San Francisco Versus the Church

Since the mid 1990s, there has been a state of war between the government of the city of San Francisco and the Catholic Church. The city and archdiocese had grown up together, in reasonable harmony, and this state of war was a new thing. What had changed? Simply this: by the mid 1990s, homosexual activists had taken power in the city. As the homosexual activists grow more powerful the war grows hotter.

If you attempt to promote Church’s teaching on homosexuality in San Francisco you face an implacable enemy. This is not only true in San Francisco. We've seen the same thing in Connecticut, where Bill #1098, authored by two homosexual activist legislators, attempted essentially to facilitate a takeover of the Church in Connecticut by forcing a restructuring of Church governanace.

In San Francisco, there were two important event this past week. First, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the lawsuit brought by two San Francisco Catholics against the city and county of San Francisco. The suit was provoked by the City’s Resolution #168-06, which called the Catholic Church “hateful” and “discriminatory". Resolution 168-06 was provoked by Vatican insistence that children being placed for adoption by Catholic adoption agencies should not be placed in same-sex households--that to do so would be to deliberately deny such children of their fundamental right to be raised by a mother and father. This rather commonsensical insistence was, in turn, provoked by the actions of at least two branches of Catholic Charities (Boston and San Francisco), which had already placed children in such households. More on this below.

The second event was the ongoing attempt by the city to levy somewhere between $3 million and $15 million dollars of new taxes on the Archdiocese. The city is attempting to justify this on the basis of an Archdiocesan restructuring of assets. Other non-profit organizations are watching this closely.

The San Francisco Chronicle first reported this on January 14, 2009:

“San Francisco will try to collect up to $15 million in taxes from the Archdiocese of San Francisco, which is refusing to pay certain taxes on properties the church is transferring from one Catholic nonprofit organization to another.

‘The city has applied the law in an uneven fashion (e.g. We are aware of non-Archdiocesan, non-Catholic charities which have transferred property to other charities and no transfer tax has been levied),’ wrote Jack Hammel, legal counsel for the archdiocese, in an e-mail to the assessor's office.

San Francisco Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting said the tax is fair and equitable. He said his office spent months investigating the archdiocese's case and considering all of the reasons the church might be exempt from the tax.”

We thought then, and we think now, that this action by the city was in response to the Church’s support of Proposition 8. (We also contend that the actions of the Connecticut legislators was in direct response to the Connecticut Diocese’s opposition to same-sex “marriage” in that state). As we mentioned at the time, Assessor Ting had made news in 2008 for officiating at same-sex “weddings.” The Sing Tao Daily reported:

‘Phil Ting spoke after the ceremony and said that he is very glad to marry gay and lesbian couples and very happy to see the day that the California government will allow their gay and lesbian couples the freedom to marry.’

Yesterday, June 6, 2009, the Chronicle had a follow-up story:

“Both sides agree that the year-long battle, which will come to a head at a June 16 appeals hearing, isn't only about the millions of dollars at stake for the local Catholic Church and city coffers. It could also have wide-ranging implications for hundreds of other nonprofit groups…”

“A city appeals board - made up of the city controller, treasurer and head of the real estate division - will hold the hearing on June 16 to determine whether the church owes the taxes. If his office is successful, Ting estimates the archdiocese could owe between $3 million and $15 million in taxes.”

The Chronicle tells us the review will be heard by “A city appeals board - made up of the city controller, treasurer and head of the real estate division …”

And who are they? The city controller is Mr. Ben Rosenfield. So far, so good. But the treasurer is Mr. Jose Cisneros. Mr. Cisneros sits on the Board of Directors of Equality California, the group whose mission is to shove same-sex "marriage" down the throats of Californians. (Assessor Phil Ting also sits on the board.) Here’s Mr. Cisneros (center), protesting the passage of Proposition 8. The man to his right is San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty.

(Photo courtesy Steve Rhodes and Flickr.)

The head of the real estate division is Ms. Amy L. Brown. Here she is, coaching other city employees on how to perform same-sex “marriages.”

(Photo courtesy Brant Ward, San Francisco Chronicle)

Ms. Brown was also a donor to “No on 8-Equality California” the PAC of Equality California.


That’s the same “Equality California” on whose board city treasurer Jose Cisnero and city Assessor Phil Ting sit.

With Cisneros and Brown as two of the three members of the review board, will the Church get a fair hearing? We doubt it. Look for this to end up in court, where public attorneys--paid in part by the tax dollars of Catholics--will try to hamstring the Church.
______________________________________________________________

That’s one story. The other was the dismissal by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals of the lawsuit against the city by San Francisco Catholics over Resolution 168-06.

It is important to recognize that the genesis of that lawsuit was not the action by the city but the action by Catholic Charities CYO of San Francisco.

As we said above, the lawsuit was in response to the resolution by the city, which was in response to a statement from the Vatican, which was in response to actions by Catholic Charities. The entire series of events was set in motion by Catholic Charities’ defiance of the teachings of the our Church. It is also important to recognize that throughout that conflict Catholic Charities was on the side of the city, not the Church.

While it is bad that the city government is now an enemy of our Church, it is far worse that elements within Catholic Charities, using the name “Catholic,” actively work to undermine Church teaching. Despite its name, the fact is that Catholic Charities is more an arm of the city than it is of the Church. In 2007-2008 Catholic Charities CYO received over 68% of its entire operating revenue ($21,471, 994 of $31,072,409) in the form of government contracts.

One of those sponsoring Resolution 168-06 was the openly homosexual Supervisor Bevan Dufty. Reader of “A Shepherd’s Voice” will remember that, following the resolution, Catholic Charities tried to finesse Church teaching, by outsourcing their adoptions service to “Family Builders by Adoption” who call themselves “the gayest (adoption) agency in the country.” The “consultant” for this partnership was the same Supervisor Bevan Dufty who not only voted for but was a sponsor of Resolution 168-06--the same Supervisor Bevan Dufty who is pictured above with city treasurer Jose Cisneros, who will rule on the Church’s tax appeal next week.

As has been amply demonstrated, the partnership obligated Catholic Charities to “increase the number of children placed in “LGBT” households. And Catholic Charities was well aware of this when they signed on.

Thankfully the contract between Catholic Charities and Family Builders by Adoption ends this month, and it will not be renewed. That is strictly due to the outrage expressed by Catholics faithful to our Church’s teaching. Catholic Charities claimed that the partnership was only intended to be short term, but that claim does not stand up to scrutiny. And the departure of the former Executive Director, Mr. Brian Cahill, gives reason for hope. But the problem predated Mr. Cahill, and the relationship between Catholic Charities and the same people who called the our Church “hateful” continues to this day—as it must, since those are the same people from whom Catholic Charities receives the vast majority of its operating revenue.

This Thursday, June 11, Catholic Charities will host its annual “Red House” fundraiser to benefit those suffering from AIDS. Look at the Honorary Committee. It includes Mayor Gavin Newsom, Supervisor Bevan Dufty, and transvestite male entertainer “Donna Sachet,” who is also a board member of Equality California. Below is "Sachet" (in red) with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (Photo courtesy Malcom and Cook's Boulevard)

Why are people like that still being honored by Catholic Charities? Given this, is it right for Catholic Charities to still be one of the very few organizations for which there is a mandated second collection in every church in the Archdiocese?

As long as the Church teaches that it is better for a child to be brought up by a mother and a father than by a homosexual couple, and as long as the church teaches that marriage can only exist between one man and one woman, and as long as there are homosexual activists running the government of San Francisco, this enmity will continue.

Since our Church cannot change its teaching on this issue, the activists--in conjunction with likeminded persons both inside and outside the Church--will try to intimidate the Church from without and undermine it from within. The Thomas More Law Center will appeal the Ninth Circuit’s verdict--but the more dangerous issue, the undermining of Church teaching from within, can only be addressed by the Archdiocese.

More on Tuesday.

Posted by Gibbons J. Cooney

Defense of Marriage Updates

In New Hampshire this week, the same-sex "marriage" actvists maintained their perfect record: zero victories whenever the people have a chance to have their say. They only win when they can bring a lot of pressure on a small number of people, like a legislature, or when a judge rules in their favor.


Meanwhile in California, the Bay Area Reporter and the San Francisco Bay Times (both are gay targeted publications) had stories on last weekend's "Equality Leadership Summit," which included the reults of the "Poll for Equality." From the BAR:


"Press kicked out of summit over poll"
by Cynthia Laird


"Reporters were ordered to leave last Sunday's equality leadership summit in Fresno during a discussion of recent polling data after meeting organizers, and groups that paid for the poll, expressed fears that the "sensitive" information would provide ammunition to opponents of same-sex marriage.

An examination of the poll, a copy of which was leaked to reporters, shows that indeed, marriage equality supporters have a tough road ahead as they prepare for a ballot measure to repeal Proposition 8, which eliminated same-sex marriage after 52 percent of California voters approved it last November."

And from the SF Bay Times:

"Poll 4 Equality Says There’s No Change in California’s Support for Same Sex Marriage Since November"
By Kim Corsaro

"At a cost of $85,000 a broad coalition of faith, civil rights, labor and LGBT groups banded together earlier this year to commission a private poll to determine how Californians feel about another ballot battle on the issue of same-sex marriage, and when best that battle should take place: 2010 or 2012. The poll, conducted in the week before the Supreme Court released their decision upholding Prop 8, was entitled “Poll 4 Equality” and was conducted by David Binder of Binder Research and Amy R. Simon of Goodwin Simon Victoria Research.....

On the face of it, the poll is somewhat discouraging. It indicates that there really hasn’t been much of a shift in voter opinion since the November 2008 election. The margins remain steady at 2-4 points against same sex marriage, pretty much no matter how the question is asked. All of the fears voters expressed around their religious freedom being trampled and their children being educated that gay marriage is OK ring out loud and clear in all the poll results."

Polls are irrelevant--but we know our opponents will be extremely well funded, and that they get unlimited free advertising in the media. The SF Bay Times author admitted as much:

"The only real education that has been done on our behalf has been in the media. That’s why younger voters are so heavily in favor of same sex marriage; they’ve gotten to know us through Hollywood."

_____________________________________________________________

From the pro-marriage side, we received an email from Bill May, of Catholics for the Common Good:

"A statewide effort to repeal California Prop 8 was launched last weekend by traditional marriage opponents.

To date, Catholics for the Common Good is the only organization that has started training and deploying volunteer leaders in what will become a huge public educational effort to regain the offense on marriage and the family. The first Southern California training has already been held, and has generated much excitement and confidence among participants. Others are planned around the state including Fresno and the Bay Area tentatively scheduled for July 25 and August 1 respectively.Yet we are struggling to pay our rent. Last month, for the first time, we fell short of meeting our obligations. We have since covered them, but to continue operations, we need to raise at least $20,000 by the end of the June, and for every month thereafter."

"Please make a tax-deductible donation today!"

You can go to http://www.ccgaction.org/donate/CCGIdonation to donate online.

Posted by Gibbons J. Cooney

"We have a Vatican II president."

That's how Fr. John O'Malley's latest in the Jesuit Magazine "America" opens.

The article also contains these sentences:

"I often hear laments that the spirit of Vatican II is dead in the church. Is it not ironic that not a bishop but the President of the United States should today be the most effective spokesperson for that spirit?"

I myself know almost nothing about Vatican II, but it's possible that what is dead is not the "spirit of Vatican II", but a particular interpretation of that spirit.

But if it is true that a non-Catholic supporter of abortion, partial-birth abortion, and Embryonic Stem-Cell Research, who just declared June to be "National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Month" is the most effective spokesperson for the "spirit of Vatican II", its death is certainly nothing to mourn.

Diogenes and Father Z have weighed in on this.

Posted by Gibbons J. Cooney

Common Ground With Theorists of Murder? Part II

From today's Los Angeles Times comes a story about the reduced possibility for "common ground" on abortion following the murder of Dr. Tiller.

"Doctor's slaying a setback for common ground on abortion"

"The Obama administration had begun bringing both sides together for discussions. Now emotions are raw, and any agreement looks less likely than ever."

We repeat what we said in our post of November 22, 2008:

"There is no common ground possible with a person who believes it is acceptable behavior to murder another person, until they renounce that position. The position itself precludes common ground, because it is a denial of common humanity. That's what being 'pro-choice' on abortion means--it's a denial of common humanity."

Posted by Gibbons J. Cooney

Crackpot President Declares June to be "National LGBT Pride Month"

From the Catholic News Agency:

"President Obama declares June ‘LGBT Pride Month’"

"Washington D.C., Jun 2, 2009 / 05:28 pm (CNA).- In a Monday proclamation, President Barack Obama declared June 2009 to be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month, outlining his plan to advance homosexual political concerns."

