No longer in ministry and living privately

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 12:27 AM By charlio
We are to love the sinner, but hate the sin. Perhaps those who attack the “Catholic Taliban” would be able to learn more about their faith before they dissent against it, by remembering that Admonishing Sinners is the First Spiritual Work of Mercy (Baltimore Catechism No. 3, Question 813 {222}). We ourselves are each admonished in Ezekiel 33:6 that “If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes, and takes any one of them; that man is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.” This is the duty of each one of us, members of “a Chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, GOD’s Own People” (1 Peter 2:9). Those who would shirk this duty in order to be “liked”, beware.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 1:30 AM By THOMAS ATUAHENE
We shall know them by thieir works

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 1:57 AM By Truth Teller
For further information on Bishop Gabino Zavala and abortion and parental rights in California, please read “About That Bishop With The Two Children” which is on the “AMERICAN THINKER” website for January 4. It is written by Jack Cashill, author of the book “What’s the Matter With California”. Jack Cashill describes an incident on May Day, 2006, when he was researching his book about California and encountered Bishop Gabino Zavala holding a Press Conference at the Los Angeles Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) “Justice for Janitors” campaign. The militant pro-abortionist Delores Huerta co-founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW) was the star speaker at Bishop Gabino Zavala’s Press Conference. To quote Jack Cashill: “A few months later the unions repaid the Catholic Church for its support. THE LOS ANGELES TIMES summarized the issue succinctly enough: ‘California’s leading union organization, bucking organized labor’s long-standing neutrality on the issue of abortion, is for the first time taking a strong stand in favor of abortion rights.’ Specifically, the union asked its 2.1 million members to reject Proposition 85. This initiative would merely have required abortionist to honor the standards of ear-piercers and aspirin dispensers and get parents’ permission before going to work on their daughters. Spearheading the union assault on parental rights was none other than Dolores Huerta, star of the press conference I had attended at the Cathedral.”

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 2:15 AM By Truth Teller
Actually, Prop 85 did not even require “parents’ permission” but only that a doctor would have to just NOTIFY ONE PARENT 48 hours before performing an abortion on a minor daughter, even younger than 12-years-old! Prop 85 was narrowly defeated 46% to 54% in November, 2006 by Planned Parenthood, Dolores Huerta, and the Unions deceiving California voters, whom surveys show strongly support Parental Notification before a minor’s abortion. Perhaps one or both of Bishop Gabino Zavala’s two teenage children who live with their mother in another state are girls? Perhaps they live in one of the more than 30 states whose laws do not allow secret abortions to be performed on girls even younger than 12-years-old as is allowed in California? Would the mother of Bishop Gabino Zavala’s two teenage children like having a secret abortion performed on her young child, which would kill her grandchild? Would Bishop Gabino Zavala like having a secret abortion performed on one of his teenage children, which would kill his grandchild? And now, WILL the California Archbishops and Bishops give REAL, full-throated support to qualifying and passing a Parental Notification Initiative on the November 6, 2012 ballot? PLEASE ASK the Archbishop or Bishop in your Archdiocese or Diocese NOW !!!

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 3:27 AM By Maxwell
Gee, maybe if he would only have exclusively celebrated the “tlm”, none of this would have ever happened and he would still be a bishop. LOL!! The fundamentalist (AKA “traditionalist”) Catholics are going to have a field day with this one. If only the communion rails would have been retained in his parish, this would never have happened! Bolt that altar back to the wall! Get those doilies on your heads, girls! We can’t let this happen again!

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 5:57 AM By Sandra
This is extremely painful and feels like a stab to the heart. My friend and her brothers spent 2 weeks with this Bishop when we went to WYD in Toronto in 2002. He was traveling with our church group. He confirmed both of my younger brothers. This is so damaging to the morale. Who else will come out? I understand that priests are humans and as such commit sins, but we also hold them to higher standards and their weakness in such important area is just saddening. We need to pray for priests more.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 6:31 AM By JOHN
CalCath readers must read American Thinker blog of Jan 5th to get the full flavor of Bp. Zavala as a devout Leftist in bed with the anti-Catholic political groups. He ought to be defroked for the greater scandals of betrayal. hurh

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 6:46 AM By Dan
Well, now we know why our California bishops, or at least this one, have not spoken boldly about the Church’s teaching on sexual matters. One wonders about the influence of Archbishop Gomez in this regard, and the lack of influence of the former Cardinal. But the real tragedy is that two children grew up without a father, or so it seems, and a prince of the Church failed to live what he was supposed to have believed, and did so for many years. If the Shepherds do not believe in their Church and act contrary to her teachings they inevitably harm the sheep. There is nothing more important than having a clear conscience before God and man; Bishop Zavala denied himself that reality for years. How much did he deny it for others under his charge?

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 6:49 AM By Tm
So sad to think this man was rector at St John’s seminary. Hopefully Catholic ordinaries are starting to take seminary formation much more seriously.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 6:56 AM By Paul Martin
My heart goes out to Bishop Zavala. I struggle with just one teenager… Paul Martin Morgaga, CA

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 6:59 AM By Catherine
This is a Wake Up Call to all sinners, including us in the blogosphere. One day a bright light shall be shined on all of our deeds. The laity does have a voice but that voice is only asking our bishops to become the holy lead shepherds that God intended them to be. Many bishops are in a denial. They have lost their way and this story demonstrates a common thread. This is also a wake up call to our American Bishops that the blogosphere’s crying out for them to be holy is a symptom of their laxness of duty due to personal disobedience. These wailing out labor pains of the blogosphere to our lead shepherds are not without merit. Faithful Catholics, by the grace of God, see that our lead shepherds are focusing on external social issues for a reason. Many are leading duplicitous lives and the reason they do not stand up and teach the CCC is that it is easier to convince oneself that if they are busy with politics it somehow overshadows the secret sinful lives they are leading. No man can serve two masters. When the Catholic blogosphere asks our bishops to stop being politicians, the Catholic blogosphere knows that there is an underlying reason for the focus on everything else. No amount of political social justice involvement will compensate for the grave injustice of spiritual neglect. Look at the scandal and harm that comes when a lead shepherd forgets the real purpose of his sacred duty. Will anything change if we are unwilling to open our eyes? So now, for the time being, there will be more jokes on late night television about Catholics being appreciative that at least he likes women and our other lead shepherds will continue business as usual. This wake up call is the blogosphere asking our bishops to listen to the Holy Father and become the holy men of God that they were appointed to be. Unless we all become holy we can expect more scandals, but please American bishops, don’t think that all of the political busyness is fooling God or his faithful sheep.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 7:17 AM By FHKJ
A Bishop fathers two children and must resign. How about another option: the Bishop is allowed to marry and remain a priest?

