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Contents © 2002
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

NEWS
JUNE 2002

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ANTI-FAMILY FORCES ON OFFENSIVE. According to pro-family sources at the Capitol, the legislature's three-year assault on the family continues unabated. Several of these bills are controversial abortion measures. Assembly bill 1860 by Assemblymember Carol Migden, (D-San Francisco) would provide "emergency contraception counseling for rape survivors." This bill would require medical professionals treating female sexual assault victims to provide the counseling about the "risk" of pregnancy and require that "emergency contraception" be dispensed upon request. No conscience clause applies. The feminist California Family Health Council's backgrounder on the measure says assembly bill 1860 provides "protection against pregnancy" for women who are victims of sexual assault. This bill passed the assembly on a 50-3 vote, and now heads to the state senate.

Senate bill 1301 by Senator Sheila Kuehl, (D-Santa Monica) would enshrine abortion as a right in California law. The bill would repeal the requirement that only physicians may do abortions in California. Current law requires that abortions be done by "a holder of the physician's and surgeon's certificate." The operative language left in California law with the bill would allow non-physicians to perform "nonsurgical" abortions-such as RU 486, methotrexate, or other drug abortions. The bill passed its first committee and now awaits a hearing.

There are seven measure that directly undermine marriage and the family. In March 2000, California voters overwhelmingly passed proposition 22, which said that only marriage between a man and a woman is legal. Since then, legislators have passed scores of bills that incrementally give homosexual and senior heterosexual cohabiting couples the same rights as married spouses. Such bills currently under consideration in the capitol include:

Senate bill 1213 includes three spousal-equivalent rights for homosexual partners of state employees.

Assembly bill 1684 is similar to SB 1213, this bill spends taxpayer money to promote homosexual "domestic partnerships" among state employees, thus further cheapening marriage in California.

Assembly bill 2216 equates homosexual "domestic partner" with married spouse when a "domestic partner" dies without a will.

Assembly bill 2777 allows Santa Barbara and Marin counties to spend taxpayer money awarding "spousal-equivalent" benefits to a homosexual "domestic partner" of a county employee who dies.

Senate bill 1661, another by Sheila Kuehl, would force private businesses to undermine marriage by requiring private employers provide "family disability insurance," either through private insurance or payment to the state disability fund. Included in the definition of "family" are spousal-equivalent relationships.

Senate bill 1575 equates domestic partners with marriage in the probate code.

Senate constitutional amendment 9 equates unmarried cohabitant to married spouse when property is transferred.

At least one bill attacks traditional societal mores. Assembly bill 2651, by Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park) would indoctrinate foster children to embrace and experience the homosexual agenda. The bill requires emotionally-damaged foster children, most of whom have experienced sexual abuse, to learn that homosexual sex is good and natural. Because of mounting opposition, Chu is reportedly planning to exempt religious parents from the homosexual "sensitivity" training in her bill. Nonetheless, capitol insiders say the bill is still horribly problematic and bad public policy because it would indoctrinate thousands of vulnerable foster children to embrace and experiment with homosexuality, bisexuality, and other disordered behavior.

The bill was to have been heard by the assembly local government committee on April 25, but that hearing was delayed. Sources say this is possibly a sign that the governor has asked the bill to be withdrawn so that he won't be forced to sign or veto such a measure during an election year. He did the same thing with assembly bill 1338, by Paul Koretz (D-W. Hollywood), which would have given California Vermont-style "civil unions," another term for gay marriage.

Those interested in learning more about the status of these anti-Catholic bills can log on to www.leginfo.ca.gov. To register your opinion with your legislator, log on to www.assembly.ca.gov or www.sen.ca.gov.


WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE. In the April 25 Christian Science Monitor, in the lead piece titled, "One vision of church's future," St. Leo's parish in Sonoma is presented as the new model for adjusting to the scandal atmosphere because it allows "a greater voice for the laity." The author of the piece wrote, "...while some other parishes have derided these independent Catholics as 'Lutherans,' calls for change are increasing in Catholic pews across America. Among some here at St. Leo's, the tone is revolutionary, and there is talk of taking on some of the deepest traditions of the faith: celibacy, church hierarchy, women in the priesthood." The source for St. Leo's progressive tradition, according to the Monitor is Pastor Larry Carolan, who left the priesthood for two decades, "after becoming frustrated at the lack of change in the church." The article describes Father Carolan at Mass where he, "alternates between comforter and comedian, mixing humble introspection with moments of levity."


SAN JOSE BISHOP RESPONDS TO POLL. On April 25, the San Jose Mercury News wrote that San Jose Bishop Patrick McGrath was "tremendously alarmed that so many people believe the church hasn't done enough and won't be able to stop the abuse by priests."

Bishop McGrath said, "That has to be addressed. How do you get out there to people and try to show them that this is not the reality.'' The poll, conducted by independent pollster Mark DiCamillo, reported on April 25 that 75 percent of California Catholics polled "said they were optimistic that the church will find a solution. Fewer than half the non-Catholics -- 45 percent -- said they were confident the church can solve the problem." according to the Mercury. The survey was done April 19 through 24, before as well as throughout two days meetings of Pope John Paul II and the American Catholic Cardinals in Rome on the sexual offender scandal. The director of the poll, Mark DiCamillo, reported that there was little difference in responses to the poll after the Roman meetings began.

