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PDF versionLos Angeles archdiocese loses a precious resource
by Mario T. García on Jan. 09, 2012
A few days ago, the story broke that Bishop Gabino Zavala of the Los Angeles archdiocese had fathered two children who are now young teenagers and living with their mother in another state.
As a result of this revelation, Bishop Zavala has resigned as auxiliary bishop serving a predominantly Latino area of the larger Los Angeles metropolitan area. This is a real tragedy, especially because Zavala is a highly progressive liberationist who has promoted Catholic social doctrine and social justice issues, including the interests of Latino Catholics and the immigrant community.
He has served as president of Pax Christi USA, which advocates world peace. He has worked against capital punishment and has supported immigration reform that would allow undocumented immigrants to regularize their status. His resignation and forced departure from his position of influence leaves a major gap in church leadership, especially among the majority Latino Catholic population of the L.A. archdiocese.
At the same time, I don't want to neglect the fact that Bishop Zavala acted irresponsibly by his actions. We don't know the extent of his relationship with his two children or with their mother, but it appears that one of the factors that brought this story to light was the complaint by the mother that Zavala was not providing for the education of their children, including their future college education. In response, the archdiocese has agreed to provide for the college education of the children. Zavala should have thought of this after one child, and certainly after the second one. Some have also noted that the bishop was caught in a contradiction in that by calling on other Catholics to obey church doctrines on marriage and parenthood, he, himself, was acting contrary to these doctrines.
But what is being ignored in press reports and by the archdiocese is the very notion of celibacy for Catholic priests by the church. Zavala might have acted foolishly and irresponsibly, but he was also acting as a human being with sexual needs that were being repressed.
I can just hear my critics saying, "But that was what he agreed to by making the vow of celibacy." It's always interesting to hear lay critics call on others to do what they themselves would not do -- in this case, forgo a healthy sexual life.
Celibacy is not natural and is not even based on scripture. The church has to re-examine this critical issue. Indeed, the rule of celibacy in many ways is one of the root causes for the recent sexual abuse scandals in the church. Why can't we have married priests with families serving us?
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At the same time the Zavala story broke, the Vatican issued a new ruling that would make it easier for priests of the Anglican/Episcopalian church to become Catholic priests even though they are married and have children. So why is it okay for these priests to not be celibate and wrong for Zavala and other Catholic priests? I feel for Bishop Zavala, for his children and for their mother, but I also hope that out of this tragedy a more sober conversation can begin about the rule of celibacy in the church.
Because of the antiquated celibacy law, Latino Catholics have lost a great resource, and a family lost the nurturing presence of a father.
"Celibacy is not natural and
"Celibacy is not natural and is not even based on scripture."
What a strange statement to make, given that not only Saint Paul (1 Cor. 7:32) but Christ Himself advocated celibacy - both in His decision to remain celibate and more explicitly while preaching in Judea (Matthew 19:12).
It is a shame that Bishop Zavala is no longer with the Archdiocese, but his decisions do not reflect on the teaching Christ & His Church - they reflect on the him, who chose the path he is on.
Christ did NOT make it
Christ did NOT make it manditory -- "let those who are able to accept it."
I'm not sure that you're
I'm not sure that you're responding to me; its not mandatory in the Church either. No one forces celibacy upon anyone.
Oh please. That argument of
Oh please. That argument of Paul and Christ just doesn't hold water and is more emotional than rational. Who REALLY knows the reality of either lives and actual (let's say Paul for starters) sexual state. Why does no one take the biblical statement "it is not good for man to live alone" as a divine statement. God bless the Bishop and God help us all.
Its not an argument - both
Its not an argument - both Saint Paul & Christ made these statements - and everything we know about Christ points to His celibacy (I make no assertion with regards to Saint Paul).
Of course its not good for man to live alone. Celibacy doesn't equal being alone - nor does sexual intimacy equal companionship.
