NEWS
1997 NEWS STORIES
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ROAMIN' CATHOLIC
Contents © 1997
by Jim Holman.
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NEWS
DECEMBER 1997
DEMOCRAT CONGRESSMAN WALTER CAPPS, 63, who last year narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Andrea Seastrand in her bid for reelection in the congressional district that includes Santa Barbara, died suddenly of a heart attack at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C. During his brief career in Congress, Capps was consistently pro-abortion, even voting against the partial birth abortion ban.
On Monday, November 3, Capps, though a Lutheran, was honored at a funeral service held at Old Mission Santa Barbara. The old mission's pastor-emeritus, Father Virgil Cordano, OFM, and Pastor Thomas Inch of Capps' parish, Grace Lutheran Church, officiated at the service that was televised by a local station.
Some pro-life Catholics questioned why a Catholic parish would honor a consistent supporter of abortion "rights", who was not even Catholic. Father Vincent Mesi, OFM, the Old Mission's pastor, in a telephone interview with the Mission, explained that "our feeling was that he did attend the Mission when he was here in town. He attended our Tuesday prayer services, and we also feel, [that when] people ask to be buried from the church that pretty normally we would honor their request." According to Mesi, Capps' widow (of whose religious affiliation Father was uncertain) requested the funeral to be held at Mission Santa Barbara.
Father Mesi said he was aware of Capps' voting record on abortion, but asked, "What about all the other issues that he stood for? Partial-birth abortion was one issue." Father Mesi said, too, that he did not think Capps actively promoted abortion. "It's my feeling," said the pastor, "that we don't make judgments about other people. We leave that to God."
Father Mesi seemed not to think that Capps' funeral at Mission Santa Barbara should cause anyone scandal. "It was an ecumenical service," said he. "It was not a Catholic service."
THE NOVEMBER 8 LOS ANGELES TIMES reported that Pope John Paul II has named 58-year old Monsignor Gerald Wilkerson to be auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The senior pastor at Our Lady of Grace Church in Encino will succeed Bishop Armando Ochoa, named last year as Bishop of El Paso, Texas, to oversee the San Fernando Pastoral Region. For the past 17 months since Ochoa's departure, Wilkerson has served as episcopal vicar for the region, which includes the San Fernando, Santa Clarita, and Antelope Valleys.
Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Bishop-elect Wilkerson grew up in California. He attended St. John's Seminary in Camarillo and was ordained a priest in 1965. The bishop-elect says one of his major priorities will be to listen to and get to know the people he will serve. In an interview in the archdiocesan newspaper, the Tidings, Wilkerson says he will "struggle... with the shortage of priests, so that means the women religious and laity have to come forward into leadership positions."
Two priests of the archdiocese (who asked to remain anonymous) agreed that Monsignor Wilkerson is theologically "moderate to liberal." Said one, Wilkerson would "never say anything that is blatantly heretical; he's very careful. He's very much like Mahony: very smooth." Liturgically, said the other, "he always tended to go with what Mahony wanted"; however, practices, such as liturgical dance, are not "his cup of tea."
ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW, Archbishop of Constantinople and "first among equals" of the bishops of the Orthodox Churches, began his weekend visit to Los Angeles on Friday, November 7. From about the Fourth Century, Patriarch Bartholomew's see has been held second in dignity to the See of Rome.
The patriarch arrived at around 4 p.m. for a scheduled inner city walk. He was greeted by local school children, then, accompanied by Los Angeles Mayor Riordan and by church dignitaries, the patriarch walked several blocks along Pico Avenue, greeting a crowd of several hundred. Stopping at the Roman Catholic Church of St Thomas, His All-Holiness was met by Los Angeles auxiliary Bishop Stephen Blaire who embraced the visiting prelate as mariachi bands played and local women cheered and threw confetti over the party.
St Sophia's, the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles, has reportedly been involved lately in a number of neighborhood projects. The good will of local residents was much in evidence in the signs that lined the route taken by the patriarch on his walk: "Byzantine Latino Quarter Greets His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew!"
Later in the evening a number of representatives of Los Angeles' Christian community gathered in St. Sophia's for an Ecumenical Doxology of Reconciliation. Participants included His Eminence Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian (Armenian Church), Bishop Frederick Borsch (Episcopal), Bishop Paul Egertson (Evangelical Lutheran) and Rev. Sally Welch, President, Southern California Ecumenical Council of Churches. Cardinal Mahony was represented by Bishop Blaire. The cathedral was filled to capacity, mainly by local Orthodox faithful.
In his homily the patriarch stressed the need for Christians to come together on matters of common concern, and especially in countering the secular spirit which, he said, was primarily responsible for the degradation of the world's environment. The other Orthodox speakers emphasized the international role of the Ecumenical Patriarch. Both these topics have been constant themes during Bartholomew's U.S. visit.