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 7:28 AM By Brian S
The soldiers coming back from Afganistan report that the situation there is horrendous as well. The Bishop’s fatherhood doesn’t change those facts, as it does not change the facts of the other issues raised here for the purpose of identification.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 7:40 AM By Ken M.
Where was his moral compass all these years as a bishop in the Catholic Church? Another scandal for the Church. Let’s hope that the vetting process for bishops is tightened up in the future.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 7:41 AM By WS6
“’The Archdiocese has reached out to the mother and children to provide spiritual care as well as funding to assist the children with college costs,’ said the archbishop.” Perhaps Bishop Zavala should foot his own bill in this regard, as do those of us in the pew.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 7:43 AM By Jeffrey Quick
Apparently the Bishop was as liberal in his interpretation of clerical celibacy as he was in the rest of Church teaching.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 7:51 AM By Mary
Who has been supporting those two boys these past dozen years? Parishioners? He should be defrocked for the bad example he has shown, especially as bishop.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 7:58 AM By Janet
May I suggest the bishop now gets a job to support his offspring.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:15 AM By Fr. Jim Northrop
Very sad to read about this. Bishop Zavala was the rector at St. John’s during my first year.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:20 AM By Rich
Does anyone know( since the Bishop was ‘apparently’ in mortal sin all these years) if his marriages, confessions, and other sacraments are valid?

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:26 AM By Laurette Elsberry
How strange it is that around the time that Gabino Zavala was involved in fatherhood, he was also the Episcopal Moderator of the National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries, the oranization founded and directed by the notorious Fr. James Schexnayder. It appears that there may have been more than one lapse in the bishop’s following of Catholic teaching.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:37 AM By Becie
So concerned with peace, he pursues it in the wrong way. There are just wars, about which Pax Christi, USA, seems ignorant (see St. Augustine for details). Seems like the good bishop should have spent more time with devotionals than with saving the world from war…

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:40 AM By The Question Man
1) Why are we paying for his kids’ college education? 2) Isn’t that HIS responsibility? 3) Has he been paying child support with Church funds? 4) When does the embezzlement trial begin? 5) How is he going to repay if funds were stolen? 6) What retirement are we paying him compared to our faithful parish priests who often live in poverty in retirement? Is he living in Arizona playing golf with “Bishop” Zieman?

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:46 AM By Scott W
Of course he wants “workers” to be shielded in each and every way possible–even in cases of grave wrong, because now that he has been ousted he will retire on his pension and diocesan health care.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:50 AM By MAC
If all Bishops would do their jobs, and be faithful to all the required teachings which are included in the ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition’ (rather than suppress the CCC from the Laity, so Bishops can do their own things), then bloggers would be in a position to support all of our Bishops. Bp. Zavala needs to heed the words of Jesus – “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brothers eye” (Mt 7:5) We don’t want to be in communion with MORTAL sin. Yes, the Bishop needs to be a man and support his own children, financially and with catechesis. There needs to be an audit of any Church money he may have had access to, to find out if money has been missing to support his sinful lifestyle.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:53 AM By Padre
The Lord continues to purify His Bride. That is the good side to this story. In order for the New Evangelization to have any success we need to begin within ourselves. It’s time to clean house! I’m sorry he forgot about his position as a successor to the Apostles. But I am also glad that it finally came out and the double life he led is now at an end. May he seek out repentance in the confessional and re-commit himself to the Catholic faith. But may he also never don a miter again.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:56 AM By Eduardo
Another protege of Cardinal Mahony. Will former Bp. Zalvala get his pension for living a lie?

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 9:13 AM By k
The part about the diocese paying for their college education jumped out at me, too. Was the woman a minor or vulnerable adult when she conieved? Are they buying silence? Was it a case of spiritual abuse? If it was a case of fraud and the woman was unaware of Bishop Zavala’s priesthood, he would be liable. Maybe they are just trying to be charitable but it raises a lot of questions when it seems to be victim restitution.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 9:13 AM By Tony Suarez
All I can do is pray for the Bishop (Ex-Bishop or whatever). That is his problem not mine. He has to answer to God, and I will answer for my wrong-doings. I got all I can handle in trying to save my own Soul. I’LL will let the Bishop and every other Soul worrry about their own Salvation. Its not like I don’t care for my fellowmen here on earth. Its just that I’m just passing through, I have’nt got that much time to spare. I’m accupied in my “walking the walk on Earth so that I can walk the walk in Heaven.” God bless, Tony Suarez Houston, Texas.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 9:17 AM By OSCAR
Abp Gomez does not own the money of the Diocese of LA. He is merely supposed to be the good steward of Diocese funds, although Church property is listed in the land records as belonging to the Diocese Bishop. Ex-bishop Zavala must take full responsibility for his own children even if he has to dig ditches. CCC – “1491 The sacrament of Penance is a whole consisting in three actions of the penitent and the priest’s absolution. The penitent’s acts are repentance, confession or disclosure of sins to the priest, and the intention to make reparation and do works of reparation.” Ex-bishop Zavala owes bloggers an apolopgy in front of the USCCB as well. He is part of the problem and not the solution.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 9:35 AM By Brian
Why didn’t the bishop resign when his children were much, much younger?

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 9:48 AM By SarahTX2
I guess I’ll have to be the first to point out here that the chief issue is that the man is a deadbeat dad who refused to acknowledge his children til now. C’mon, people, does anyone care about that? Two teenagers have had to develop their identity under the cloud of a secret father who pretends to be a priest?

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 9:51 AM By Maryanne Leonard
This hurts – like HELL. Why should anyone say he should be allowed to marry and remain a priest? Whether or not you agree with a priest’s vow of celibacy, this man broke his vows to God, obviously many times, and in many ways, and deceived his superiors and his flock – for years. No doubt he has also deceived his victim(s), his mistress(es), (possible other sex partners?), and children. I don’t know if he has cared for them, but he doesn’t seem to be the responsible type, so that bears looking into. He deserves to be defrocked in shame. I can’t imagine he was also the rector at St. John’s! Poor St. John’s has had so much scandal brought down on it by fallible students, but now the former rector? I am heartsick. To whom should we then listen? I say this is a powerfully damaging crime against God and against us all.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 9:58 AM By Judith
Sad day for the Roman Catholic Church, will pray for him and his family…but do not think the Catholic Church should support his mistress and her two kids. I am sure the Bishop now retired has income and can find a way to support the children and women whom he has been living with for so long…no one helped my children pay for their college and my husband and I worked hard to support our family…the women can work and so can the X-Bishop…at 60 he can even get Social security…so…we will pray for him, but I do not agree with the Church paying for these young teens, child support or college education…this may cause a backlash of less money in the donation box…and more Catholics leaving the Church….so sad …so sad

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 9:59 AM By GKGK
It does seem sort of strange that he is kicked out as a priest with children the same week a convert from another Christen church becomes a priest with children. It seems to value converts over home-grown, giving them more freedom to marry and have kids. (To live whole, natural lives.) GK

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:07 AM By Al
THE QUESTION MAN If you read the papers and investigation, prior to this matter being made public, you will know that there was a full investigation done regarding his finances. The auditor found no missappropriation of funds. And by the way, Bishop Pat Ziem died about a year ago, maybe a prayer will help rather than your dissrespect to the soul of a dead person.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:12 AM By Catherine
The Question Man, Excellent questions that beg to be addressed. Openness and transparency brings peace. Double standards bring great division. Since Bishop Patrick Ziemann has passed away there is no golf game going on, but if somehow God arranged for Bishop Ziemann to be allowed to speak to Bishop Zavala, I am sure that Bishop Ziemann would MERCIFULLY council Bishop Zavala to warn all his brother bishops to start living, teaching and obeying all of the teachings in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. May God have mercy on the soul of Bishop Ziemann and all of the faithfully departed who repented for their sins before they faced Almighty God. We will want that same forgiving mercy for ourselves!

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:20 AM By Maryanne Leonard
It was disgusting and shocking to read of 77-year-old Bishop Lahey being discovered at the airport with a suitcase full of pornographic photographs of teenaged boys in Toronto. At least the bishop, who had just presided over a huge settlement of a legal case related to priestly sexual abuse, served jail time for his criminal proclivities. What possible retribution will be required of Bishop Gabino Zavala, who abused us all during his time of service as auxiliary bishop in our archdiocese? I found myself fighting back tears this morning as I thought of all the people this man has harmed, including myself, but most especially the woman he impregnated – twice! – and whose children were almost certainly born without benefit of their father’s presence or public acknowledgement. He denied them all, and he denied us all, of the leadership with which he was entrusted. He was not merely a false actor, he was a duplicitous deceiver, making of his exalted position a mockery. His superiors were mocked, and we the laity were mocked, and even the Catholic Church itself was abused and mocked, but God will not be mocked.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:21 AM By Del
O.K. here is my two cents. For all those Catholics criticizing the bishop, if you are a single male then join the seminary and become the type of priest you say the Church needs. Stop complaining and start doing. If you are parents who have sons, encourage them to become holy priests. I’m so sick of Catholics who complain about our priests but God forbid if they are asked to sacrifice a son to the priesthood or daughter to religious life. So unless you do one of these things, keep your mouth shut and pray. I personally don’t agree with all of Bishop Zavala’s theology but atleast he had the guts to don the roman collar.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:26 AM By goodcause
Yet another indication that priestly celibacy is continuing to fail in its mission, and returing the Chruch to its founding principles allowing married clergy is long overdue. We must pray for all involved.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:36 AM By Hector A.
We do not have the right to judge anybody, because we are not God! We are humans, we are not saints yet! We are called to be holy, but the way is not easy, the devil is around us all the time! This brother fell, lets pray for him, because we do not know how hard his judgement is going to be or how soft is going to be! God is the only one who knows! If we judge this poor soul for what has done, we might be judge for what we have done, plus for what we have judged from others when it was not our job to judge, but God’s! May God bless us and forgive us for our lack of compassion for others!

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:38 AM By FrMichael
I called up the few LA priests I know yesterday. Not a one was shocked by the news. Nobody knew of the family, but this bishop has been such a loose cannon for so long, that the news simply seems in character for the man. Why the faithful of LA have to pay for the children’s college expenses is beyond me. I would remember that next time the Archdiocese asks for money.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:41 AM By Abeca Christian
Do we have to call him Bishop?

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:47 AM By Blake Konczal
The untold story is the harm that then “Father” Zavala inflicted first as Dean of Students, and later as Rector of St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo. Generations of priests were “molded” under Zavala, and George Niederauer, according to the model wanted by Cardinal Mahoney. We will be reaping what they sowed for decades.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:48 AM By JLS
goodcause, yes you should pray for all those involved in unchastity and violation of clerical vows. The Church is not nor could ever fail; only the dross, the faithless, the pretenders, the sell outs, the devil’s disciples … these sorts are failing and the Church is ridding Herself of them. The Pope says there shall be a “smaller and holier Church” … make your choice.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:49 AM By Marie
Rich. All Sacraments administered by the Bishop are valid. God is the one one gives the grace of the sacrament. The bishop is just the conduit or vessel through which God bestows His grace. The recipients’ sacrament have no bearing on the heart of the clergy. Could you imagine what a sorry state of affairs this world would be if God DEPENDED on only the sinless man to get his work done!

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:53 AM By Antonio Obregón
Many are blaming celibacy rather than the bishop who obvioulsy failed miserable to live a celibate life. Otherwise we would not be discussing this matter! No problem praying for the man, but what infuriates me is the idea that those of us who contribute economically to the Church should now pay for the indiscretions of a bishop. He should be made a lay person, he should find a job, and face his “family” obligations just like anyone of us would have to do under similar circumstances.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 12:01 PM By Traditional Angelo
Marie I agree with your response to Rich. The Church has always taught that the sacraments administered, in no way have anything to do with the holiness or sinfulness of the priest or Bishop. Sacraments administered come from the Grace and Power of God. I also agree with many posters here on the subject of Archbishop Gomez giving financial assistance to Bishop Zavala’s illegitamate children. That should be the responsibility of Bishop Zavala and not the people in the pews. The worst part of all this is that such scandals don’t even shock us anymore. I pray Bishop Zavala truly repents for the sake of his soul.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 12:15 PM By The Question Man
None of my questions were a criticism of Bishop Zavala – they were questions to the Archdiocese and Abp Gomez. I am not a flaming liberal by any means but we have had enough silence, enough coverup and enough lies. Let my questions be answered on the front page of the Tidings. I didn’t ask for the names of the woman or the children – that isn’t our business but all the other questions are our business.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 12:16 PM By Brad
Rich, please read up on the ancient heresy of donatism, pronto! :-)

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 12:53 PM By Texas Catholic
Are the children of the new priests entering the Church under Anglicanorum Coetibus going to get their college tuition paid by the Church ? Also their new American Ordinary based in Houston will be functioning as a Bishop but will not be ordained a Bishop since he is (legitmately) married. Seems like not all Bishops in the Church are treated fairly — if you are a married Anglican convert you are not treated as well as an unmarried cradle Catholic.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 12:53 PM By Father Canu
“Never be the last one to throw the first stone” Whose motto is that?

