Catholics of Marin are banding together for a protest march this Tuesday to express their disgust and outrage over the lenient charging and sentencing of the vandals who desecrated and destroyed the statue of St. Junipero Serra on the property of St. Raphael parish.
“District Attorney Lori Frugoli was flooded with calls from hundreds of Catholics and other law abiding citizens who demanded that the vandals must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Instead, Frugoli plea-bargained the felony charges down to misdemeanors. has ignored our demand for ‘full prosecution of the law. We will not stand for the desecration of our most holy saints, said Faye Bourett, one of the organizers for a protest this Tuesday, May 30th at 4:00.
Bourett says that “maybe Frugoli can hear us at the ballot box next election. Meanwhile, we’ll be out in full force this Tuesday and then we’ll walk precincts to ensure that she understands this type of ‘restorative justice’ is no kind of justice at all.”
Tuesday 5/30 there will be a 4 pm peaceful protest at St. Raphael’s against the spineless DA, regarding the decision to plea bargain this felony hate crime down to probation.
We will gather at the Mission, then march down to San Rafael Joe’s. Join us!
I would not want to arrive at the Pearly Gates having participated in this.
Jesus might demand justice for every mistake and sin I made.
I beg for the Lord’s mercy for myself and for everyone.
That is why He suffered and died.
Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7
Jesus called sinners to repentance. Repent, and reform your life. Then, go and follow Him. You need good discipline and strong commitment, to follow Jesus Christ. Sinners must be punished and taught how to live right. You must do your penance, when you sin. Then, make a good effort to reform your life.
Are you opposed to indulgences?
“I would not want to arrive at the Pearly Gates having participated in this.” To point out injustice is an act of mercy toward the unjust. You have a sentimental sense of mercy which has nothing to do with the real thing. The good thing is that you pray for mercy for everyone, and that is a very very good thing.
I could give many Scripture verses but i feel that if you really cared about that, you would have already looked them up.
Lock ‘em up. No that’s not good enough. Capital punishment for these bastards. If they behead our statue we outta behead them!
I’m kidding. Just showing how revenge gets quickly out of hand and folks seem to want bitter revenge not Justice. Let mercy be our watchword.
YFC, you had better defend your Catholic faith against deliberate hate crimes. Hate crimes against us, going to churches, burning them down, destroying our sacred statues and other sacred items– is a horrific sin– and a horrific crime. Just wait ’till the KKK comes and burns crosses at your parish church, and on parishioners’ lawns. Is that really what you want??
“Just showing how revenge gets quickly out of hand and folks seem to want bitter revenge not Justice. Let mercy be our watchword.” YFC, you too have a very sentimental sense of mercy which causes you to confuse the true sense of mercy with revenge. See what I wrote to Blessthemerciful May 30, 2023 at 9:23 am.
As an example, Jesus was showing mercy to the moneychangers when he drove them from the temple. That could not be construed as revenge. Likewise, seeking justice for the woke activists is an act of mercy so they can learn that actions have consequences, and actions against the Church are no less heinous than actions against a gay bar or gay night club. That the perps excused their vandalism by woke rationalizations is all the more important because their false sense of history was used as a cloak to do evil, and with a slap on the wrist, they are thereby encouraged to more of the same.
Somebody below said that they wanted them to do a few weekends in jail, pay for the damage and do 100 hours of community service instead of the restoration that they agreed to do.
What punishment did you want?
Mercy…The mercy that faithful Catholics show to the poor, marginalized, imprisoned and dying every single day. The definition of mercy means to will the end of someone’s suffering. What about justice? A favorite word that is thrown around as casually as ‘mercy’ is. Until it’s time for justice and then we redefine words to fit our worldly, materialistic cares. The definition of justice is to give to one what he is rightly due, good or bad.
It is unmerciful and unjust to allow these angry, violent individuals to be emboldened to do more harm and be awash in their hatred and bigotry. Authentic restorative justice would be for these individuals to face the very people they have so violently violated and victimized, apologize and repair their damage. Now *that* would be merciful.
Shame on all who abuse the mercy of our Lord.
Very well said asdf. I could use a good dose of your eloquence. Thank you.
They are charged with misdemeanor rather than felonies. They have agreed to:
pay monetary restitution, an amount determined by the Marin County Probation Department, to the church for the repair or replacement of the statue;
complete 50 hours of volunteer work;
apologize in writing as part of the official court record;
participate in a community forum to be held in the coming months with a credible historian who will give stakeholders a chance to have a meaningful dialogue about the issue; and
stay off the church property.
Don’t forget the spiritual works of mercy:
To instruct the ignorant;
To counsel the doubtful;
To admonish sinners;
To bear wrongs patiently;
To forgive offences willingly;
To comfort the afflicted;
To pray for the living and the dead.
Special note to #4 and #5
asdf,
It is unmerciful and unjust to allow these angry, violent individuals to be emboldened to do more harm and be awash in their hatred and bigotry. Authentic restorative justice would be for these individuals to face the very people they have so violently violated and victimized, apologize and repair their damage. Now *that* would be merciful.
The first part is pure gaslighting but the second part is exactly what they are going to do.
To Bless and YFC, so, mercy should be our watchword. Does that mean you believe all felonies should be charged as misdemeanors only? Or, what is your criteria? Should hate crimes against Blacks and gays be reduced to misdemeanors? Cross burning on the lawn of a church, a Black church? Swastikas painted on a synagogue along with other damage done by vandals? Was it okay to march for civil rights for Black Americans? Is your mercy directed to Christians and conservatives as well as leftists? Christians aren’t asking for special treatment, just equal treatment, under the law. As the Archbishop noted, there is a clear double-standard here. Are our justice and mercy selective?
