The following comes from a September 2 posting on A Shepherd’s Voice, a blog started by Father Malloy of St. Peter and Paul parish in North Beach, now written by Gibbons Cooney.
On August 28, the City Council of South San Francisco voted 3-2 to deny an appeal brought by local citizens Rosa Gomez, Rolando Delgadillo, Vera Priego, Teresita Valido and Respect Life South San Francisco. The appeal sought to overturn land-use rulings by both the South San Francisco Planning Commission and the South San Francisco Parking Place Commission which allowed Planned Parenthood to open a new location on Grand Avenue, South San Francisco’s main artery. The location will be one block away from All Souls Catholic Church and school. The pastor of All Souls, Father Agnel De Heredia, and All Souls school principal Vincent Riener had strongly opposed the opening.
Although ostensibly a simple land-use issue, the real issue is whether or not to allow the nation’s largest abortion provider to open in South San Francisco. Three of the five members of the City Council who heard the appeal are Catholics. A June 30 Everything South City article quoted a local resident named Cynthia Marcopulos, who suggested that the Catholic members of the board and had a duty to recuse themselves from the vote, since support for Planned Parenthood is counter the Catholic faith: “Coming before the South San Francisco City Council for a vote on whether there can be a Planned Parenthood facility on Grand Avenue, our City Council has an inbred prejudice. Mayor Pedro Gonzalez’s wife is an active protester on the protest line against the Planned Parenthood facility, Councilman Mark Addiego works for Holy Cross Cemetery which is owned by the Catholic Church, and Councilman Richard Garbarino is active with St. Veronica’s Church. These council members must recuse themselves for their apparent and visible biases.”
Ms. Marcopulos’ concern turned out to have been exaggerated. When the vote was called, two of the three Catholics on the board, Mark Addiego, (identified in 2007 by Inside Bay Area as the Operations Manager at Holy Cross Cemetery), and Richard Garbarino “active with St. Veronica’s Church,” voted to deny the appeal, and thus to allow Planned Parenthood to open. The third Catholic, Pedro Gonzalez, joined by Councilwoman Karyl Matsumoto, voted against Planned Parenthood.
An attendee at the meeting and vote told us that “Mr. Garbarino said that after speaking with ‘his confessor,’ he had decided to vote to allow Planned Parenthood to open.” Our source’s recollection was confirmed by an August 28 post covering the vote on the Everything South City website. The post quoted council members giving their reasons for voting:
“(Richard) Garbarino: His ‘confessor’ said he must take his decision; he will not stand in judgment of those who use the services of Planned Parenthood. Although he has his own convictions, that this decision must be based on laws.”
“(Mark) Addeigo: Other facilities, as seen on El Camino Real that offer many of the same services to those with insurance. Personal opinions cannot weigh come into play (sic), including his own Catholic beliefs that maybe contrary to this.”
To read the entire posting, click here.
As a practicing Catholic, and a member of St. Veronica Church, I have to say that I am embarrassed to have this “Catholic” representing my community. I don’t know which “confessor” he spoke with (which I sincerely doubt he did at all), but if that “priest” gave him to go-ahead for the Planned Parenthood, he should be de-frocked. As for Mr. Garbarino: You know down deep in your heart that you are wrong and will be held responsible for your decision. I hope you will one day hear the cries of millions of the unborn. Perhaps you can tell them that you “were only following the law.”
If this “Catholic” Garbarino is telling the truth, I would strongly urge him to find a real Catholic Confessor. HELL IS FOR ETERNITY, AND YOU CAN’T USE AN APOSTATE CONFESSOR AS AN EXCUSE!
Nellie please confirm your suspicions about your priest not giving such evil advice, and let us know the results.
May God have mercy on America, especially its weak bishops!
Viva Cristo Rey!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
What sort of Catholic does it take to approve an enterprise engaged in activities so diametrically opposed by Catholic teachings? These council members need to engage in some serious soul searching. Life is a one-way trip. At the end you will have to give an account of what you did. I learned that as a child and I am sure these people did, too.
I sat at the hearing, agast. Richard Garbarino and Mark Addeigo inaction and remarks reminded me of Pilate–they washed their hands of the whole affair, as if the blood of the innocent could be washed from their hands. Here is just another example of the many Catholics who are uncatechized with unformed consciences who are walking in the dark to destruction. We need to pray for these lost souls.
Abortion is an intrinsic evil…..never negotiable. Anyone who participates in abortion or condones it, will have to account for their actions on judgement Day.
Will Mr. Garbarino’s confessor be with him then – to explain away his actions?
I do not think so!
I know that Holy Father Emeritis Benedict said that these politicians
excommunicate themselves, but I also know that in Canon law they
can be publically excommunicated also, since they are so PUBLIC about
their evil actions.
This should be done starting with Biden, Pelosi, Speier and flowing down
to these two ‘so called Catholics’.
this is to be expected from the city of sodom…the gay’s rejoice over abortion and aids…they want to rid the world of breeder’s…they want only packer’s
The alternative to Catholics serving in local government is not having them serve at all, and what a loss that will be for the country.
Elizabeth,
Pray your Rosary for that glorious day, and pray for the conversion of most of our “bishops”!
May God have mercy on America, especially its weak bishops!
Viva Cristo Rey!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher