Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
(PHOTO BY DAN MORRIS-YOUNG/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)
California Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage
Respect Life Essay winners honored Pictured with Archbishop George Niederauer, Phillip Carrion, an Archbishop Riordan High School sophomore, won the grand prize honor for grades 9-10 in the 18th Annual Respect Life Essay Contest sponsored by the Archdiocese’s Respect Life Ministry program. He and more than 100 students in grades one through 12 were honored during a May 18 awards ceremony at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Additional coverage is slated for the June 13 Catholic San Francisco. Vicki Evans directs Respect Life Ministry for the Archdiocese.
By Michael Vick Archbishop George Niederauer and other California Catholic leaders have condemned the May 15 ruling by the California Supreme Court that struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. In a statement released shortly after the ruling, Archbishop Niederauer said Catholic teaching on marriage is clear and based on the teaching of Jesus Christ, who said God “made them male and female” and “for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife.” “At a moment in our society when we need to reinforce the strength of marriage and family, this decision of the Supreme Court takes California in the opposite direction,” the Archbishop said. “This action challenges those in society who believe in the importance of the traditional understanding of marriage to deepen their witness to the unique and essential role that marriage between a man and a woman has in the life of society.” In a statement released on the heels of the Supreme Court’s decision, Ned Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, said the Court overturned the will of the people.
“Proposition 22, which states, ‘Only marriage between one man and one woman is valid and recognized in California,’ passed eight years ago by a vote of 61.2 to 38.8 percent,” Dolejsi said. “That statute reflected the wisdom of the voters of California in retaining the traditional definition of marriage as a biological reality and a societal good. Unfortunately … the Court saw fit to disregard the will of the majority of people of California.” “Catholic teaching maintains that marriage is a faithful, exclusive and lifelong union between one man and one woman joined in an intimate partnership of life and love – a union instituted by God for the mutual fulfillment of the husband and wife as well as for the procreation and education of children,” Dolejsi said. In a statement sent to all parishes and departments of the Oakland Diocese on May 16, Bishop Allen Vigneron called the Court ruling “a profoundly significant matter” and underscored that “the experience of history – both ancient and in our own time – has taught us that no government has the power to change the order which God has inscribed in our nature.” “The conviction that same-sex couples cannot enter marriage is a conviction SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, page 5
By Michael Vick
Rev. Mr. Juan Lopez is looking forward to making himself at home among the faithful of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The transitional deacon will be ordained to the priesthood June 7 at St. Mary’s Cathedral by Archbishop George H. Niederauer. Born in Mexico 39 years ago, Deacon Lopez joined his parents, Benita and the now late Jose, in the United States in the 1990s. His mother continues to make her home in the Bay Area as do his 11 siblings and their families. Deacon Lopez arrived in the United States with a background in computers from a technical school in Mexico. He began studies at College of San Mateo almost immediately, taking day and night courses while working two jobs. “I’ve been a plumber, construction worker LOPEZ, page 8
Rev. Mr. Ghislain Bazikila, who on June 21 will become the second deaf priest of African descent to be ordained for the Archdiocese of San Francisco in as many years, told Catholic San Francisco he hopes to see more deaf people ordained in the future. “Deaf people struggle with vocations because of limited access,” Deacon Bazikila said through interpreter and deaf services coordinator Neva Turoff in an interview at St. Patrick’s Seminary and University in Menlo Park. The seminarian encountered stumbling blocks on his road to ordination himself. Born in Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo, Deacon Bazikila enrolled in the seminary at age 14. In his third year of studies, he began to lose his hearing. He initially did not notice the gradual changes in his hearing. BAZIKILA, page 8
(PHOTO BY GOLDEN IMAGES)
By Tom Burke
Rev. Mr. Juan Lopez
(PHOTO BY GOLDEN IMAGES)
Two men to be ordained priests for Archdiocese in June Plumber, construction worker, Seminarian overcomes deafness ‘washer of trucks,’ and now priest in seeking vocation to priesthood
Rev. Mr. Ghislain Bazikila
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION Myanmar aided . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Marin Catholic . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Year of St. Paul about to begin ~ Page 9 ~ May 23, 2008
Weddings, marriage and Church teaching ~ Pages 12-17 ~
Canossian Sisters celebrate 200 years ~ Page 18 ~
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Scripture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Classified ads . . . . . . . . 22-23
NEXT ISSUE JUNE 13 VOLUME 10
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No. 18