Or impartial, like our Lord’s? “For God does not show favoritism.” Romans 2:11 “My brothers, show no partiality [favoritism] as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” James 2:1
Do you think a jury in Marin County would put 5 women age 25-40 in prison for 1-3 years for knocking down a statue?
Do their age and gender make a difference? Normally, crimes are prosecuted based on the crime, not the demographics of the perpetrators. And, no, I don’t think they should go to prison for 1 to 3 years. They’d actually likely serve well under a year in county jail (if they have no criminal history). A couple of weekends in jail, restitution and 100 hours of community service seems reasonable. I answered your question. Now, will you answer my question about others who commit other hate crimes? (See above.).
I really did not read them.
Christians should obey the Lord.
That is my point.
It has nothing to do with any of the things you are thinking about.
I believe in mercy. I believe in Jesus who died so that our sins could be forgiven but forgives us the way we forgive others.
Mercy? heck no. Discipline. Just wait until these criminals come to your parish church and smash statues of Jesus and Mary, and desecrate and destroy your holy altar and Tabernacle– for your “crimes” against them, committed supposedly by your ancestors. Stern discipline is absolutely needed for such anti-Catholic “hate” crimes!
And a whole 30 people will probably attend. Maybe Greta Thunberg would get more people at her appearances. Trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.
“Trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.” I don’t think so. Nipping something criminal in the bud is vital to keep it controlled, if this is possible. Doing nothing only encourages more criminal activity. Even if only 30 attend, it will be the first time in my reading that California Catholics stood firm against the woke activists.
No. “Hate” crimes are certainly not a “molehill!” Go to Maas, stand up for your Faith! Don’t let them come to your church and burn it down, desecrate and destroy the holy altar and Tabernacle, and smash statues of Jesus and Mary, and other sacred items!
If they came to my Church and did that-and it is possible because I live in an area where many people think we are the whore of Babylon and that we are idolaters- most of the people in my parish would forgive them as God has forgiven us.
There would be 20-30 people who would want them to be punished severely.
20=30 attended
https://www.marinij.com/2023/05/30/marin-catholics-protest-dropped-charges-for-statue-vandals/
Sorry 20-30
Since when is doing the right thing based on the number who do it?
To use most extreme examples, look at the Last Supper and the foot of the Cross.
Rosa Parks (initially) acted alone in standing up for civil rights.
Jesus never polled his listeners.
Opinions are not right or wrong.
Voicing your opinion is a right.
That is not the same as doing the right thing.
They are just doing their own thing.
Pride manifests itself in the following ways:
Complaining against or passing judgment on God (Numbers 14:1-4, 9, 11; Romans 9:20)
A lack of gratitude (2 Chronicles 32:25)
Anger (Proverbs 28:25; Matthew 20:1-16)
Seeing yourself as better than others (Luke 7:36-50)
Having an inflated view of your importance, gifts, and abilities (Acts 12:21-23)
Being focused on the lack of your gifts and abilities (1 Cor. 12:14-25)
Perfectionism (Matthew 23:24-28)—perfectionism IS not a virtue for us; He’s called us to be faithful.
Talking too much (Proverbs 10:19)
Talking too much about yourself (Proverbs 27:2; Galatians 6:3)
Seeking independence or control (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 5:21)
Being consumed with what others think (Galatians 1:10)
Being devastated or angered by criticism (Proverbs 13:1)
Being unteachable (Proverbs 19:20; John 9:13-34)
Being sarcastic, hurtful, degrading, talking down to them(Proverbs 12:18, 24)
A lack of service (Galatians 5:13, Ephesians 2:10)
A lack of compassion (Matthew 5:7, 18:23-35)
Being defensive or blame-shifting (Genesis 3:12-13; Proverbs 12:1)
A lack of admitting when you are wrong (Proverbs 10:17)
A lack of asking forgiveness (Matthew 5:23-24)
A lack of biblical prayer (Luke 18:10-14)
Resisting authority or being disrespectful (1 Peter 2:13-17)
Voicing preferences or opinions when not asked (Philippians 2:1-4)
Minimizing your own sin and shortcomings (Matthew 7:3-5)
Maximizing others’ sin and shortcomings (Matthew 7:3-5; Luke 18:9-14)
Being impatient or irritable with others (Ephesians 4:31-32)
Being jealous or envious (1 Corinthians 13:4)
Using others (Matthew 7:12; Philippians 2:3-4)
Being deceitful by covering up sins, faults, and mistakes (Proverbs 11:3; 28:13)
Using attention-getting tactics (1 Peter 3:3,4)
Not having close relationships (Proverbs 18:1-2; Hebrews 10:24-25)
This situation is about the sin of pride, causing five criminals to commit felony, anti-Catholic hate crimes, desecrating and destroying God’s holy statue of His saint at His parish church.
It looks to me that the hate crime aspect was dealt with because they have agreed to participate in a community forum to be held in the coming months with a credible historian who will give stakeholders a chance to have a meaningful dialogue about the issue.
I don’t see 50 hours of community service and having to make restitution as a light sentence.
Everybody has their own opinions.
But you elect people to deal with these things and next election, you can vote against them.
You have the right to protest just like everybody else.
I just think it looks bad for people who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ to be like that.
Protesting says “I want power” which ain’t a Christian look.
So, was Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. wrong to protest?
“Ain’t a Christian look.”
I understand your true intention and will not play the narcissistic game.