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 1:01 PM By Marc
One comment and one question: Comment- As if his involvement in Pax Christi, writing for the National catholic Reporter (A.K.A the “National catholic Fishwrap), and his friendliness towards gay and Lesbian organizations wasn’t a red flag. Question- When did Cardinal Archbishop (Emeritus) Mahony know, and when did he find out? Just asking…

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 1:33 PM By bud
How is it that our Eastern Orthodox brethren who we so hope will reunite with us and maybe should lead us out of the mandatory celibacy requirements of our priesthood . It certainly is and has been a stumbling block to many potentially good priests/ It might be an ideal but ideals can’t always be reached or even desired in this case.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 1:37 PM By Rich
Thanks to those who responded to my earlier question. It’s just very disheartening that those we look up to get involved in this type of thing. I realize, none of us Humans are sinless, but once he knew he was going to be a Dad, then he should have immediately resigned and raised his children. Like many that have posted, I’m not sure why the Church has to foot the bill for his kids. Continue to pray…

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 2:04 PM By alison
“Woman behold your son” It is our call to model our Blessed Mother and pray for the spiritual well being of our priests who endeavor to foster spiritual well being in our communities. When their failures are brought to light, it also brings to light that we may be failing as well.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 3:12 PM By MS
Why now say that he was friendly to gay and lesbians? I find the more disturbing fact is that the diocese has to pay for his children. Why not himself? Were he a conservative, I would be as well annoyed. How long mus the laity pay for the mistakes of the clergy who are as well as grown up men and should be responsible for his own life? The money comes from the laity and should be used accordingly.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 4:09 PM By Camille
It doeosn’t say if this (former) bishop is or has been financially supporting his children. If not, why not? Why is “the church” providing the only support? How about if this man goes out and gets a job?

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 5:01 PM By Tony Peter
God who forgave Mary Magdalene and good thief will also forgive Gabino Zavala. Let him live peacefully with his family. Leave him alone and let us us do our job with faithfulness.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 5:42 PM By Kay
How does getting married make it impossible for a priest to have a mistress and father children by her? Apparently no one advocating married priests has been Protestant. It happens with their ministers quite frequently. The difference with the incoming Anglicans is that they were married before coming into the Church, not breaking vows they were aware of when already in.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 6:02 PM By angela
The issue is that for so long, probably ESPECIALLY here in California we have had so many liberal clergy promoting social justice, “tolerance” over true Doctrine. No real talk about sin during sermons. Its time for our los Angeles Archdiocese to return to the one true faith. Archbishop Gomez has been a good change from the prior one. all the bishops need be strong defenders of life, of sacramental lifelong marriage. When my spouse chose to abandon our family, our children are left without someone to pay their college . why is the Archdiocese saying they will pay this? this woman assumingly was an adult? how could she not know the man who impregnated her not once but twice was a bishop? He- the EX- bishop needs to do what the rest of us are doing and get a job.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 6:03 PM By Jim
First I must say I love the church and recognize we are all sinners. So we must pray for Bishop Zavala. Having said that I do not understand Archbishop Gomez’s stance on providing financial aid to the Bishops family. While the Pope accepted his resignation in reality he should have been fired, harsh. I don’t believe so, he lived a life counter to what he knew to be right. Providing monetary aid is the responsibility of the parents. With all due respect the money offered by the Archbishop is not his to offer. I would be saddened but if this situation occurred in my archdiocese I would find an other place to give my money to.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 6:30 PM By Nani
Well, he really took to heart the old slogan “make love, not war”. Probably Pax Christi’s USA’s motto, as well. (My bad.) Just had to interject some humor in all this hand-wringing. It is what it is and we need to move on, pray for these ‘poor’ souls and support those faithful priests who are in the majority lest we forget. Bad news sells, good news is boring. We also need to pray for the increased religious vocations of orthodox men and women the Church so desperately needs.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 6:47 PM By Jack
\\Does anyone know( since the Bishop was ‘apparently’ in mortal sin all these years) if his marriages, confessions, and other sacraments are valid?\\ The teaching of the Church is that personal sin of the priest does NOT affect the validity of the Sacraments he celebrates for others. He still validly confected the Eucharist, baptized, and the like. (The Western Church teaches that the couple administer the Sacrament of Marriage to each other.) To say otherwise is the heresy of Donatism, which the Church condemned centuries ago. The priest himself, however, MAY, celebrate sacraments to his own condemnation–but NOT to those who receive them with the right spiritual dispositions.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:34 PM By Anne T.
The Anglican priests who are married and convert to the Catholic Church and are re-ordained validly cannot remarry when their wives die. They too must remain celebate. Also, being too lenient on a priest who has broken his vow of celebacy can be quite unfair to those priests who have kept their vows and can cause low morale among the brotherhood of priests I would think. Church leaders and laypeople have to be both fair and just in handling this and think of all the priests who have not broke their vows too. Of course those priests who have sacrificed all for Christ and who remain faithful and holy and do not break their vows will receive a greater reward after death.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:38 PM By Anne T.
Another thing, from what I have heard most of the married Anglican priests who are re-ordained as Catholic priests have older or adult children. I do not know if the Holy Father lets fathers of small children and who convert become priests in the Catholic Church. I do not think so.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 9:05 PM By Anne T.
From what I have read, the Anglican Use Litrugy with married convert priests is not meant to be a permanent situation. Most say eventually it will die out and be intergrated into the Latin Rite.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 9:46 PM By Christopher
I am sad to hear about Bishop Zavala. I wrote him a letter a few months ago asking him to offer a Holy Mass for me and he wrote me back saying he did. He should have resign a long time ago… Why did he have to wait for so long until his children were teenager? What if the Pope would have assigned him to be a bishop for Diocese… He needs our prayers as do many bishops/priests who have fallen astray…

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 9:52 PM By Jeannette
To all the commenters who think the Church should just let poor, misunderstood Bishop Zavala get married so he can remain in ministry: That wasn’t the “deal” he made at his ordination. He VOWED before God and his ordaining bishop that he would remain celibate, among other things, so that he could focus his time and energy on God and His people through his ministry. If he broke that vow–apparently repeatedly–on what grounds do you think he would be able, or even bother, to keep marital vows?