When I took my vows, I knew
When I took my vows, I knew exactly what I was doing. So did Bishop Zavala. I have never consider the life I chose "unnatural" and have often wondered how married people endure the many travails they speak about in private. I admire them for doing so, especially today when marriage is being abused in the media at every turn. If I could have been a priest and also married, I probably would have done so, but if I had to choose one in order to bring me closer to God, celibacy and priesthood were the right choices for me.
People who get married know
People who get married know exactly what they are doing when they take those vows. But the church allows a wide latitude in defining whether or not it was a real marriage and eligible for annullment.
Time for a celibacy annullment program. The line will form in 5 minutes and will stretch from Rome to Antartica.
This is a rather weak
This is a rather weak article, I'm afraid. It's an emotional reaction to an unfortunate personal incident for Zavala. It neither supports nor weakens arguments for optional clerical celibacy.
To me, this argument is
To me, this argument is beneath the dignity of NCR. It reminds me of nothing so much as, when the local priest is accused of sexual abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult (the latter the case with Zavala, given the imbalance of power and his inability to commit to his family's best interests), vocal parishioners talking about how wonderful he was at their daughter's wedding or their father's funeral.
Chances are that the mother and the children are also "Latino Catholics." How great a resource has he been for them?
Is an individual who is so fundamentally dishonest a more "precious resource" (perhaps by virtue of his being a bishop?) than:
The only reason the loss of someone like Zavala stands out is because of the desperate lack of qualified individuals who'll be accepted into service by the hierarchy.
Finally, is Zavala a more "precious resource" than the legions of lay ministers, teachers, associates, etc., who've been driven from service to the Church by:
NCR, you've gotten this one terribly wrong.
Yes, a "sober conversation" about celibacy needs to be had. But not because Gabino Savala is a an exploitive liar. He made himself that, not his broken vow.
Greg I agree with you. Zavala
Greg I agree with you. Zavala opted to live a double life while preaching something totally different. That is called hypocrisy and lack of spiritual integrity. My problem with enforced celibacy is that it is spiritually negating for men who happen to fall in love with another human and find out love is stronger than their commitment to celibacy.
This is similar to the fallacy of the Courage program for gays. Courage works fine until it's practices and theories are run over by the bus called love.
One other thing that bothers me is I don't know that I've read anywhere that Zavala actually abandoned his family. Just because they live in another state does not mean Zavala totally withdrew. Lots of men work jobs that keep them from their families for extended periods of time. That doesn't mean they've abandoned their families.
Dear brother Mario, I
Dear brother Mario,
I think that our Church needs to openly, honestly and maturely speak about human sexuality in the light of what we have learned about ourselves as humans. The Church should also consider what the implications are of this welcome to our Anglican/Episcopal sisters and brothers, and their ministers, into the Catholic Church. It seems to be more of a protest about women's ordination and homosexuality, disregarding the celibacy aspect. We have lost many good, holy and human ministers because we seem to have forgotten that Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Especially in the area of human sexuality, our pastors seem to be more interested in control than in liberation and celebration, which I think is the only reason that God created the cosmos and then entrusted it to us as stewards. God also created us in the divine image and likeness to "be fruitful and multiply." God saw all of this as not only good, but very good. Our pastors have amended the "very good" aspect of God's creation to "very strict." This doesn't seem to be very loving nor very pastoral.
With Francis of Assisi,I pray, "Most high, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart."
Paz y Bien, Rolando, SFO.
I would say he owed more to
I would say he owed more to his children than he did to the church, and would be serving God better by following that path.
Do not relate the sexual
Do not relate the sexual abuse crisis to celibacy; statistics show us that overall more abuse is done by married men than otherwise.
The bishop couldn't keep his vows; isn't this similar to a married man commitng adultery?
No. Paz y Bien, Rolando, SFO.
No.
Paz y Bien, Rolando, SFO.
One could argue that monogamy
One could argue that monogamy is unnatural. Certainly many have tried. But I took a vow of fidelity when I married. It is no different from the vow of celibacy a priest takes. A promise before God is a sacred thing. The bishop should be ashamed.