FOUR BISHOPS HAVE COME OUT in favor of ABC's television show, Nothing Sacred. According to the November 14 issue of the National Catholic Reporter, Bishop Raymond Lucker of New Ulm, Minnesota, and auxiliary bishops Peter Rosazza of Hartford, Connecticut, Francis Murphy of Baltimore and Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit have signed an advertisement that states: "There are many voices of Catholicism in America. The Catholic League, which has orchestrated an advertiser boycott of the program, does not represent them all. In fact, by their own numbers, they represent less than one percent... They do not speak for most American Catholics. They do not speak for us. We believe Nothing Sacred has wit, intelligence and compassion and can serve as a positive vehicle for discourse." The NCR report also notes that Bishop Lucker thinks Nothing Sacred "would be appropriate for high school religion classes and adult faith-sharing groups."
The advertisement, at this writing, has not yet been published. When published, says NCR, "It would carry the names of more than 50 priests and women religious, in addition to the bishops." Fifty-four Catholics who like Nothing Sacred--an impressive number, though it does "represent less than one percent" of American Catholics.
Though Roger Cardinal Mahony has issued no formal statement on Nothing Sacred, the same issue of the NCR may give some idea of his leanings: "In addition to the four bishops who agreed to sign the ad, Cardinal Roger Mahony recently had some good things to say about Nothing Sacred. At the Catholics in Media annual awards breakfast, Mahony welcomed Kevin Anderson, who plays Father. Ray, and said the show 'encourages dialogue' about the church."
THE VATICAN, ON NOVEMBER 13, issued a document on the respective duties of priests and laymen, according to Catholic World News. The document, "Instruction on certain questions concerning the collaboration of the lay faithful in the ministry of priests," seeks "to carefully preserve both the nature and mission of the sacred ministry and the vocation and secular character of the lay faithful."
The Instruction notes that a practical confusion of the roles of priests and laymen has led to misunderstanding of the unique character of the priesthood. Emphasizing the priest's "unique power" which he receives through ordination, the document affirms that "[t]he ministerial priesthood is absolutely irreplaceable."
The document cites many abuses: the designation of laymen as "pastors" or "chaplains" for Catholic congregations, the delivering of homilies by laymen, the substitution of laymen for priests as witnesses in marriage, among others. Laymen, too, says the document, should serve as Eucharistic ministers only in "extraordinary" circumstances, thus condemning "the habitual use of extraordinary ministers in the course of Masses."
SINCE THE REPORT in the September Mission ("Need Birth Control...or Sterilization?"), detailing how Clinica Medica San Miguel performs sterilizations and offers sub-standard medical care, the clinic has added a disclaimer to its full-page advertisement on the back page of La Vida Nueva, the L.A. archdiocesan Spanish language newspaper. The disclaimer reads: "No practicamos abortos, vasectomia o ningun otro tipo de esterilizacion en nuestras clinicas." (We do not practice abortions, vasectomies nor other type of sterilization in our clinics.")
THE OCTOBER 1997 ISSUE of the Mission reported that at the fourth annual National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries conference, Father Ken Waibel of Richmond, Kentucky said that it was impossible for a straight man, because of his homophobia, to fall in love with Jesus. This remark was also published in the Wanderer, a national Catholic publication. Someone in Father Waibel's parish who received the Wanderer, sent copies of the article containing the quote to all of Father Waibel's parishioners. Controversy arose as parishioners did not know that Father Waibel had been to California, much less that he held such opinions.
In a October 26 letter sent to his parishioners, Father Waibel talks about "being stabbed in the back," and asks his parishioners what he should do. But by that time it was too late. Under pressure to resign, Father Waibel tendered his resignation to Bishop J. Kendrick Williams of Lexington, Kentucky. The resignation created a sensation in Richmond, Kentucky and was a front page story in the Lexington Herald Leader. According to the paper, Father Waibel's resignation is effective November 14, 1997, after which he will go on a "five to six month sabbatical."
BY NOVEMBER 12TH, the Clinton administration appeared to be in for a defeat over its proposed National Testing of students. In response to news that both the Senate and the House had approved the Goodling Amendment which would cut funding of all national tests, Senator John Ashcroft said, "With the president's signature, this year's dumbed-down federal tests can be wadded up and tossed in the trash."
Homeschoolers, among others, opposed this measure that President Clinton wanted passed without congressional approval. In February of this year, President Clinton proposed standardized, national reading and math tests for all school aged children in grades 4 and 8, regardless if they went to a private school or were homeschooled.
Soon after the proposed legislation emerged, the chairman of the House Education and Workplace Committee, Bill Goodling (R-PA) led the congressional action to stop President Clinton. The House passed the Goodling Amendment, which would prohibit funds in the President's bill from being used to develop the test, unless there was congressional approval. The measure passed by a wide margin, 295-125.
In the Senate, the vote was more precarious. Early on, Congressman Bob Livingston (R-Louisiana) balked at the Goodling amendment. But thanks to Senator John Ashcroft (R-MO), and the barrage of protests from Louisiana homeschoolers, Congressman Livingston decided to support the Goodling Amendment. Senator Dan Coats (R-Indiana) proposed a Senate version of the Goodling Amendment. Both House and Senate passed the measure with veto proof margins.