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:14 PM By Jason
Bishop Zavala developed a reputation as a supporter of organized labor and became deeply involved in the Catholic “peace movement.” He was also friendly towards gay and lesbian ministries in the archdiocese and nationally. Pax Christi USA rejects war, preparations for war, and every form of violence and domination,” says the group’s website. “It advocates primacy of conscience, economic and social justice, and respect for creation. Garden variety socialist/secular humanist. The Church had no business ordaining this leftist in the first place, much less elevating him to bishop.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:41 PM By Janet, dJM
I have written Pax Christi, concerned about their mission statement that says, “(Pax Christi) advocates primacy of conscience, economic and social justice, and respect for creation.” If it is a Catholic organization, why not say they advocate obedience to the Magisterium of the Church? We have too many politicians that claim to be Catholic, and that they can in their conscience decide a woman has a right to abort her child. Hopefully, with new leadership, they can align with the rich social justice teachings of the Church.

Posted Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:52 PM By Veronica 
It is an insult added to injury to “reward” Gabino Zavala’s disgraceful behavior by paying for his offspring’s college expenses. The laity who contributed that money did so in good faith as a means for the church to continue to spread God’s word.

Posted Friday, January 06, 2012 3:35 AM By MIKE
CCC: ” 1577 Only a baptized man (vir) validly receives sacred ordination. The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their ministry. The college of bishops, with whom the priests are united in the priesthood, makes the college of the twelve an ever-present and ever-active reality until Christ’s return. The Church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by the Lord himself. For this reason the ordination of women is not possible.”

Posted Friday, January 06, 2012 9:32 AM By Jeanie
An important side-note of this conversation of anti-payment for the wrong doing of the sinner, i.e., his scandal will touch on the hearts of many. How many catholics are disgusted by his actions, his cover-up, his acting like a hypocrit, his unholiness, his bad example? How many in-turn will loss their respect and confidence in the clergy, in the righteousness of the church and tarnish/lose their catholic faith? How many protestants will criticize the church clergy, justify their protestant heritage, and not think twice about becoming catholics? This scandal goes in many directions and impacts many people, not just folks daily lives, but their belief in the church, in God, and the salvation of their souls. This can not be written off lightly with a shrug of our shoulders and say it happened. This man although he may have asked our Lord for forgiveness most remorsefully, will still have an atonement to pay, one of possibly great measure as he is also responsible not just for the fathering of some teenage children and covering it up, but also for the losses of those catholics whom because of his actions, gave up their faith. We do need to pray for his soul. His being fired set the correct example, but I question the monetary compensation from the diocese. I am glad not to be a member of his diocese having to be ashamed and explain to others why the man went wrong and why they should not lose faith in the church. Some comments here are tactless. The anglican decision is only stirring up controversy and double-standards. Just more unrest and commotion. One problem begets another. Del your comments are ridiculous. ” Stop complaining and start doing. . . So unless you do one of these things, keep your mouth shut and pray.” Parents can form their sons to be holy, but they can not make them become holy priests. That is a relationship and vocation between the sons and the Holy Ghost. We have a right to express our opinions and complain about unholy clergy!

Posted Friday, January 06, 2012 10:08 AM By Del
Jeanie my comments are not rediculous. Look at the facts. Most vocations come from families that ENCOURAGE the priesthood. This is how the Holy Spirit works. I’m in vocation work, I know. One BIG reason we are down on priests is becasue Catholic parents do not do this (like was done in the past). Instead many complain about the priests we have. God forbid if you ask them to encourage a son to be a priest. So I have a very valid point. That being said, no one should publicly criticize Bishop Zavala. I am personally sick and tired of hearing Catholics complain about bad priests. Do something about it and pray!

Posted Friday, January 06, 2012 10:26 AM By Abeca Christian
Ok folks please don’t assume malice from my post but I want to know why does it say “for this reason the ordination of women is not possible”. Not possible? Maybe it is speaking from a spiritual stand point? It should be more direct with authority and state ‘not permitted and not possible”! Because we all know in the secular world that it is possible. There are many sects who do ordain women. It is possible in the eyes of the secular but I guess it is not possible in Christ’s church, maybe that is why it states that with the usage of that word. Please don’t respond with trying to preach at me, I know and agree with the church teachings on said subject. I just want clarity. We have to be careful when we post the CCC, it needs to be taught for it to be more clear, like when back then father Corapi taught it, he did a great job at not just throwing out a teaching from the CCC but he went further with clarity and taught it displaying biblical truths, teachings from early church saints etc. I do appreciate the part that MIKE posted as well “The Church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by the Lord himself.”. That is why it is not possible! Because our Lord made that known when he was man, here on earth! Great! Not to confuse anyone but just wanted to push thinking. I know there are folks who want to push woman ordination well how much more clear do you want the church to be! Just take it up to Christ, stop trying to change the church on these dogmatic issues! It is not possible (spiritual sense in Christ’s church) because it is not valid but if you want the church to speak your language, how about it is not permitted because we obey and honor Christ! It is His church, He is the church, we are His church who should honor and obey with love!

Posted Friday, January 06, 2012 10:50 AM By Abeca Christian
Jeanie you are right. Excellent comments you have made!

Posted Friday, January 06, 2012 1:59 PM By Maryanne Leonard
Jeanie, you are so very, very right on every point. The profound human, spiritual and even financial cost of this ex-bishop’s sinful duplicity is beyond measure and will be paid by all of us, not merely by him, his mistress, and his children. I wish there were a way to sue him for the harm he has done to the Church in addition to extracting from him the money and extensive benefits he was given for so many years of false leadership. I wonder how many other ways he harmed his fellow human beings, and how many other women have fallen into sin with, and because of him? And how many children are there who are essentially fatherless? And how many dollars will we spend rewarding his children with the costs of two college educations, something that the majority of children in our diocese will not be given for free? Every action has consequences, and that’s why we are taught to make good decisions, usually involving sacrifice of one kind or another in favor of the great good of all of God’s creatures, sometimes even including ourselves. If we reward bishops for duplicity, sin, and faithlessness, what are we teaching lay Catholics, including our children? How do we reconcile such rewards vs. the punishments any of us would receive for such behavior? How is it that as a member of a church, I am responsible for contributing to the educating of a sinning bishop’s illegitimate children? He isn’t responsible for anyone’s children, not yours, not mine, not even his! His sins and faithless leadership are being rewarded, and this is wrong. Watch the collection plates get lighter now as angry parishioners rebel against this misguided decision to reward his family and misuse our money.