Bishop McGrath asked on April 25 that Catholics in his diocese pray for all the victims of sexual abuse. He asked all that parishes to have an early morning Mass, or an evening Mass, so that more people will be able to take part on the First Friday of each month. The intentions of Masses will be for the different victims of the sexual abuses on each of the subsequent months. The Bishop said when available he will preside at a different parish each month. In April, McGrath send out a letter on the sex abuse scandal in the American Church. He said that" the victims and their families. They have suffered horribly ... my first responsibility is to make sure, to the best of my ability, that everyone is safe, especially children and vulnerable adults. I take this responsibility most seriously." In the letter he listed steps that have been taken to stop abuse. The steps are education, screening, fingerprinting, "to taking seriously every report of misconduct", and working with "civil authorities in reporting allegations." McGrath ended the letter with a call for prayer to join the actions he listed as well as for all the victims of abuse. He said, "As a Church, our actions should be joined to prayer, and our greatest prayer is the celebration of the liturgy of the Eucharist.


WAS FESSIO EXILED BECAUSE OF SEX PLAY AT USF? On April 23, the San Jose Mercury reported that Father Joseph Fessio was exiled by the Jesuit order because he criticized immoral and liberal teachings at USF including a play promoting sex abuse. He said, "They are trying to get me out of the way. Why else would they exile me? I am highly educated. I'm in the prime of my life. I have so much more to contribute than to minister to the sick.'' The California Province of the Society of Jesus in Los Gatos refused to comment on the rationale for his displacement. But, according to the Mercury an former Catholic seminarian said, "They see him as a great threat to their agenda, which is to basically change the Church into another world order concept, a much more liberal one.'' One criticism he made in February -- just before the enforced exiled happened -- was the USF establishments plan to allowed students to enact a production of a play called The Vagina Monologues. USF spokesman Gary McDonald in defense of the production said, "It is part of the job of a university to allow students to explore a range of issues and ideas.... It's not against the faith.'' Fessio responded" If UC-Berkeley wants to put on Vagina Monologues, that's OK. But a Catholic university doing that during Lent, the holy season, that's not a Catholic thing to do.''

E. Michael Jones in Culture war magazine said that Vagina Monologues is a sex abuse play. Commenting on the play when it ran at Notre Dame University, he said, " It is also features a graphic description of the lesbian seduction of a minor, which is excused precisely because a lesbian is doing the molesting." He continued, "Notre Dame University defended the performance[of Vagina Monologues] precisely on the grounds of academic freedom; the bishops does nothing to contradict this undermining of morals," Jones said, "[A]nd in fact, in a scenario which has by now become familiar those who attempt to defend the moral standard get punished."

Fessio was quoted saying, "I don't think they're trying to make me suffer,'' Fessio said of his superiors. "But what I was trying to do with Campion College was offensive. They probably saw it as an implicit indictment of them. I just wish they would really allow a diversity of voices, including ours.''

At the spring convocation at USF on April 17, USF President Privet reportedly spent the last 10 minutes of his talk berating the new Campion College and assuring his audience how Catholic USF is. A reader sent in a calendar listing from a USF publication which read: "The Swig Judaic Studies Program at USF presents: [New Jewish and Christian Approaches to Homosexuality: Welcoming Our Gay and Lesbian Sisters and Brothers, which took place at McLaren complex on April 21st.


EX YOUTH MINISTER FOUND GUILTY OF LEWD CONDUCT. On April 18, former youth minister, Father Don Kimball, pleaded innocent to allegedly seizing a "$5,000 camera" and hurling it at a Press Democrat reporter from Santa Rosa as well as allegedly pushing a San Francisco Chronicle photographer Penni Gladstone on April 9 in a courthouse. A week after the incident he was convicted of lewd conduct with minors in 1981 according to a San Jose Mercury report on April 25. The Sonoma County chief deputy district attorney Ken Gnoss said the charges against him are felony assault with a deadly weapon, felony vandalism and misdemeanor battery. If convicted he could spend two years in prison. He is already facing up 14 years in prison from the prior conviction. The assault hearing is set for May 10. Kimball was found guilty of two counts of lewd conduct with a 13-year old girl in 1981, but not guilty of raping a 14-year old girl. According to the San Jose Mercury Kimball "was a popular youth minister who used rock 'n' roll to impact his religious message before the church removed him from his duties." Kimball a one time popular author and speaker on youth ministry promoted the "value free" approach to ministry.


SWEENY WILL RETIRE IN JUNE. Roberta Ward, a spokeswoman for the diocese of San Jose announced on April 5 that Monsignor John Sweeny will retire as well as move out of the Our Lady of Peace Church in June. But after a March 12 meeting in which diocesan officials meet with parishioners who expressed concern about possible changes as other parishioners prayed the rosary for no changes; many parishioner were happy to learn that the Institute of the Incarnate Word will take over for Sweeny. The institute is expected to keep the orthodox Catholic traditions of Sweeny's tenure.

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