It's almost as if they're happy for him and sending him happily on his way. The good news is that this Old Liberal won't be overtly destroying the Church, although he is likely to become a poster child for those disobedient sorts who mistakenly believe a married clergy is a silver bullet for the exceedingly rare cases where priests sexually abuse minors. Father Z indicates that he was president of Pax Christi, the USA Chapter and of the international “Peace” Movement. That's fairly damning, isn't it?
He brings back memories of Bishop Shannon, another humanae vitae dissenter, who was himself never very comfortable with the Catholic religion but somehow managed to be promoted.
VATICAN CITY — Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala has resigned after disclosing to superiors that he was the father of two children.
The Vatican announced the bishop’s resignation today in a one-line statement that cited church law on resignation for illness or other serious reasons.
Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez announced the “sad and difficult” news in a letter to Catholics in the archdiocese. He said Bishop Zavala, who was auxiliary bishop for the San Gabriel Pastoral Region, had informed him in early December that he was the father of two minor teenage children who live with their mother in another state.
Link to original at Catholic News Service...
This must have been in the works for a long time. The archdiocese has agreed to pay for college educations for the kids.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how people feel that the diocese will get sued. He was doing something completely against Church law. But I suppose they'll say that he's a bishop 24/7, the Church must not have supervised him properly.
And a judge, who all believe that "somebody must always pay", will find him too old to go to work.
I wonder how long the archdiocese knew about the relationship and the kids.