Posted Friday, January 06, 2012 2:09 PM By Mark from PA
Bishop Zavala has teenage children it seems but one must also consider that he allowed these children to be born. Some priests have forced the mothers of their children to abort or give up the child. To me that is even worse. I give him credit for respecting the life of his children. I hope that he has been helping to support them financially all these years.

Posted Friday, January 06, 2012 2:16 PM By Jimmy Mac
And how many Good Catholics (maybe even some posting here) have “vowed” before God and a priest to love, honor and obey until death do them part – and then have divorced? Be careful of whom you excoriate today; you might be he/she already, today or tomorrow.

Posted Friday, January 06, 2012 7:06 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Those who want to compare the Zavala’s situation with that of th recently appointed Vicar for the Anglican Catholic Rite are forgetting one thing. Zavala voluntarily took a vow before God of abstinence, the new Vicar never took such a vow, and even he, should his wife pass away, cannot get remarried. God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Friday, January 06, 2012 7:23 PM By Maryanne Leonard
Bishops and priests and others in the Church are held to higher standards than the laity, for obvious reasons. If Joe blow has 2 illegitimate children, that is bad enough, but if a priest does? It is almost unimaginable for a bishop! That he would live such a life and directly harm 3 other human beings, two of whom are his children, how much harm would he be doing to his flock, most of whom are comparative strangers to him, or our Church as a whole? A lay person divorcing is not comparable in harm to a bishop carrying on with a woman to the extent of fathering children whom he either has abandoned partially or completely, obviously. If you cannot understand the enormity of this betrayal of the Church and of this woman and their children, I’m not sure how to respond to you. Yes, we are all sinners, but most of us do not commit sins of this gravity. This man has been betraying everyone, for years and years, repeatedly, including himself, and most of all betraying his solemn vows to God. If we do not denounce this sin as well as this horrific betrayal, we will be remiss in living up to our faith. The right response to this situation is not, “Whatever . . . !”

Posted Friday, January 06, 2012 7:28 PM By Anne T.
Mark from PA, you do make a good point. We should give the bishop credtit for not forcing an abortion. Nevertheless, this situation should have been settled a long time ago for the sake of the children. And, by the way, “Adoption is a loving option”. Sometimes it is far more loving than putting children through all this.

Posted Friday, January 06, 2012 11:11 PM By Abeca Christian
What can I say but I must give another bravo to Maryanne Leonard. Who says you can’t express your thoughts well, you are doing a beautiful job and what you posted is what I agree with! Maryanne what people are losing today is common decency for the common good! People get mad at us for finding this situation scandalous and sad as well, shame on them. We still have a little bit of common decency in our bone, whatever is left due to the DE-sensitizing of sin. The children are the ones who are suffering as well. I’m still saddened by the fact that he has teenagers, all those years of hiding them as if they had no dignity, just tears me up. When there is children involved, I tend to go more on what they are going through. Most people have misplaced compassion and they are probably more concerned about the Bishop’s feelings, because they even accuse us of casting stones when we should with charity remind Bishops and priests of their vocation and the consequences that come when they do harm to their flock with any kind of scandal!

Posted Saturday, January 07, 2012 4:57 AM By Mark from PA
Anne T, I am an adoptive parent. I believe in adoptions but obviously this mother did not want to give up her children. So they appear to be wanted children. It may have been more honorable for the man to step down and marry the mother of his children. This is a very common situation with priests. The Church does not want to lose otherwise good priests so they usually encourage the priest to stay in the priesthood and the children are kept secret. In parts of Africa and Latin America this is not so secret and is accepted by the lay people.

Posted Saturday, January 07, 2012 3:16 PM By Fr.Michael Perea
The most painful persecutions,the most difficult trials are those that come from within,those that are self-inflicted.I can only pray that Bishop Zavala is given the grace to do sufficient penance in this world and to justly repair any damage that he has done. May God bless and guide Pope Benedict XVI as he selects a worthy successor and many more as well.

Posted Saturday, January 07, 2012 8:16 PM By Maryanne Leonard
Mark, your point that it was good of the scandalized ex-auxiliary archbishop not to have his mistress abort either one of his illegitimate children (but did he ask for her to?) is right, but a similar point could be made about you. You adopted a child of someone who evidently also chose not to murder her (and his) child, and you have also, up to this point anyway, not murdered the child. I do believe that is commendable, but it is a weak point of honor, don’t you think? Not only are Archbishops not supposed to murder their unborn children, they are not supposed to have any children at all, since they have taken vows of chastity before God. Let’s not be too easy on archbishops with secret children (are there more than two?) and hidden-away mistresses (are there more than one?) lest we become indistinguishable from the deeply lax and misguided secular society all around us that winks and averts its gaze when sexual high crimes and misdemeanors are committed. If we say, “Oh well, at least it was with a woman,” or “Oh well, at least he didn’t murder his kids in their mother’s wombs,” are we not siding with Satan? And if we try to get around the Ten Commandments, making excuses for breaking our vows because the “Thou Shall Not Kill” commandment didn’t get broken at the same time, have we not betrayed the Saviour Who came to us with higher teachings? This man deceived us for decades and took our Church funds in salary and benefits as he was deemed to be worthy of leading us on the level of an auxiliary archbishop, for heaven’s sake (literally!). In sinning so grievously, so intentionally, so selfishly, and so hurtfully to so many people, he also mocked his vows to God. We all know God will not be mocked. I refuse to stand with Satan, Mark. He did not wholly murder these children of his, but parental denial is known to many as a little murder, i.e., profoundly psychologically damaging.

Posted Saturday, January 07, 2012 9:15 PM By JLS
So, Jimmy Mac, you’d prefer to keep corrupt clerical character hidden?

Posted Sunday, January 08, 2012 12:04 AM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Mark from PA, Why are you spreading this story about priests in Africa and Latin America? I know many priests from both areas and they as I are disgusted with those who spread these tales. God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Sunday, January 08, 2012 1:23 PM By Anne T.
The breakage of a vow, any vow is a serious business, and the Bible says that God will require it of us. I know many people, including myself who have been married to their one and only all their lives, even into their senior years because they take vows very seriously. I have also known people, including myself, who refused to date or marry a divorced person because they took marriage vows seriously. Many people have been considered very attractive and had the chance to cheat on their husbands or wives and have not done so. God help us to be faithful to our husbands and wives and priests to be faithful to their Bride the Church and nuns to be faithful to Christ their Spouse. You will not regret it in the end. As the Lord Jesus said, “There will come a time when what is done in secret will be shouted on the housetop,” so we need to beware of what we do.