We know all about LGBT Pride in San Francisco. Can one imagine this expression of "pride" at the St. Patrick's Day Parade, or on Martin Luther King Day, or at the Chinese New Year's parade, or on Columbus Day?



The picture is from San Francisco's 2008 "Pride" parade, censored for this website. Sorry if anyone is offended. These men are in the very center of the city--the corner of First and Market Street--that's the "LGBT Pride" President Obama is talking about.

At the same parade, San Francisco firefighter Sabine Balden participated. She was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle "I'm perfectly happy to be riding topless in the parade. That's what gay pride is all about.”

It's not harmless. Some other things that ought to be mentioned:

According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s HIV/AIDS Annual Epidemiology Report for the year 2006, there were more than 19 times as many cases of syphilis among men having "sex" with men as there were among the entire rest of the city's population combined. And that's from a group that is only 8.3% of the city's population.

Or this: According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s HIV/AIDS Annual Epidemiology Report for the year 2006, since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, through December 31, 2006, 18,232 San Franciscans with AIDS have died. Of those, 16,538 (nearly 91%) were men who engaged in "sex" with other men.

Or this: in San Francisco the tolerance of the celebration of homosexuality, in the name of "equality," has so corrupted the city that in 2008 "Leather Pride" flags were flown on city flagpoles and street lamps.

Photo courtesy Michael Petrelis.

"Leather Pride" flags are the emblem of those who define themselves by their "leather" (that is sado-masochistic) sexuality. Will we one day see the proclamation of a "National Leather Pride" month? And if not, why not?

Posted by Gibbons J. Cooney

Thousands of Californians Rally in Support of Proposition 8

On Pentecost Sunday, the good people of the Central Valley stood up for natural marriage.

From the Fresno Bee:

"Thousands in Fresno mark Prop. 8 success
Published online on Sunday, May. 31, 2009
By Bethany Clough / The Fresno Bee

"A day after backers of same-sex marriage rallied in front of Fresno City Hall, about 3,000 people gathered in the same place Sunday evening to support the traditional definition of marriage.

And our friend Bill May was there, pointing out that the defense of natural marriage equals the defense of the common good:

"We know marriage is a part of God's creation," said Bill May, with Catholics for the Common Good, an activist group that promotes Catholic social tradition in the public arena. "Traditional marriage is not something that society created. ... Marriage originated society."

"We are in mourning."

An email from our friend, the Reverend Walter Hoye:

"The Issues4Life Foundation denounces the murder of Dr. George Tiller!

The murder of Dr. George Tiller is reprehensible! There is nothing "Pro-Life" or "Christian" about murder and the hatred that fuels it.

We are in mourning."

Notre Dame Is "Confused"

ZENIT spoke with Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani of Lima, Peru about recent scandals in the Church.  He was asked what he thought of this month's turmoil over the decision by Notre Dame University to bestow an honorary doctorate on the U.S. president, despite Barack Obama's staunch support of abortion rights and other anti-life issues.

The cardinal answered that Catholic identity is not a decision of a particular university or a rector or education official, but rather is something given by the Church itself.
He explained: "What cannot be done and what is not done in any institution is to say 'this automobile is a Toyota,' if the Toyota manufacturer does not put his brand on it.

"I think there is a need for a little more clarity and authority. Clarity from those who are responsible for being able to say: 'If you don't want to be Catholic, then don't be.' But what we can't do is sell a ruined product.

 To think that parents and their kids go to a university that has the title of 'Catholic' and then it turns out that it teaches what is contrary to the faith. This is a confusion or an abuse. I think the Church has the duty to call things by their name."

Cardinal Cipriani said it seems a "provocation to give Catholic homage to a president who in the first 100 days has boosted abortion, gay marriage, investigations with embryonic cells, and an entire anti-life agenda. It does not seem to me that he is the most adequate person to receive recognition from the University of Notre Dame, which, by the way, has been greatly confused for some years now." ROME, MAY 29, 2009 (Zenit.org).-.

President Obama's Supreme Court Pick

Those who believe the chief qualification for a Supreme Court justice is an unswerving commitment to strictly interpret the Constitution are alarmed by President Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court.

President Obama has praised Judge Sotomayor for her "empathy," and she has stated: "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experience would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."