Why are laypeople concerned
Why are laypeople concerned with celibacy? Most men today enter the seminary after college. They have had relationships with women, and once in the semainary, they have six years to discern if they can fulfill thr promise of celibacy they will make,
Not a word from you that the bishop abandoned his children. The moment he learned he had fathered a chold, he should have left the priesthood.
I suggest for a future blog, you shhould talk to a young, recently ordained priest and learn his opinion on celibacy
Sure, talk to a young zealot,
Sure, talk to a young zealot, wet behind the ears as "Father".
If you want a mindless regurgitation of the "rules", that is.
I'd like to see a future blog interview Zavala. He seems like the kind of cleric the Church desperately needs many, many more of.
It is sad what damage sin can
It is sad what damage sin can do.
1.The New Testament I think
1.The New Testament I think it is in Timothy states that a bishop proves his
suiitability for being a good bishop by having one wife and managing his
household and children well. That is in the Bible. Married Bishops.
2. Peter was Married, and had a motherinlaw that Jesus healed, his son: Mark.
3. Junia was Married, wife of Chuza, she called Foremost Among the Apostles.
Zavala should not have been forced out of bishopship or priesthood.
Priests, bishops, cardinals, popes should not be forced to be celibate. Ir ia nor part of the scripture or Holy Bible or real History or ancient Tradition or biblical Reality of our Church.
Hypocritical pope! If Zavala
Hypocritical pope! If Zavala became Anglican-Episcopal, married, then joined RCC, he could still be cleric in an RCC Episcopal, Anglican Ordinariate, Orneryariate, as it has been accurately called! Srill be a functioning priest and why limit the married to just the RCC Orneryariate.
What a cynical, manipulative, hypocritical institution our RCC has become under JPII and B16 to allow RCC Orneryariates to be married with family but not our own long time previous, always Catholic clergy to do so.
Read and study the scripture please B16 as it is too late for JPII to do so. Shame on B16.
Please do not ever be a
Please do not ever be a dead-beat dad neglecting your family, your wife, common-law spouse, your children. Thia looks like what happened here.
See the fruits of secrecy and cover-up continuing in our church.
Why is mandatory celibacy rule still in our church for our priests and bishops. It is a false and damaging, wrong policy, It is definately not in the bible or part of our real history in the church. Bishops are supposed to be married. Bishops are supposed to manage their children well. Bishops are to have one wife, not no wife. Theologians, laity, priests, should all be demanding this error against married clergy has to be reformed. Bishops are to be married according to the NT. Not single, not celibate. When the pope is wrong, he is wrong.
The pope`s own prejudices against women or ignorance of the bible, or misogyny must not make the rules of our church. B16 must be corrected.
Please do not ever be a
Please do not ever be a dead-beat dad neglecting your family, your wife, common-law spouse, your children. Thia looks like what happened here.
See the fruits of secrecy and cover-up continuing in our church.
Why is mandatory celibacy rule still in our church for our priests and bishops. It is a false and damaging, wrong policy, It is definately not in the bible or part of our real history in the church. Bishops are supposed to be married. Bishops are supposed to manage their children well. Bishops are to have one wife, not no wife. Theologians, laity, priests, should all be demanding this error against married clergy has to be reformed. Bishops are to be married according to the NT. Not single, not celibate. When the pope is wrong, he is wrong.
The pope`s own prejudices against women or ignorance of the bible, or misogyny must not make the rules of our church. B16 must be corrected.
Are you serious? Whatever you
Are you serious? Whatever you might think of celibacy, one thing is clear: No on forced Bishop Zavala to be celibate. He could have been a devout Catholic, a highly progressive liberationist who work with Pax Christi USA, work against capital punishment and support immigration reform that would allow undocumented immigrants to regularize their status--WITHOUT EVER HAVING TO BECOME AN ORDAINED PRIEST OR BISHOP...that is, without ever having to be celibate! Thousands of faithful and devout Catholics do it every day! True, Zavala did many wonderful things as a bishop, but he can (and I hope he will) continue to do these wonderful things as he moves on with his life; but let's not spin this into a debate about celibacy--as if allowing priests and bishops to get marry will even begin to resolve anything.
