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Published: June 27, 2008
"Strongly, strongly pro-choice"
LA’s 'Catholic' mayor officiates at same-sex marriage ceremony
 In officiating at the June 17 “marriage” of the same lesbian couple he had joined in dubious wedlock four years ago, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom beat Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to the punch. But Villaraigosa, like Newsom a potential contender for the Democratic nomination for governor, was not to be bested. On June 23, Villaraigosa united Hollywood producer Bruce Cohen with his five-year-long male companion, art consultant Gabriel Catone. And, the previous week, the Los Angeles mayor voiced his warm support for legalized same-sex marriage.
"The California electorate is coming into a new age realizing that [gay] marriage is an institution that supports family values, and it's certainly one I support," Villaraigosa said, according to the June 24 Los Angeles Times. "I certainly respect people of faith who disagree. I also respect the law, and I'm sworn to uphold the law."
Villaraigosa calls himself a person of faith – the Catholic faith. But that his respect for the law includes support for something as contrary to his faith as same-sex marriage is, perhaps, not surprising. Villaraigosa also supports legalized abortion and, last year, was given Planned Parenthood’s “Hero Award” for his role in the defeat of Proposition 85, the Parents’ Right to Know and Child Protection Initiative. In October 2002, Villaraigosa spoke at the grand opening of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Boyle Heights.
In a 2001 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Villaraigosa said he attended Mass only about a dozen times a year (at Holy Family in Pasadena) and that his religion was “more about my spirituality and faith than adherence to rigid theological concepts.” Indeed, he said, "I'm strongly, strongly pro-choice," and noted that he is troubled by "some of the church's teachings on sexuality with respect to gays and lesbians."
But if he ignores some of his Church’s “rigid theological concepts,” Villaraigosa has not been shunned by Church leaders – at least, in Los Angeles. In 2005, Cardinal Roger Mahony led an “interfaith service” at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in honor of Villaraigosa's inauguration as L.A. mayor. The cardinal joined a procession from the cathedral to City Hall on inauguration day, and gave the invocation at the inaugural. Last December, Mahony and Villaraigosa marched together in an Our Lady of Guadalupe Day procession that began at the corner of Cesar Chavez Avenue and Ford Boulevard and ended at East Los Angeles City College Stadium, where the cardinal and his auxiliary bishops celebrated Mass.
Villaraigosa also spoke at commencement ceremonies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles in 2006, a college that calls itself “a Catholic university rooted in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions.”
Villaraigosa was not the only Los Angeles-area politician to display his support for same-sex marriage. Last week, LA city council president Eric Garcetti “wheeled an upright piano onto the south lawn of City Hall so he could preside over a wedding between two of his former staffers,” reported the Times.
Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 2:54 AM By Sawyer
If the CA Catholic bishops continue to be timid in the face of this affront to the Catholic faith by prominent "Catholic" politicians, then they are pathetic, whimpy, utterly empty cassocks. Time to break out the whip and cleanse the Temple, men of God! Either defend the Church's faith virgorously, tirelessly and effectively or just give up the whole charade. I'm demotivated by the clergy's collective "ho-hum" to this most grave threat to the future of Judeo-Christian values in our society. If same-sex marriage is not banned this November, it will be almost impossible to undo. Oh, but the bishops are merely the religious arm of the Democrat Party, so it all makes sense.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 5:26 AM By Bridget
ALERT TO CITIZENS OF CALIFORNIA: MOVE NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!
Could Nostra Damas' prediction come true? Will you really "fall into the ocean"?
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 6:14 AM By Miguel
Sadly again another JOKE! These "Catholic" politicians will go to no ends to pander for votes. Even if that means shaking hands with the Devil. I just don't know why the bishops and vatican allow this to happen. They need to be ex-communicated. This would send a strong message. They can't have it both ways. Tolerance, is a man with no convictions.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 7:31 AM By BobM
With such Catholics as Villaraigosa (and Pelosi, and Kennedy, and ...), and clergy as Mahony, we see the pending wave of the next schism in the Church. I wonder what we will have to change OUR Church's name to, since this ilk will keep the one they've got, since THEY will always be in the right, what with their being more powerful and important than God and all, of course. What? You don't buy that from me? Then just ask THEM.
Sad times indeed. But we love them just the same, right? It's what Jesus wants us to do. Probably the toughest memo he issued while visiting.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 7:56 AM By Fr. M.P.
Just another apostate claiming to be Catholic.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 7:58 AM By BJ
We need the church hierarchy to step forward very publicly on occasions like this to confront `Catholic` politicians.