But here is what then-Senator Obama said in 2004: "There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America--there is the United States of America." If you're confused by this sudden swerve, so are we.(Focus on the Family)

Third TLM to be Celebrated in the Archdiocese of San Francisco

A friend sends us this news:

"After more than six months of preparation, organization, planning and seeking authorization from the Archdiocese, we have finally received permission to hold a Traditional Latin Mass at Mater Dolorosa on June 7, 2009 (Sunday) at 6:30 PM and every first Sunday of the month thereafter."

Because some may have forgotten or never attended a TLM, the organizers have thoughtfully provided help:

"On May 30, Saturday, we will be conducting a two hour orientation classon 'THE RUBRICS OF THE TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS' which will be conducted by Fr. William Young. The class starts at 10:00 AM at the Mater Dolorosa hall."

"Finally, please invite your friends, family, parents, grandparents, children and young people especially."

Contact info for Mater Dolorosa is here:

Mater Dolorosa Catholic Parish
307 Willow Avenue,
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Tel: (650) 583-4131

That makes three TLM's now being celebrated in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Information about the other two, at Holy Rosary Chapel in San Rafael and at St. Francis of Assisi in East Palo Alto can be found here. Those locations are in the far north and south of the Archdiocese, respectively, so having a TLM a little more centrally located is nice.

"The truths of our faith are not open to debate"

From Stella Borealis via Fr. Z:

The wonderful Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, His Excellency John Nienstadt, has this response to a letter from Brian McNeil, organizer of the "Rainbow Sash Alliance" a group of homosexual activists who attempt to disrupt Pentecost Sunday Masses in the Twin Cities. As Father Z. writes:

"Adherents of Rainbow Sash publicly protest the Church’s teaching on homosexuality by making a public display of themselves during the time of Holy Communion during a Mass for Pentecost at the Cathedral of the Archdiocese. In other words, they seek to receive Communion while protesting the Church’s teachings."

Here is His Excellency's letter:

Dear Brian,

I write to acknowledge your letter of May 10, 2009, alerting me to the fact that you and some fellow protesters will be wearing rainbow sashes at the noon Mass on Pentecost in the Cathedral of St. Paul. I ask yo to refrain from such a public act of dissent, especially as it so clearly shows disrespect and irreverence for the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

Anyone wearing a “rainbow sash” will not be permitted to receive Holy Communion, since their dissent is a sign that they have publicly broken communion with the Church’s teaching. I also ask that those not wearing the sashes refrain from sharing the Holy Eucharist with those who do. Such an action is unbecoming the dignity of the sacrament.

With regard to the dialogue you request, it would first be essential that you state clearly that you hold with the conviction all that the Church teaches on matters of human sexuality. If you do not believe, then there cannot be dialogue, but only debate. The truths of our faith are not open to debate.

Again, I hope you will see how disruptive your planned protest will be for those who will gather on Pentecost to pray. I ask you to refrain from being the cause of such disruption.

Sincerely your in Christ,

The Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

Good Advice from a Muslim, Bad Advice from Professor Kmiec

"The survival of the Western family is a question of immediate Muslim concern, and we must offer our views until the time comes when our friends and neighbours, their doctrines broken on the anvil of reality, are humbled enough to listen." -British Muslim cleric Abdal-Hakim Murad, "The Fall of the Family."

Meanwhile, from the Catholic News Agency:

"Kmiec proposes end of legally recognized marriage

Washington D.C., May 28, 2009.- Doug Kmiec, a prominent Catholic who backed Barack Obama’s presidential bid, has endorsed replacing marriage with a neutral 'civil license,' a proposal law professor Robert P. George called a 'terrible idea' that would make the government neglect a vital social institution

Speaking to CNSNews.com, Pepperdine University law professor Doug Kmiec said that although his solution to disputes over the definition of marriage might be 'awkward,' it would 'untie the state from this problem' by creating a new terminology that would apply to everyone, homosexual or not. 'Call it a ‘civil license’,' he said...."

Professor Kmiec sees the definition of marriage as a "problem" to be solved, rather than as a reality to be accepted. By doing so he elevates the non-definition of same-sex "marriage" to equal standing with the reality-based definition of marriage: a union of one man and one woman. But the battle over marriage is not about solving a problem, it's about waging a war. As Bishop Salvatore Cordileone of Oakland says: "There are two ideas of marriage on the table. They are mutually exclusive. Only one will be left standing." By giving equal standing to reality and non-reality, Professor Kmiec has already surrendered.

Posted by Gibbons J. Cooney