, "Downtown" tells coaches

The December 16 Tidings reports that the 4,500 paid and volunteer coaches in the Archdiocese's 216 elementary schools are undergoing mandatory training sessions for certification in "child protection procedures."

Lifescan fingerprinting is a prerequisite for the courses. Coaches learn that they should never: be alone with a student, give personal cell phone numbers to students, send non-sports-related e-mails to students, make inappropriate remarks, touch inappropriately or single out a student for friendship. The coaches also learn character education, safety and better coaching skills.

At the end of their training, the coaches receive a photo ID card that they must renew after two years through continuing education.

Do you suppose any of the sex education in the Archdiocesan school system constitutes "inappropriate remarks?"

L.A. Catholic readers...

It has come to my attention that your comments are not posting. I hope to fix this soon and have your comments up in a timely manner. I implore your patience with me as I -- complete computer neanderthal that I am -- attempt to improve the appearance and functionality of this blog. At times I think I should have left well enough alone, but we shall see.

I appreciate the many positive comments I have received about this blog and I am committed to bringing you fresh news and commentary from the perspective of a Catholic living with L.A.

L.A. preaching

BMW Z3

On the First Sunday of Advent, St. Bede's Father Kester offered his parishioners a moderately entertaining but completely pointless "illustration" of the parable of the talents.

Two weeks before this "homily", Kester had distributed six envelopes containing differing amounts of money: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50. On this particular Sunday, he asked for an accounting.

A young man named Russell had received $5 and he reports to Father Kester that he made $53. This news is greeted with raucous applause.

Father Kester, chortling, says, "Alright! You want to tell us what you did, please, for the Kingdom?"

He calls Russell up to the microphone and the young man says, "I took $5 and bought a deck of cards and I did some card tricks around the block and I got like $34 in tips and stuff ."

He hesitates for a moment and then continues, "This is the bad part. I took $15 and bought a gift certificate to Paymon's Ice Cream and sold $1 raffle tickets [for a trip down to Paymon's Ice Cream in a BMW Z3]".

Father Kester responds, "I have to bring my BMW Z3 here? The parish isn't supposed to know that I own a Z3 [wild laughter]. I bought it with money I inherited from my father [more audience laughter]. So I'm taking somebody in my Z3 to get ice cream?" "Yeah," says Russell.

"Okay," says Kester resignedly, amid more cacophonous laughter. "Let's give him a hand."

At the end of this "little experiment," as he calls it, Father Kester, continuing to chuckle, says, "Okay. Please stand for our Creed."

For a ride almost as wild as a ride in Kester's Z3, go HERE.

My people perish for want of knowledge! Since you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from my priesthood; Since you have ignored the law of your God, I will also ignore your sons. One and all they sin against me, exchanging their glory for shame. They feed on the sin of my people, and are greedy for their guilt. The priests shall fare no better than the people: I will punish them for their ways, and repay them for their deeds. They shall eat but not be satisfied, they shall play the harlot but not increase, Because they have abandoned the LORD to practice harlotry. (Hosea 4:6ff)

L.A.'s Card

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES reports ...

The war in Iraq and other world events have influenced customers' choices in cards this year, according to Isabel Loriente, merchandise manager of the gift shop at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles.

"People are looking for more heartfelt sentiment, more about peace both in the world and personally," she said. "Not that there is anything wrong with a 'Merry Christmas,' but the cards I see people moving towards are not as frivolous."

Shoppers at the Roman Catholic cathedral — who include many non-Catholics — also seem to be passing up cards decorated with candy canes and nostalgic Americana in favor of direct religious messages and imagery.

"They see the secularization of Christmas and understand that component but also want to confirm the religious identity of Christmas," Loriente said.

The shop's best-selling card has a cover photo taken by Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of the statuary Nativity scene on the cathedral grounds. Inside, it reads: "May the gift of Christ's love and peace bring you joy this Christmas and throughout the New Year."

The most unjust execution

In the last two days, the wake and the funeral in Los Angeles of executed quadruple murderer and gang founder Stanley Williams have served as a reminder that more than a few people consider the death penalty a far graver issue than aborting babies.

