NEWS

ARTICLES

LETTERS

FOLLOW ME

ROAMIN' CATHOLIC






Contents © 2001
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

NEWS
JULY/AUGUST 2001

---

ON MAY 30, THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT heard oral arguments over the fate of Lodi resident Robert Wendland, who was in a coma for several months in 1993 following a car accident and has needed assistance to stay alive ever since. Wendland's wife wants to unplug his support system, his mother, Florence Wendland, wants to keep him alive. The case could guide California's future policy on euthanasia. Wendland's mother is not disputing that her son is disabled and needs assistance and basic services. Coverage of the case in the May 31 Chronicle said of him, "Wendland has been unable to walk or communicate since he was severely injured in a 1993 car accident. Published photos of Wendland have him lying flat in a bed. But according to Dana Cody, head of the Life Legal Defense Foundation, who is funding the mother's case -- Wendland is awake, alert, and strong enough to participate in handicapped bowling. Cody said that for over a year, Wendland has been participating in games where disabled people are wheeled into a position where they can bowl. Brain-damaged players have their hands placed in position to roll the ball down the lane. In a game for the disabled in mid-May, according to Cody, Wendland bowled a 175 from his wheelchair. Cody said that during oral arguments, when attorneys for Wendland's wife argued that Robert Wendland was not responsive, Chief Justice Ronald George said, "That's not true -- he can respond to questions." Cody said the foundation entered a tape under seal of Robert Wendland while undergoing therapy and that these have give the justices clear evidence that Wendland is not spiritually dead. Cody does not know when to expect an opinion. "Could be months, could be days," she said.


THE 2001-2002 SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE is considering the budget bill in conference committees as the Faith goes to press, through funding of California's Medi-Cal program, it will authorize payment for more than 110,000 abortions at a cost of approximately $34.5 million. Also grievous to prolifers is Senate bill 780, by senator Deborah Ortiz (D -- Sacramento), which squeaked out of the senate appropriations committee on May 31 on a 9-3 vote -- one fewer 'aye' vote and the bill would have been dead. The measure heads for the senate floor to be heard in early June. The bill instructs law enforcement and the attorney general's office to file annual reports on "anti-reproductive hate crimes" with the legislature. The bill had been placed on the appropriations suspense file on May 21 because of its cost. At the request of Ortiz's office, the senate office of research prepared a report for the legislature, which it released after the first appropriations hearing. The title of the report is Crimes Against Reproductive Rights in California. In its introduction, Ortiz writes, "...we need to avoid stigmatizing the law-abiding pro-life movement. Government must target crimes, not beliefs, speech, or lawful actions." But a few paragraphs later the report says, "As this paper will show, there is documented evidence that some of the same people who have threatened or harmed reproductive clinics, patients and personnel also have committed hate crimes against homosexuals, Jews, and African-Americans. Some authorities believe the resources and influence of such groups may be growing as the criminal elements within them increase..."

The paper was released after the bill's first appropriations hearing on May 21 -- perhaps in reaction to pro-life testimony. At the hearing, Art Croney with the Committee on Moral Concerns testified that the bill was one-sided, since violence against peaceful pro-life protestors was far more prevalent than against abortion clinics or their workers. As evidence, Croney presented a 23-page list of assaults against Californians by pro-abortion advocates.

The bill would have died in the senate public safety committee on April 24, but for the Republican who chairs the committee, Senator Bruce McPherson (R -- Santa Cruz). Senator John Vasconcellos (D -- San Jose) was convinced of the bill's problems and withheld his vote. But senators John Burton (D -- San Francisco), Richard Polanco (D -- Los Angeles) and Byron Sher (D -- Stanford) joined McPherson to provide the 4 votes necessary to pass the bill. McPherson also provided the vote on May 31 to get the bill off the senate appropriations suspense file. In addition, a resolution to support Roe v. Wade by Senator Betty Karnette (D-Long Beach) sailed through the senate on a 25-10 near party-line vote, with one Republican, Bruce McPherson, supporting the resolution. The media has reported McPherson is considering running for lieutenant governor.


MASSIVE FRAUD AT SF UNIFIED. On May 8, San Francisco Unified School District superintendent Arlene Ackerman announced she is asking for further investigations by the city attorney's office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation resulting from an audit conducted by the firm of Arthur Andersen. The 1996-2000 facilities audit by Andersen found that the district had misappropriated $27 million in bond money. An additional $15 million in state school construction funds is missing, and nearly $3 million is missing from proposition A monies. According to documents obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle, the district has spent $60 million intended for school construction on employee salaries and benefits since 1989.


ST. MARY'S WANTED CONGRESSWOMAN LEE FOR COMMENCEMENT. Citing a need to remain in Washington, D.C., Congresswoman Barbara Lee, (D), Oakland, made a last minute cancellation of her planned May 26 commencement address to the graduating students of St. Mary's College, in Moraga. The invitation to Lee was under protest by several teachers at the college. Instead, the pro-abortion congresswoman remained in Washington to cast her vote against President Bush's tax-cut legislation.


