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Contents © 1999
by Jim Holman.
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NEWS
NOVEMBER 1999

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GOVERNOR SIGNS CONTRACEPTION BILLS. On September 27, Governor Gray Davis signed into law two identical bills that will require health plans to cover contraception, even if employers funding those plans for their employees have religious objections to contraception. In the days leading up to the bill's passage, critics of the proposals were asking for an extensive conscience clause that would protect religious organizations such as hospitals and schools from the provisions of the measures. However, the bills' authors, Assemblyman Robert Hertzberg (D-W. Los Angeles) and state Sen. Jackie Speier (D-Daly City), inserted a less comprehensive conscience clause, which defines a religious employer as an entity that exists primarily for the inculcation of religious values and that serves primarily persons who share the religious tenets of the entity. The bills could force Catholic hospitals and schools to provide contraception, though it would leave Catholic parishes alone. The bill's primary sponsor was Planned Parenthood.

Governor Davis signed three homosexual rights bills on October 1, the same day he attended Clinton's Gay and Lesbian Presidential Dinner in Beverly Hills, which raised a reported $850,000 for Democrat congressional candidates. The three bills seek to tackle harassment in schools, authorize a new state domestic partners registry, and add sexual orientation to the list of illegal bias in housing and employment. In his prepared remarks before the dinner, Davis said, "These three bills will send a message across the country and around the world that we are determined to unleash the full potential of the human spirit here in California."

Governor Davis chose to show his centrism by an October 6 veto of a bill providing new funding for school medical clinics. The bill caused controversy because some said it would give schools the authority to provide contraceptives and other medical services to children without parental consent. Over two thousand parents converged on the state capitol on September 27 to protest the bill authored by Assemblywoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego). The opposition included groups such as the Parents National Network, Soccer Moms with a Brain, Common Sense Activism, and the Capitol Resource Institute. The rally drew state and national attention when radio stations in California and popular radio talk show host, Dr. Laura Schlesinger, promoted the rally in broadcasts. In his veto message Davis wrote, "While I believe that school-based health clinics have a legitimate role in providing health care to children, it is unclear how the placement of voluntary guidelines into statute will assist the formation or continuation of such programs."


ZIEMANN UPDATE. During the pontificate of John Paul II, the Holy See has produced a remarkable amount of directives, instructions, bulls, apostolic letters, moto proprios, encyclicals and other messages. Many perceive that these documents -- and the Vatican by extension -- have been ignored. One of a bishop's central duties is to be the Pope's representative for these communications. The catechism confirms this intimate connection to the Pope, "without whom no bishop has any authority." But this requires that the bishops who are charged with disseminating and enforcing Church teaching are not only sympathetic to the mind of the Church, but also possess a moral desire to represent the mind of the Church. Bishop Ziemann was quoted in the August-September 1999 Catholic World Report saying, "The conscientious bishop has a very sincere desire to fulfill his role as a teacher and to do that teaching in communion with the Holy See, so what comes out of the Vatican is not ignored at all. It's very much read, and it's discussed, and where it's needed, it's applied." Upon the resignation of Bishop Ziemann, Archbishop Levada's spokesman informed the news media that Ziemann, who the archbishop called, "his lifelong friend," was "among the most pastoral bishops in the country."

One of these messages from the Vatican that has been widely ignored locally is the August 1997 Instruction on Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non-Ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of the Priest. The document seeks to re-instill a proper distinction between laity and clergy. It is specific in the abuses it hoped to eradicate: No laymen giving the homily; no habitual use of extraordinary eucharistic ministers; no lay use of titles such as "chaplain" or "pastor;" and the reserving of priestly vestments to those with Holy Orders. It did not appear a high priority on Bishop Ziemann's part to communicate the message of the Instruction to the Faithful. In the September 1998 Santa Rosa diocesan paper, the Redwood Crozier, Bishop Ziemann is shown vested for a Confirmation Mass, holding a bowl of Holy Oil in his lap and being anointed by children. In the same paper, Father Pat Stephenson, pastor of the South Napa County Holy Family Parish in American Canyon writes, "So as I celebrate my thirty-year anniversary the youth and children were invited to bless me. And when Bishop 'Pat' came for confirmation, the children and youth blessed him. Can you imagine what that blessing did for our young people, not to mention what it did for our Bishop 'Pat'?"