Never mind that Pope John Paul II, in Brazil, called abortions the most unjust execution. Every aborted baby is innocent -- and is denied the right to Baptism.

If Stanley Williams was not a death row convict but a baby in his mother's womb, how many people would be holding candlelight vigils to save his life?

The total number of prisoners executed in the USA in the 28 years since the death penalty was reinstituted in 1977 reached 1,000 this month. That's less than a third of the babies whom the USA's abortionists dismember alive every day.

By the way, The Tidings of December 16 carries an anti-death penalty piece by regular columnist Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI. That's fine, and no doubt Father is against abortions as well. But he pens this inaccuracy: "It took 2000 years before, finally, a pope stood up and pronounced unequivocally that the death penalty was wrong...No pope, again, ever, will affirm the contrary."

In fact, Pope John Paul II strongly recommended against the death penalty, but did not completely rule it out "in cases of absolute necessity."

The Catechism, in #2267, also recommends against the death penalty; but it adds, in #2266, "...the traditional teaching of the Church has acknowledged as well-founded the right and duty of legitimate public authority to punish malefactors by means of penalties commensurate with the gravity of the crime, not excluding, in cases of extreme gravity, the death penalty."

To point all this out is not to advocate the death penalty; it's to ask why death penalty opponents ignore all the preborn babies who are slated for execution.

Are Catholic opponents of executions going to start holding vigils in front of our area's many abortion business "death rows?" Let's not hold our breath.

L.A. Masses

Mass at Judge Memorial Catholic High School

The reprobated flagon and the bevy of dancing girls would suggest that this is an L.A. Mass. It is not. This photo was taken at Judge Memorial Catholic High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. The prelate in the photo is Bishop George Niederauer, a former L.A. priest and seminary classmate of L.A.'s Cardinal, Roger Mahony. The Holy See announced last week that Niederauer will be succeeding yet another former L.A. priest, Archbishop William Levada, as archbishop of San Francisco. Levada now heads the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

More pics HERE, HERE and HERE.

And we were hoping that Mahony's stock was falling in Rome.

More to testify against Cardinal's pal

Father Michael Wempe, who goes on trial January 17 for allegedly molesting a boy at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in the early 1990s, will face eight additional accusers in court, the LA Times reported on December 15.

A judge has ruled that the men may testify that Father Wempe molested them decades ago. State law lets prosecutors use testimony about a defendant's past in a current sex-abuse trial. The men are among 13 victims whom Father Wempe has admitted abusing.

Father Wempe was a classmate of Cardinal Mahony at St. John's Seminary. In the late 1980s Mahony moved him to Cedars-Sinai after the accused molester underwent "pedophile treatment." The May 2, 2002, LA New Times said the Cardinal didn't inform hospital officials about the allegations against the priest. Later, stated the paper, Mahony asserted he didn't know Cedars-Sinai had a children's unit. In 2000, the New Times added, Mahony was the star guest at a hospital luncheon honoring Father Wempe, whom the LA Times says prosecutors have branded a "master" child molester.

S.F. Chronicle on new Archbishop

The San Francisco Chronicle for Friday, December 16, has three long articles about the new Archbishop-designate for San Francisco, Bishop George Niederauer of Salt Lake City and formerly of St. John's Seminary in Camarillo.

Dear L.A. Catholic readers ...

More and more people are discovering this blog and the response has been most gratifying. Some of you have suggested some changes in the appearance of the blog to enhance its readability. Others have asked for certain features which heretofore I have not offered.

To better serve our rapidly growing readership, I will be making significant improvements to the blog which I hope will attract even more readers.

Please bear with us as we make these necessary changes.

Hammering heretics in San Bernardino

THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE reports ...

The Diocese of San Bernardino today will hold what experts say could be one of the few Roman Catholic heresy trials in U.S. history.

The priest on trial refuses to attend the hearing, which he calls "medieval and totally un-Christian."