An interesting comment. I
An interesting comment. I listened to a broadcast recently in which a young priest talked about the availability of a celbate priest for his parish and people and how celibacy was therefore intrinsic to vocation.It is time the Latin Church got to grips with this odd notion, for the ancient Churches of the East, some of which pre-date the Church of Rome, the NORM for a priest is to be married, and it works. In fact until the second millenium this was the case in the Latin Church, so can anybody tell me just where this 'apostolic commission' for celibacy of secular clergy really comes from? In GB we have large numbers of married ex anglican priests whose dedication is the same except that they perhaps have emotional support and companionship denied to their brethren!I also note the dedication and love of people for their married clergy is exactly the same as that for those unmarried .
"But what is being ignored in
"But what is being ignored in press reports and by the archdiocese is the very notion of celibacy for Catholic priests by the church." What press are you reading???? It's the ONLY thing that is being talked about in the press. Come on! Let's not pretend to be martyrs . . .
Dennis, So you chose
Dennis,
So you chose priesthood to bring you closer to God. Does this mean that married priests, who are faithful to both Christ and their spouses, are even closer to God? Somehow, I don't see priesthood as, automatically, making one close to God. I've known some priests who do not seem to be close to God at all: arrogant, narcissistic, unloving etc
Miami's Padre Cutie solved
Miami's Padre Cutie solved his family problem by going anglican. This good bishop clearly is too honorable for this deception and apostasy. Meanwhile, will Cutie get embraced in this brave new ratzo Roman Catholic Church through the Anglican ordinariate?
No. By leaving the Catholic
No. By leaving the Catholic Church and attempting marriage, Cutie has committed a canonical delict which would be a bar to exercising his orders again, should he return to the Church. This is the same problem with the head of the Traditional Anglicans in Australia: he had left the Catholic priesthood, and thus cannot be welcomed back as a cleric. The Anglican Ordinariate is for people who were originally Anglicans / Episcopalians. You can't do an end run around celibacy by leaving the Catholic Church and then coming back to it. Initially sounds like a clever idea, but it doesn't work.
I am a Christian and appalled
I am a Christian and appalled at the Catholic Church.The Church needs to stay out of Politics. They also need to stop sticking thier nose in Immagration, afraid they might loose some of that money coming from the Illegal Aliens. They are breaking the Law.The church needs to loose thier 501 Tax code. I will never step into a Chatholic Church again.The Catholic Churches you would think would be conservative, thier support of Barach Obama is crazy.He is the most Liberal progessive Abortion supporter and the Catholic Church Supports him. One day soon we will all be judged.
A celibate commitment does
A celibate commitment does not necessarily mean one will live a generous, unselfish life with more time for others. A bishop I know told me about a man who had left the priesthood and married who told him, "When I was a priest I worked two days a week and had five days off. Now I have to work five days a week and only have two days off." Married people live generous lives 24/7.
It is a shame that all the
It is a shame that all the comments are base on celibacy, sexual abuses and the marry life. It IS ABOUT HOLINESS. WE ALL SHOULD STRIVE TO HOLY FOR GOD IS HOLY AND UNLESS WE HAVE A CLEAN HEART NONE OF US WILL EVER SEE GOD. Married couples should strive to be holy and any one in ministry should be striving to bring the rest of us into a close relation with God. Like the bishop, there are many who do good but it is not in just doing good but being holy. Jesus, said that even evil people will good for the their evil friends. Holy will not only do good but will stay holy.
Bishop Zavala would be most
Bishop Zavala would be most welcome in the Episcopal Church and should contact Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, Episcopal Bishop of Los Angeles, forthwith to apply to become an Assistant Bishop.
Celibacy is a beautiful gift
Celibacy is a beautiful gift a man gives to his Father when he consecrates his life to Jesus by becoming a priest. If the Bishop could no longer continue a life of celibacy he could have stepped down.
There is no mention of the sin of scrilege this Bishop committed over and over while being with this woman. He abandoned his God,the woman and his children. How arrogant and sad.
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