A parishioner in St. Helena told the Faith that he brought the issue of the misuse of lay people in his parish to both Bishop Ziemann and Archbishop Levada numerous times since 1997. The pastor of St. Helena during this time was Monsignor Brenkle, who in 1992, shortly after Zieman was consecrated by Cardinal Mahony, hired a female pastoral associate whose duties included the proclamation of the Gospel at Mass and the preaching of the homily. She has since left that position. Two years ago, however, Monsignor Brenkle allowed a potential deacon candidate, Bob Little, to proclaim the Gospel and give the homily at Mass on a regular basis, reportedly with Bishop Ziemann's consent. The announcement of Little's duties was made in the October 25th/26th 1997 St. Helena parish bulletin, which said that the deacon candidate was being asked to do a weekly homily as "preparation for his ordination." This seems to violate the 1997 Instruction, which states: The homily, therefore, during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, must be reserved to the sacred minister, Priest or Deacon to the exclusion of the non-ordained faithful, even if these should have responsibilities as "pastoral assistants" or catechists in whatever type of community or group. This exclusion is not based on the preaching ability of sacred ministers nor their theological preparation, but on that function which is reserved to them in virtue of having received the Sacrament of Holy Orders.... Indeed, the homily should not be regarded as a training for some future ministry."

Moreover, In the Redwood Crozier of July, 1998, Monsignor Brenkle admits to being a dissenter from Humanae Vitae, the Church's 30-plus-year-old teaching on birth control. The Crozier states: "In public, Brenkle is supportive of Catholic church positions, even on such controversial topics as birth control and abortion. In private, Brenkle admits to being more flexible. 'The challenge is maintaining the official teachings of the church at the same time, at the pastoral level, helping people who can't live up to those teachings,' he said." Brenkle continued, "Life was a lot simpler when I was ordained," he said. "People didn't question as much as they do today. When the priest spoke, it was accepted. It's more complicated today."

In August of this year, Archbishop Levada, acting in the capacity of the new overseer of the Santa Rosa Diocese, sent the auxiliary bishop of San Francisco, John C. Wester, to welcome Little with the rite of Admission to Candidacy. About the same time, Levada also brought Monsignor Brenkle on board as the new chief financial officer for the Santa Rosa Diocese. Archbishop Levada responded to the concerned parishioner of Monsignor Brenkle by stating in a letter dated August 25, 1999, "Thank you for your letter of August 19 regarding Deacon candidates proclaiming the gospel and preaching in their parishes. Please be assured that I will look into your concerns."

A member of the Napa deanery respect life committee, who wishes to remain anonymous, recalls first meeting Bishop Ziemann in February of 1993. At that time, the respect life committee was under the bishop's guidance. "We had a vibrant pro-life committee in the valley," she said. "At the first meeting, when asked what direction we wanted to see the respect life committee go," she said, "the majority of us told the bishop that we wanted to base our committee on Humanae Vitae. Only two people in the room opposed that idea: a local pastor who said he would walk out if Humanae Vitae was a part of the group's mission -- the other person who objected did not even live in the Napa deanery." The committee continued to meet once a month. "Every month we repeated our desire to build our respect life committee on Humanae Vitae," she said. "We also wanted to bring natural family planning under the umbrella of the respect life committee because the bishop was eliminating it from Catholic social services. Around October, we were told by Bishop Ziemann's representative that we no longer had to worry about Humanae Vitae or natural family planning because the bishop was going to set up a separate committee for these issues. That committee never happened."