"It's like the Inquisition has returned," said the Rev. Ned Reidy, of Bermuda Dunes, who also is charged with schism.

For full story, go HERE.

Rev. Ned Reidy is a former Holy Cross priest. After working in the Diocese of San Bernardino for a number of years, he left the Catholic Church and his order to become a part of a schismatic group called the Ecumenical Catholic Communion (ECC). ECC rejects the authority of the Roman Pontiff and denies other clearly defined doctrines of the Church.

Instead of putting the Reverend Ned on trial for heresy, the Church should give him an award! At least he had the honesty to admit that he does not believe what the Catholic Church teaches. The Diocese of San Bernardino ought to send him a letter of thanks for finally leaving the Church and for ceasing to masquerade as a Catholic priest.

If the Church is going to start hunting down heretics, why not start with those individuals who stay in the Church while advocating similar heterodox notions? Rather than shower such individuals with ecclesiastical honors or allow them to spread their noxious ideas by way of diocesan newspapers (e.g., this one), the Church should demand that they either recant their heretical positions or suffer the appropriate ecclesiastical penalties.

Will this happen? Let's just say you can put your hammers away. The enemy is within and in high places. "The smoke of Satan ..."

Time is running out for Tookie

Prescinding from the question of whether Tookie Williams should be executed or not, one thing is for sure: this man needs our prayers. The crimes committed by Williams are absolutely despicable. He has caused irreparable harm to his victims, their families and society at large. Now that he is facing certain death shortly after midnight, we must intensify our prayers for him that he might truly repent of his sins, seek the forgiveness of God and prepare himself to face God Who is both infinitely just and infinitely merciful.

Holy Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us!

Prayer of Pope John Paul II to Our Lady of Guadalupe

Virgin of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, we pray to you for all the Bishops, that they may lead the faithful along paths of intense Christian life, of love and humble service of God and souls. Contemplate this immense harvest, and intercede with the Lord that He may instill a hunger for holiness in the whole people of God, and grant abundant vocations of priests and religious, strong in the faith and zealous dispensers of God’s mysteries.

January 1979, Mexico City

The origin of the name Guadalupe has always been a matter of controversy. It is nevertheless believed that the name came about because of the translation from Nahuatl to Spanish of the words used by the Virgin during the apparition to Juan Bernardino, the ailing uncle of Juan Diego.

It is believed that Our Lady used the Aztec Nahuatl word of coatlaxopeuh which is pronounced "quatlasupe" and sounds remarkably like the Spanish word Guadalupe. Coa meaning serpent, tla being the noun ending which can be interpreted as "the", while xopeuh means to crush or stamp out. So Our Lady must have called herself the one "who crushes the serpent."

[source]

"I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel." Genesis 3:15 (Douay-Rheims)

Made in China

Larry Stammer of THE LOS ANGELES TIMES reports ...

Honoring the Catholic heritage of Latinos, a shrine to Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels will be expanded at a cost of $250,000 and with thousands of pieces of broken china donated by Southern Californians.

On Friday, Cardinal Roger M. Mahony donated a red-trimmed china plate, which Kostelnik ceremonially broke with a hammer before depositing it in a bin.

Full story HERE.

See related post ("Passing the 'plate' for Guadalupe") HERE.

Note that the author of the above "puff piece" is veteran L.A. Times reporter, Larry Stammer. Read about the relationship between Stammer and Mahony HERE.

Levada's successor to be appointed soon

SAN FRANCISCO GATE reports ...

A new archbishop of San Francisco is likely to be named by the end of the year, and insiders say three men have emerged as leading contenders.

For what it's worth, the anonymous "insiders" are saying that the next archbishop of San Francisco could very likely be one of the following: Bishop Stephen Blaire of the Diocese of Stockton; Bishop Daniel Walsh of the Diocese of Santa Rosa; and Bishop George Niederauer of the Diocese of Salt Lake City.

Blaire and Niederauer have strong ties to the L.A. Archdiocese and Cardinal Roger M. Mahony.

L.A. Masses

Can you top this?