DURING THE WEEK of October 27-31, Cardinal Mahony held the fourth Assembly of Priests conference in Palm Springs at the Riviera Hotel. Why did the cardinal choose Palm Springs as the venue for the assembly? One parish priest (who, like the other priests interviewed, did not with to be named) replied that this was the only place that could inexpensively accommodate the 500 plus priests that attended. Each parish paid on the average of $650 to send their priests to the assembly, plus transportation costs. The dinner menu included filet mignon and lobster.
The cardinal instituted the Assembly of Priests, said another parish priest, to involve the clergy in policy making for the archdiocese. The assembly's main theme was the current and future vocations crisis. The speakers emphasized that the archdiocese was running out of vocations, so there was a need to "re-define the priesthood." Since the archdiocese was not getting vocations, then it was evident that the priests would not be able to do everything they were currently doing. One priest was quoted as saying, "They (the parishioners) are back there getting along well without us." A pastor from a predominately Latino parish, who also chose not to be named, commented on how the cardinal seems resigned to the fact that there is a shortage of priests and that this trend will continue well into the next millenium. "The emphasis should be on getting more vocations rather than admitting defeat," he opined.
Speakers discussed the issue of communion services in place of the Mass. The Assembly of Priests drew most of the archdiocese's priests out to Palm Springs, so the parishes had no choice but to deal with priestless parishes. One parishioner at Mother of Good Counsel Church in Los Angeles got a jolt when she saw an advertisement in the bulletin that there would be no Mass during the week when the priests were in Palm Springs. The bulletin went on to say that communion services would be held instead.
On the last day of the Assembly, Concerned Roman Catholics of America held a demonstration in front of the hotel. Delia Cusio, who demonstrates regularly for Concerned Roman Catholics, told the Mission that many priests smiled and blessed the demonstrators while entering the hotel doorway. The group held aloft a banner that said: "Cardinal Mahony Save Your Soul."
IN AN OCTOBER 17 LETTER directed to the mailing list of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles' Ministry with Lesbian and Gay Catholics, Father Peter Liuzzi, praised the September 1997 National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries conference, sponsored by the Los Angeles Archdiocese. Father Liuzzi noted that "the presence of Richard McCord, a representative of the United States Catholic Conference, was a clear sign that the National Association has won enough recognition to be viewed as part of the mainstream of Church life." Father Liuzzi also praised the wide media coverage the conference received.
Later in the letter, Father Liuzzi laments the fact that the final version of the Catechism again refers to homosexuality as "intrinsically disordered": "Some days the dragon wins," he notes.
Liuzzi's letter refers to "Always Our Children," the pastoral message issued by the Marriage and Family life Committee of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (not yet made public at the time of the letter's writing). Father Liuzzi's letter notes a emergency alert asking members to send letters to Cardinal Mahony expressing support for "Always Our Children." Letters of support are also requested for Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien, chairman of the Bishops' Committee on Marriage and Family. The concern is that Father John Harvey, founder of Courage, an orthdox Catholic ministry to homosexuals, may convince the bishops to revise the document, which Father Liuzzi describes as "kind, understanding and supportive. I do not know of any statement more positive. This document heralds a real change of attitude"
The most interesting element of the letter are the enclosed response cards, addressed to Cardinal Mahony and Bishop O'Brien, asking both to ignore the calls for revision to "Always Our Children." Father Liuzzi's letter is on an official Los Angeles Archdiocese letterhead; thus, as one priest said: "The cardinal is lobbying himself."
UPON REQUEST, the American Family Association will mail a "Boycott Disney" bumper sticker and "Why American Families Should Boycott Disney," a well-documented, detailed, four-page fact sheet on the Walt Disney Company's promotion of homosexual behavior, violence, anti-Christian themes, incest, graphic sex, hard drug use, profanity and obscenity, etc. in recent years. The sheet includes a partial listing of Disney's holdings and brand names, and a list of "Seven Ways You Can Make Your Voice Heard at the Magic Kingdom." One way suggested is for one to inform Disney of his views and actions taken to boycott Disney products and theme parks. Letters may be sent to the following address: Chairman Michael Eisner, Walt Disney Company, 500 S. Buena Vista, Burbank, CA 91521; or call (818) 560-1000.
The AFA, which defends and advocates on behalf of traditional family values and Judeo-Christian principles, is perhaps best known for its successful boycotts of sponsors of objectionable television programs. Thee association publishes the AFA Journal, a periodical which provides news on issues and developments affecting the nation's cultural, social and spiritual milieu.
For more information, contact the American Family Association at P.O. Drawer 2440, Tupelo, Mississippi 38803, (601) 944-5036.
ESCALATING THE BATTLE over the issue of homosexuality, the American Psychological Association has issued a resolution that would force Sexual Reorientation Therapists to read a statement to their patients declaring that homosexuality is "normal and healthy."
This decision will effect members of the National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH). NARTH secretary, Dr. Joseph Nicolosi, had this to say: "If we must inform the client that the APA doesn't see homosexuality as a disorder, then we have the right to inform the client that we disagree." NARTH is a national association of professional therapists who seek to help homosexuals who wish to overcome their orientation.