Posted Sunday, January 08, 2012 1:41 PM By Anne T.
Mark from PA, saying that something is common or that everyone is doing it, whether true or false, does not excuse sinful behavior. Remember Adam and Eve and the Serpent tried that in the Garden. It did not work. They were all punished.

Posted Sunday, January 08, 2012 1:52 PM By Anne T.
Another thing, we do not know if an abortion was considered by one or the other of the person’s involved or why the mother did want to keep the children. We do not know her motives, whether they were good or bad. We do not know the bishop’s motives either. Only God truly knows that.

Posted Sunday, January 08, 2012 4:17 PM By Anne T.
In my post of today at 1:23 PM, when I said “one and only”, I meant one and only marriage partner. What people did before they married I do not ask or get into. For me this subject is ended. I just wanted to clarify what I said.

Posted Monday, January 09, 2012 11:39 AM By Ellen G
The answer to college cost…have the children fathered by a priest, better yet, a bishop. Was the mother not of adult age. The Bishop will now live privately. Let him act like a father and find funding for his children. Why do faithful laity have to pay for his childrens’ college education? They don’t pay for my children’s and I have been faithful.

Posted Monday, January 09, 2012 2:18 PM By David
1 Cor 7:32; 1 Cor 5:9-13.

Posted Monday, January 09, 2012 3:55 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
A BISHOP’S SCANDAL One must wonder what Zavala told those who went to Confession to him and confessed sins against the Sixth Commandment! How can this man have administered the Sacraments fully knowing that he was in a serious state of Mortal sin? I know that when I was in violation of the Sixth Commandment or any other Mortal sin, I did not dare receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord because I knew that to do so would be an even more serious Mortal sin, a sin of Sacrilege! How much damage has his personal scandals cause the Body of Christ? Why should the faithful of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles be expected to pay for his sins? Know one pays for their children’s education unless they have some form of scholarship, so why should they be expected to pay for this man’s sins? Perhaps they should place in the Collection envelopes a note explaining why they refuse to pay for such a purpose! By the way, he too has been a speaker at the annual REC. God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Monday, January 09, 2012 4:14 PM By Abeca Christian
Please watch youtube video called BISHOP SHEEN AND OBAMA, he speaks of false compassion. What I have been always speaking of, false compassion! When I saw the video I cried because not until now have I heard some of Fulton Sheens talks, I was not born during his time and I was not aware of him until just recently but I love what he expressed! False Compassion is everywhere, he even spoke on the false compassion towards murderers. His words were strong and filled with conviction! We need more real men like Bishop Fulton Sheen displayed in his words and in his preaching.

Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012 1:48 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Since I have received E-Mail criticism for my comments of 3:55 PM, comments demanding that I apologize to Bishop Zavala, I would sure like to hear from more of you. I have sent this to my Priests Group E-Mail list which includes at least one bishop, and so far I have not received any criticism from them. God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012 3:39 PM By Abeca Christian
Mr Fisher your comments are a natural reaction. You posed good questions. we are all held accountable for our actions, I’m sure a Bishop is held even more so at higher standards. Your comments were fine, I did not pose any threat or confusion, they did not bash or were made up. Your comments just posed something to think about. I don’t think that children should have to suffer because of this situation so the church is doing right by making right what harm was caused on these young men. They need us to be merciful towards them and our church’s recognition to admonish the Bishop, tell his children that we are sorry for was done but that Jesus still is just and the children involved should not have to be punished for the sins of their parents. Our church is merciful, there are innocent children involved and we must do right by them! Only them of course and we should hold accountable this bishop by having him find ways to also support them.

Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012 8:24 PM By k
Mr. Fisher, he may not have been in mortal sin – he may have confessed and received absolution before performing a sacrament. Also, even if he did not, the absolution he gave the penitent would be valid because it is really Christ who is absolving the penitent. On your other questions, many have asked why the diocese is paying for the children’s education. Abeca is probably right that it is an act of charity and mercy. I don’t see anything in your post that would require an apology. They are honest questions that a lot of people are asking. A lot of people are curious, outraged, shocked, bitter – that is why Archbishop Gomez put out his pastoral statement on the Jan 6.

Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012 8:31 PM By Catherine
Kenneth Fisher, Matthew 5:13 is hated today. You see Ken, you are salt and many of our brothers and sisters in Christ have been misled on the true meaning of charity. Ken, If Bishop Zavala publicly repented and publicly asked Archbishop Gomez to remove all disobedient clergy, heretical teachers and heretical speakers at the next Congress then I’ll start a fund raiser for those college tuitions. Yes, it will be a smaller Church but a holier Church. God can also write straight with this scandalously crooked line. It depends on humility and it depends on courage! Thank you Ken for having the courage that is taught in Matthew 5:13 :)

Posted Wednesday, January 11, 2012 5:46 AM By Juergensen
Mr. Fisher: Criticism from the Smoke of Satan is a badge of honor. Wear it with pride.

Posted Wednesday, January 11, 2012 10:06 AM By Anne T.
Kenneth Fisher, for your sake I will break my silence. If we are to be honest, most of the doubts and thoughts you expressed in that post were going through thef most or many of the Faithful’s minds. I once took the advice of a priest and found out later his advice was not according to Church teaching. Although I was not morally culpable, I did confess to another priest that I was sorry that I had taken the other’s advice, without using names. I learned from that to be careful what spiritual advisor I chose. If they are not teaching what the Church teaches that should send up a red flag. I think that is mostly what you were trying to express in your post that you mentioned, Kenneth. I agree with Abeca Christian, though, that we should not punish the children as far as a good, I say good, Catholic education is concerned. Nevertheless, the bishop should be held responsible for some of the support. Abeca Christian, Archbishop Sheen, who is up for sainthood, wrote in one of his books that a woman who deliberately and knowlingly tries to seduce a priest away from his vows and his duties to God and Holy Church is playing the part of Jezebel. He pulled no punches about that. I do not know who seduced whom in this situation, or whether both were equally at fault, but it certainly gives all a lot to ponder about avoiding occasions of sin.