Offertory procession at Samoan Liturgy, 2005 Religious Education Congress. Photo by Sr. Nancy Munro, CSJ. Found at the L.A. Archdiocesan website.

So tell us, How was "liturgy" at your "inclusive," "culturally sensitive," and "vibrant faith community" this weekend?

Chronicles of Narnia

Clayton Emmer @ THE WEIGHT OF GLORY offers a helpful review of the film (which I hope to see today). Go HERE.

Discredited 'visionary' to appear at LA Cathedral

That's right. Vassula Ryden will be on the docket of speakers at the upcoming "Key to Christian Unity Conference" to be held at Cardinal Mahony's cathedral on January 28th.

In October 1995, the Congregration for the Doctrine of the Faith, under the direction of then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, issued a 'notification' regarding Ryden.

" ... this Congregation requests the intervention of the Bishops so that their faithful may be suitably informed and that no opportunity may be provided in their Dioceses for the dissemination of her ideas. Lastly, the Congregation invites all the faithful not to regard Mrs. Vassula Ryden's writings and speeches as supernatural and to preserve the purity of the faith that the Lord has entrusted to the Church."

A further clarification was issued by the CDF about a year later.

A host of others -- bishops and theologians, including the current Prefect of the CDF, Archbishop Levada -- have issued statements warning the faithful about the dangerous ideas and scandalous practices of Vassula Ryden. [source]

In view of these facts, one would expect the Cardinal to intervene immediately in the matter and insist that Vassula Ryden's invitation to speak at the cathedral be rescinded. Don't hold your breath, though. This is L.A., the home of the Religious Education Congress which year after year invites truckloads of Vassula types and worse to disseminate their dangerous doctrines among the unsuspecting faithful.

Passing the 'plate' for Guadalupe

NORTH COUNTY TIMES reports ...

LOS ANGELES - Members of the Los Angeles Archdiocese are being asked to donate a piece of china so the pieces can be added to a shrine at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, church officials said Friday.

A shrine honoring the Patroness of the Americas is being expanded, and church officials want to incorporate parishioners' china into the design.

The size of the shrine was initially limited because of budgetary constraints, but with the help of private donations, church officials expect the expansion to be completed in about a year.

The biggest addition to the shrine will be a mosaic depicting the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe to Saint Juan Diego in 1531.

Church officials want parishioners to donate one piece of their china to the Cathedral between Friday and Monday -- the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The cups and plates will then be crushed into smaller pieces and incorporated into the mosaic.

The project will cost $250,000, half of which has already been donated, [Monsignor] Kostelnik said.

Many people in the Hispanic community, especially us Mexicanos who have a unique affection for la Virgencita de Guadalupe, have expressed great dissatisfaction with the outdoor shrine. Read more about our disappointment HERE.



What a 'crackpot' idea.

Papal honors in L.A.

The ever pugnacious "Rococo" over at "Blusters in the Loggia" has a post about the new monsignori in Los Angeles. The funny thing is, Mr. Palmo's comments reveal more about him than they do about L.A.

Rocco, who is an inveterate defender of Cardinal Mahony, interprets this "purple rain" of honors, as he calls it ("I have never seen an honors list the size of what LA just got") as a sign of the Holy See's benevolent view of the Cardinal and his governance of the archdiocese. In saying this, Rocco provides all the proof we need that he is as unschooled in ecclesiastical matters as he is in sound Catholic theology.

Two of the new monsignori have publicly advocated for the ordination of women as priests. The more prominent of the two, the pastor of St. Monica Church and recipient of the highest honor given to a monsignor -- protonotary apostolic -- was booed by younger L.A clergy two years ago when he called for ordaining married men and women at a priests' meeting with the Cardinal. This was reported in the L.A. Times as well as HERE.

Does Rocco really think that this is the kind of priest that Pope Benedict XVI would want to honor?

Tookie vs. Terri

Founder of the infamous street gang, the "Crips," Stanley "Tookie" Williams is scheduled to be executed on December 13. Almost a quarter of a century ago, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES reports, Williams was found guilty of ...