At St. Leo's Church in Sonoma, a parishioner complained to Archbishop Levada in April of this year about the misuse of lay ministers and to report that the pastor of St. Leo's stated publicly on numerous occasions (two of which are April 10 and 11, 1999) that he does not believe in transubstantiation. Last month, the parishioner received a letter from the San Francisco chancery, signed by Reverend Thomas Merson, administrative assistant to the archbishop, in part stating, "the Archbishop is grateful to you for taking the time to bring your concerns to his attention and has asked me to assure you that he will look into these matters which you have raised."


USF AN INTERFAITH SCHOOL? In response to the Pope's guidelines of Ex corde Ecclesia, which outlines the requirements for Catholic universities by the year 2000, Father Schlegel, president of USF, sent an email to the university community which said: "USF...will make the strongest possible case for a different way to preserve our Catholic identity." Is shutting down the Catholic chapel on the Lone Mountain campus and its replacement by an "interfaith chapel" a way for USF to express an alternative Catholic identity? The University of San Francisco dedicated the new chapel on September 14. Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist representatives took part in the dedication ceremonies. The Reverend Joseph Angilella said, "It was a beautiful, beautiful ceremony. This is the heart and soul of what USF is all about." The ceremony was called, "Many Flames, One Fire," and was celebrated in a room that no longer displays Catholic religious symbols. The non-denominational chapel will allow students of any faith to worship on USF's campus and at the university's expense. Many students are excited about the university's acceptance of so many points of view. But while the Pope has engaged in various events with the Dali Lama and leaders of other faiths, some students and alumni are questioning why a Catholic chapel on campus has to close to accommodate other beliefs. "The main problem I see here is a logical one: for USF to call itself Catholic it must be Catholic. We have a simple case of false advertising," said graduate Cathy Severance.


TREASURES ON VIEW. The exhibition at the Legion in San Francisco -- The Treasury of Saint Francis of Assisi -- is worth a trip into the city. Many of the objects currently on display from the Basilica of San Francisco in Assisi, Italy date from the 13th and 14th centuries. Among the fine samplings of art are the Chalice of Nicholas IV (ca. 1290) by the Sienese goldsmith Guccio di Mannaia, the 14th-century Reliquary of the Seamless Robe, and the finely embroidered Altar Frontal of Sixtus the IV (1476-78). The reliquaries are believed to have held physical parts of Apostles, a portion of the True Cross, and a thorn from Christ's crown. Other highlights include manuscript pages and illuminated books, including four leaves by the so-called Master of the Assisi Choirbooks, one of the most refined 13th-century Umbrian illuminators working for the Basilica. Also on display is the illuminated Missal of Saint Louis--among the finest French manuscripts of the 13th century. The exhibition presents art works from the Cantiere of Assisi, the group of artistic workshops centered around the Convent of Assisi during the period of its construction and decoration from 1230 to 1330, included in this set is the Dossal of Saint Francis, one of the earliest known portraits of the saint. The exhibit runs until November 14th. The California Palace of the Legion of Honor is located in Lincoln Park in San Francisco.


USF PRESIDENT SCHLEGEL is among four finalists for president of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, the Creighton search committee announced on October 9. The current president will step down next June 30.


TRINITY HARVEST FEST AT MONTICELLO VINEYARDS IN NAPA. Shortly after its opening five years ago, Napa's Trinity Grammar Prep held a fall harvest festival and auction to help support the school and its 52 students. In their first year, the celebration's auction brought in $7,000. Since then the school has almost doubled in size. With 92 students at the school last year, Trinity's expanded celebration yielded $27,000. The growth of the harvest festival has been accommodated at the Monticello vineyards in Napa. The theme this year is "Gone With the Wine," and will feature live music, food from Napa Valley restaurants -- and wine. The vineyard and winery is located in the "Oak Knoll" region of the Valley. The architecture on the property reflects proprietor Jay Corley's interest in Thomas Jefferson, one of the first American wine and food enthusiasts. The winery itself will reflect this year's theme, as will those dressed in period costume. Sunday, October 17 from 12:00-5:00 P.M. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. For more info, call (707)258-9030.

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