Posted Wednesday, January 11, 2012 10:08 AM By Anne T.
By the way, that last post was just my humble opinon.

Posted Wednesday, January 11, 2012 2:51 PM By Maryanne Leonard
Once upon a time, I had a gentleman friend who was a very handsome young man, divorced and with custody of his 6-year-old son, who discovered at age 29 that he had brain cancer and had only a year or so to live. He tried to court me, in order to marry me and have me raise his child, but though I cared for him as a friend, I refused him as a suitor. We remained platonic friends, and I went to dinner with him a few times accompanied by his best friend, a Jesuit priest, whom he had secretly asked to help convince me to marry him. I found them both wonderful companions but was utterly amazed when the priest confided in me that he was considering leaving the priesthood and wanted to know if I’d marry him instead of my friend! I said no, I didn’t want to be responsible for any priest ever leaving the priesthood. This came out of the blue, following zero romantic interactions with him! If I had been foolish enough to have accepted him, I might have been considered a Jezebel by people who had no idea how that scene had come to be. Be careful judging the woman until you know the facts. In my experience, most romances begin at the instigation of the man, priest or not.

Posted Wednesday, January 11, 2012 3:47 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Thank you all of you who replied to my last posting. Fr. Aloysius once told me that the Devil has assigned a special woman to seduce every priest and that is why St. Anthony Marie Claret never looked a woman in the eyes. I once tried to warn a priest pastor about what Fr. Aloysius told me, he evidently didn’t listen because his sins eventually became public knowledge and he left the priesthood. I often pray for him wherever he is. Bishop Gomez would not be punishing the children by not giving them these benefits; however he is wrongfully punishing the faithful who have to pay for this. Of course all Sacraments administered by Bishop Zavala are valid even if Zavala was in a state of mortal in when he administered them, God does not punish the innocent for what they do not know; however I am very concerned about what these individuals might be going through at this time. God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Wednesday, January 11, 2012 10:45 PM By Abeca Christian
Maryanne Leonard I was reading your post then my mouth dropped when I read the part of the priest making the move on you! Wow that priest made a move on you. How crazy is that. God bless you for having the morals and common decency to turn him down and pray for him. You are awesome!

Posted Wednesday, January 11, 2012 10:48 PM By Abeca Christian
What’s this world coming too. When we have a distaste for scandal, we are judged and thought of as ill.

Posted Thursday, January 12, 2012 2:10 PM By Peter
Hector, based on your January 05, 2012 10:36 am post you said: “We do not have the right to judge anybody, because we are not God! We are humans, we are not saints yet! We are called to be holy, but the way is not easy, the devil is around us all the time! This brother fell, lets pray for him, because we do not know how hard his judgement is going to be or how soft is going to be! God is the only one who knows! If we judge this poor soul for what has done, we might be judge for what we have done, plus for what we have judged from others when it was not our job to judge, but God’s! May God bless us and forgive us for our lack of compassion for others!” — You are right, we on a personal level do not have the right to judge anyone, and yet the Church following Christ’s teaching accepts federal, state, and other courts judgments performed under due process of law. We are however in a state of grace to at least some degree, are blessed with the ability to see right from wrong committed by anyone as Our Savior said: “You will know them by their fruits”. Notice that recognizing right from wrong is not equivalent to judging the degree of guilt. That is God’s role. We aren’t qualified at a personal level. However, we are blessed with this ability to recognize, avoid and overcome temptation, and to correct the sinner, as St. Paul directs us to do in his Epistles, and as Our Lord did as examples in His Gospels. In Bishop Zavala’s case, he admitted to his sin, which reinforces our recognition of it. God will punish him justly. We should pray for Zavala out of charity, but not revere him.

Posted Thursday, January 12, 2012 2:52 PM By JLS
I disagree with you Maryanne in that I think romances often are instigated by the woman … simply lookin’ good out there has on historical occasion “launched a thousand ships”.

Posted Thursday, January 12, 2012 5:27 PM By Maryanne Leonard
Of course we women all want to look as healthy and comely as possible. We almost instinctively want to be thought of as attractive to men in general and perhaps to a certain man in particular. However, I’ve noticed that whether homely or comely, we women are asked ceaselessly to help launch a thousand ships for seemingly a thousand men per lifetime. I used to believe this would all cease when I married but am dismayed to report from my own personal experience that it goes on at least to age 69, which never ceases to shock and amaze me. I am sure I instigate nothing of my own volition and don’t know how homely Father Time must make me before it finally stops. My point is that women don’t have to be Helen of Troy to cause men to be men. Even a beautiful woman is not the “instigator,” but rather the “instigatee,” virtually always, and usually has no ships of her own to launch in honor of some Greek, lower-case “god.” Excellent try, though, JLS! ; )

Posted Thursday, January 12, 2012 7:27 PM By JLS
Maryanne, age is sometimes a disguise for beauty.

Posted Sunday, January 15, 2012 10:56 PM By Abeca Christian
I noticed that teen girls are usually the ones going after the boys. Often a times my son is busy building bikes and riding them for BMX fun with his friends while girls are usually giving him the giggles and such. Kinda cute but it’s worst when they come to him and ask him out and he is only a kid still. Praise God when girls first noticed him when he was 12, praise God he said “we are too young, lets just be friends.” That made me feel more at ease! He is listening. I don’t know about the young woman but I can see how girls are behaving and some are a little bit more forward at a younger age. I’m sure boys too, I just haven’t seen it as much. Maybe as they get older things may change.

Posted Monday, February 06, 2012 5:42 PM By Anne T.
Maryanne Leonard, Archbishop Fulton Sheen only called those women Jezebels who deliberately and knowingly tried to seduce a priest. That is one good reason for priests and nuns to wear their habits whenever possible. Of course that is not always the case, and it can be the other way around. I had many chances, too, to cheat on my husband, even with men much younger than I, but the stories about Suzanna and the Elders, Joseph and Potiphar’s wife and King David and Bathsheba always kept me in line. That and the fact I did not want to do damage to my marriage and my children. Yes we always have to beware, even at our age.

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 6:32 PM By John
So he remains a priest and the donations of church-goers is used to pay for his kids college funds? How about this idea — he is no longer a priest and he himself must go to work to pay for child support and college funds. I will adjust my giving accordingly. Just another priest in love with himself, IMO.

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 7:09 PM By JLS
His episcopal pension might be substantial. Could he be charged criminally with fraud?

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 8:43 PM By Maryanne Leonard
Yes, John, your opinion squares with that of many, if not most, of the rest of us.