A PARISHIONER FROM STAR OF THE SEA CHURCH CALLED the Faith that rumors were going around that a renovation of the church was being planned and would change the placement of the tabernacle and said the pastor told him it was being done because of a recent directive from the Vatican -- this, according to the parishioner, is causing worry in other neighborhood city parishes that their churches might be next. Monsignor Charles J. Durkin confirmed that Star of the Sea is going to be renovated, but he denied that the changes would wreak havoc on the centrality of the altar and said that nothing would be started for some time. According to Durkin, "Everything's just in the planning stages."

It was rumored that Durkin was going to move the Blessed Sacrament to a side chapel in a new "worship area" but leave the old tabernacle where it is, but empty. Durkin denied this, saying, "[Archbishop Leveda] would never let that happen. He has to approve every renovation to a church, and he would not agree to that." As for the rumor that Durkin was following a directive from the Vatican, Durkin said, "The directive states that the tabernacle cannot be placed on the sacrificial part of the altar, so I'm proposing that the unused tabernacle in the side chapel be placed somewhere off this surface." He went on to say that the planned renovations had more to do with fixing leaks and paint than revamping worship space.


BOY SCOUTS PROTEST UNITED WAY. In Sacramento on May 11, about 40 people gathered at United Way offices at the corner of Watt and Folsom to protest the group's rejection of the Boy Scouts over the scout's policy on homosexual scout masters.


WHITHER ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI? On May 18th, a handful of St. Francis of Assisi church members, in Concord, learned that their newly appointed pastor, Father Fernando Cortez, had resigned, or was considering resigning. The news came not from the pastor, but from friends who had attended Queen of All Saints parish that morning where prayers were offered because of turmoil at St. Francis and the pastor's resignation. However, when a parishioner asked Father Cortez if he was, indeed, resigning he responded: "You haven't heard that from me." Two days later, following the Sunday Mass when no announcement about a resignation had been made, the deacon, Chuck Palomares, was asked when an announcement would come regarding the resignation, he responded, according to the parishioner, "That's not my job."

According to a member of the parish council, all the staff members were let go in May. They were told that the work assignments were being reorganized and they could apply for the new jobs if they desired to do so. The church bulletin for May 26 carried a small notice that a parish reorganization is taking place. According to a parishioner, when Father Cortez came to St. Francis, he did not anticipate the parish's severe financial problems along with the need to deal with deteriorating facilities without money to pay for them.

Originally named Most Precious Blood, the parish site was built in 1957 and destroyed by arson in 1983, rebuilt in 1985 and reopened as St. Francis of Assisi. Money was raised by members of the parish to build a new church with a new name, St. Francis of Assisi. Additional money had to be raised in 1998 to make extensive repairs to the roof which leaked, and to the walls which were water damaged because of the leaks. The construction company that rebuilt the church had gone out of business, but it was sued for the costs of repairs. The church won a partial recovery of damages, but the diocese and the parishioners have had to raise the major portion of the cost of repairs. In January of this year, parishioners were informed that they needed to contribute more money lest the parish face bankruptcy. The pastor at the time, Father Bill Macchi, has since retired due to poor health. Father Michael Galvan became the new assistant pastor. Father Cortez arrived about a month later. Parishioners are still waiting for word from either their pastor or Bishop Cummins as to the fate of St. Francis of Assisi parish.


CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PROTEST OAKLAND INCINERATOR FOR ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT. On May 29th, students from Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward, along with priests and environmentalists, held a protest and prayer service at the Oakland incinerator. According to Natalia Bernal of Green Action, the protest was against the plant's dioxin and mercury emissions. In a release, the event was described as a chance for students "to put their faith into action." According to Bernal, about 100 students, plus 20 others gathered at the facility. When asked whether she knew that the Oakland incinerator disposes of aborted fetuses and whether the students were protesting this as part their Catholic faith in action, Bernal said, "I've never heard that before. No I didn't know that." Amy Armstrong with Moreau Catholic High School did not return a call for comment.


"CONFUSED AND CONFUSING" IMAGES IN B.C. COMIC STRIP DRAWS DIOCESAN FIRE. Johnny Hart's Easter Sunday strip provoked a letter to the editor from Father Charles McDermott, "vicar episcopal for theological and canonical affairs for the Diocese of Sacramento," Father John Keane, "director for ecumenical and interreligious affairs" for the diocese. These two were joined by Rabbi Matt Friedman in the letter which appeared in the Sacramento Bee the week following Easter. The letter states in part: "In the Easter Sunday comic section of your newspaper (April 15), Johnny Hart, the artist who draws the comic strip "B.C.," depicted the transformation of the seven-branched menorah into a cross. While we recognize and applaud Mr. Hart's deep faith, we are troubled by his presentation. There are two major problematic issues. The first is the implication that Judaism must inevitably reach its fullness in Christianity, as we know it. The second is an implication that Jewish belief and religious practice are only whole if an individual accepts Jesus as Messiah and Savior." The letter goes on to say, "Judaism to this day continues on its own path with its own definitions and understanding of faith, salvation and Messianism. To rob either faith of its distinctiveness would be both inaccurate and disrespectful of each tradition's concept of itself.... Our nation does not benefit from the use of confused and confusing images."


KOLBE ACADEMY IN NAPA HAS OPENED REGISTRATION for the 2001-2002 academic year. The school offers grades 1-12. The emphasis is on classical, traditional education. For more information, call John Kamprath at (707) 256-4306. Or look online: www.kolbe.org

TOP