" ... four Los Angeles murders in the shootings of Albert Owens, who was killed in the robbery of a 7-Eleven store on Feb. 27, 1979, and of motel owners Yen-I Yang and Thsai-Shaic Yang and their daughter, Yee Chen Lin, at the Brookhaven Motel on South Vermont Avenue 12 days later."

A coalition of anti-death penalty religious leaders, Catholic, Protestant and Jewish, is fighting for Williams' life claiming that the convicted murderer is now rehabilitated. He has written several children's books aimed at convincing youngsters to reject the gang lifestyle. In addition to having a television movie made about his life, Williams, we are told, was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Albert Owens' stepmother is convinced that Williams should die. Lora Owens says that Williams has not own up to his crimes.

"To be redeemed means to accept responsibility or assume responsibility and not use it as a means of getting out of just punishment," [Lora] Owens said. "He chose to be judge, jury and executioner in a matter of seconds, and yet it has taken years for him to come to justice," she said.

On the night of his murder, Albert Owens had been working at a 7-Eleven convenience store. After Williams and his 3 accomplices robbed the store clerk of $170, Williams shot him to death.

According to the LA TIMES, Williams' "clemency team" includes "the Rev. James Lawson, a longtime civil rights leader; Catholic priest Christopher Ponnet; and Rabbi Leonard Beerman, the founding rabbi of Leo Baeck Temple in West Los Angeles."

Rev. Lawson and Rabbi Beerman are both solidly and unabashedly pro-abortion.

Father Ponnet claims to subscribe to the "consistent life ethic" and posts links of that sort on his St. Camillus website. According to THE TIDINGS, Father Ponnet is at the forefront of the fight to save Williams' life.

And where was Father Ponnet when Terri Schiavo and her family were fighting desperately against her execution by starvation?

Go HERE for the answer.

A new St. Mary's

The altar of St. Mary's new church is shown. The $9.8 million church is built in a contemporary style with "in-the-round" seating focused on the altar. (Jeff Goldwater/DAILY NEWS)

THE DAILY NEWS reports ...

PALMDALE - St. Mary's Catholic Church will dedicate a $9.8 million church that seats 1,400 people, replacing a church built in 1956 when Palmdale's population was less than one-tenth its present size.

Full story HERE.

Birds of a Feather

When Governor Schwartenegger appointed Democratic party activist and avowed lesbian Susan Kennedy as his chief of staff, most Republicans where incensed and bewildered. http://www.blogger.com/Here

A look at where the Governor and his wife Maria Shriver attends Mass may give a clue on the Governor's thoughts. According to the Rainbow Sash Movement, homosexual rights group that demands full acceptance within the Catholic Church, Saint Monica's parish in Santa Monica is a "welcoming parish." http://www.blogger.com/Here The parish is well known throughout the Archdiocese for it's "inclusive" atmosphere.

The Governor and his Democratic wife are often seen at the parish receiving Holy Communion in spite of their unwavering support of abortion rights. The two receive in spite of the Vatican's pronouncement that Catholic politicians cannot support abortion rights. Among conservative circles, Shriver is well known as a having a big influence on the governor picking Kennedy to lead his staff. De facto governor is what one operative called her.

Oh well...

Away Day

Because of professional reasons I'll be away from this site for a couple of days.

You gotta luv'm

A December 2, 2005 story in THE TIDINGS weightlessness the 20th anniversary of the L.A. Archdiocesan ministry with Gay and Lesbian Catholics. The article, which gushes in its praise of Always Our Children, fails to mention a key element in the document's authorship.

At a September 10, 1997 seminar sponsored by Father Robert Nugent and Sister Jeannie Gramick, which was held at St. Joseph's of Orange hospital in the Diocese of Orange, Father Nugent revealed at the lightly attended seminar, that in fact he was a co-author of an upcoming document on homosexuality which would provide a "real shot in the arm." Nugent also revealed that then MLGC head Father Peter Liuzzi and Father Jim Schnexnayder of the Diocese of Oakland were co-authors of the then highly secret document.

Ever cautious Nugent cautioned his audience from spreading the news about the upcoming document, citing that it had to be rushed through the NCCB before it could be closely scrutinized.

Both Nugent and Gramick were later formally censored by the Vatican for promoting homosexuality through their New Ways Ministry.

Much has happened since the "Ministry for Lesbian and Gay Catholics" was launched 20 years ago and Always Our Children was released. Liuzzi is now pastor of St. Agnes Parish in phoenix, Arizona, after leaving the community of Arleta in the San Fernando Valley. The Carmelite priest had been residing in a "house of formation" with confrere Father Dominic Savino who was ousted in March of 2002 as president of Crespi high school. Savino's position at Crespi was terminated after he had been accused of sexually molesting boys in the 1970's.

According the to neighbors, they were not aware of the fact that Liuzzi and Savino were priests. The largely Hispanic neighbors thought of them as a committed couple according to one source.

Schnexnayder continues with the National Association of Catholic Lesbian and Gay diocesan Ministries and Nugent is not knowingly advocating the views he was censored for.

What can you say? You gotta luv'm.

More about the upcoming indulgence

Steubenville professor, Dr. Mark Miravalle, comments on the "gift of grace" which Pope Benedict XV is offering to the faithful on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception ...

It would greatly facilitate the reception of this plenary indulgence if cathedral rectors and parish pastors would consider placing an image of Our Lady (statue, picture, icon, etc.) in a suitably significant location in the church for public veneration by the faithful. It would also be most helpful to the faithful if pastors could establish some form of public Marian devotion for the solemnity, for example: a) leading the people in the praying of the Litany of Our Lady before the Marian image after the conclusion of each solemnity Mass; b) praying the Rosary before the image either before or after the liturgical celebration; or c) setting up a separate Marian devotional service during the evening of December 8, where public veneration of Our Lady could include scripture readings, a brief homily, the recitation of the Rosary, or even, where possible, the incorporation of Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction.

Read more HERE.

Let's see what, if anything, will be done in L.A. and elsewhere to promote the gift of this indulgence.

We won't back down

Los Angeles, Dec. 02, 2005 (CNA) - Supporters of a parental notification bill have announced that they will start collecting signatures in late January or early February in hopes of getting the measure before voters again in the 2006 general election.

Supporters are renewing efforts after a similar bill — Proposition 73 — was defeated in the Nov. 8 vote, 53 percent to 47 percent. The bill would require doctors in California to notify the parents of girls under 18 before the girl can have an abortion.

Full story HERE.

'The pope is very openly anti-gay'

Elton John

So says David Furnish, Elton John's partner. The two are slated to be "married" in England on December 5, the day when same-sex marriage will become legal in the UK. Go HERE for more.

See my previous post: England's other 'queen' to 'tie the knot'

Attention Guadalupanos!

(Mike Nelson/THE TIDINGS)

THE TIDINGS reports ...

This year, Los Angeles' oldest religious procession begins at noon Dec. 3 at La Soledad Church, 4561 Cesar Chavez Ave. The procession will end at East L.A. College Stadium, Monterey Park, with a special liturgy. For more information, call Resurrection Church at (323) 268-1141.

Go HERE for full report.

I will be there. I never miss it.

Levada on the job

ROME — Archbishop William Levada is settling in here as new prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Pope Benedict surprised many here and abroad when he tapped the California churchman for the sensitive post. The archbishop’s name failed to appear on many of the short lists proposed to succeed the pope in the congregation job. Besides, there are only a handful of Americans in top Vatican posts here, in spite of the internationalization of the Curia that began under the late Pope John Paul.

Full story.

20 year old memo to bishops

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- More than 20 years before the Vatican issued its recent instruction against priestly ordination of men with "deep-seated homosexual tendencies," the Vatican gave similar advice to bishops in a brief, unpublicized memorandum.

The memorandum told bishops that in considering candidates for the priesthood they should not accept men who were homosexually active, who led a homosexual lifestyle or who showed evidence of "latent or repressed homosexuality."

Go HERE for full report.