The news media should be informed that those `Catholics´ who refuse to accept the churches condemnation of same sex unions and indeed openly promote and support such behaviour have automatically `ex-communed´ themselves from the church which they now falsely claim to be a part of. It`s not rocket science and it really is desperately necessary. God help us.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 8:12 AM By Sick and Tired
Does anyone actually find this surprising? Has anyone actually BEEN to Lost Angeles lately? It's becoming harder and harder to distinguish many areas from a Mexican border town. From Wilmington to South Central to MacArthur Park to North Hollywood, street vendors push their carts and billboard and storefront signage is all in Spanish. In North Hollywood last week, there was a 2-block long junk sale on the sidewalk of Lankershim Blvd. complete with street vendors selling mangos on a stick and bags of fried pork rinds. Villaraigosa worships only HIMSELF. He cares nothing about his supposed Catholic faith, American sovereignty or local business. He has worked to create Ciudad Villaraigosa, and in that town, he is god and Mahoney is Pope. Come visit! Have a mango! Get married! Join in on a pickup soccer game on the lawn of City Hall!
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 8:43 AM By Elizabeth
So, it's a contest to both these 'CATHOLIC men????
How sad scandalizing themselves and the people they are so called 'marrying'.
If i was Cardinal Mahoney and Archbishop Niederhauer, I would have a VERY LONG TALK with both these so called "CATHOLICS' and tell them to shape up, or ship out to another church.
This is OBSCENE!!!!!!!!!
Selling their souls for political life, VERY SAD!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 9:45 AM By Georgia
On a previous blog I recommended a book titled "The Signs of the Times" understanding the Church since Vatican II. This is probably the best book I have read on the subject, It is a real eye-opener. I urge each and every one of you to read it. I recommended that the bishops note chapter 18; but I suggest younote chapter 19, "The Plight of the Papist Priest".
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 9:51 AM By BB
Sick and Tired - What do your anti-Mexican feelings have to do with this article? You're right about Villaraigosa, of course, but your railing against non-assimilated communities sounds a lot like anti-Irish and Italian sentiment of 100 years ago.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 9:55 AM By Georgia
Elizabeth, Don't expect Cardinal Mahony to chastise these two men. He is more likely to call them in to congradulate them for being so progressive; after all he is the leader of the band.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 9:57 AM By Anne T.
Sick and Tired, not all Mexican Americans and Hispanics believe as Newson and Villaraigosa do, but many still keep voting these guys into office. Sometimes they have not much choice. Some are being terribly used by both sides. Most of us in California are or have children or grandchildren who are part hispanic, mainly Mexican American--just as in the Northern U.S. many are mixed with French and English Canadian. Yes, most or all of these men mentioned here definitely are behaving like apostates and certainly will have to answer to the Almighty for it. I would not want to be in their shoes come Judgment Day.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 10:37 AM By John L. Sillassen
Certainly that mayor is like an anti-christ; however, it is no sin at all for people to be Mexican. Perhaps one explanation as to why Mexico culture is moving northward is the vacancy left by fewer and fewer anglo babies. You get what you pay for, and when you pay for abortion, you get the loss of the culture you are aborting. If that culture had kept to the Commandments of God, namely to keep on pumping out babies instead of taking them out, then there might be a different balance of cultures in Los Angeles. Interesting that in Mexico with its various totalitarian governments hostile to the Church, it has had a far higher birth rate and lower abortion rate than in the U.S. where the politicians all claim to be pro-life, and 90% of the population claims to be Christian, yet where abortion runs unbridled.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 11:11 AM By June V
The bishops keep abetting illegal immigration to get more Hispanics in to the church. They (the Hispanics) are the ones who vote people like Villaragosa and Fabian Nunez into office, just because they are Hispanic. Not a good reason to choose a candidate. I would venture to say a lot of those Hispanics voting are not doing so illegally. If they ignore our immigration laws, what is there to stop them from voting illegally?????
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 11:47 AM By Sick and Tired
Hey BB, since when is stating FACT somehow racist. Anti-Mexican? I loved that part! I am in fact of Mexican heritage. The point you so clearly missed is that Villaraigosa is purely a politician with his eyes on the office of the Governor. He cares ONLY about political correctness and vote getting. He is serving solely his left-leaning constituency, as well as the Hispanic vote, which in L.A. is now the majority. Therefore, his position on gay marriage should surprise NOBODY since his opinions are governed only by political expediency. By the way, when the Mexicans from my mother's side (1912), and Norwegians from my father's side (1892) came to the USA, they did so LEGALLY. Your comparison to those who once came to assimilate is apples and oranges.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 11:48 AM By John M
Todays 1st reading(6/27/08) Jerusalem is destroyed and the King has his eyes poked out and the Jewish people taken into captivity.Can you imagine the tears of our Heavenly Father ? The people were warned;we've been warned! I didn't know whether to write this or cry---------I did both.......PRAY
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 12:41 PM By John L. Sillasen
The pro-abortion, culture of death politicians are voted in by the absense of pro-life voters. The pro-life organizations have long trumpeted the unsubstantiated idea that half the voters are pro-life ... Not only is there no factual evidence to support this claim, but there is the obvious fact that the pro-abortion forces are advancing rapidly, and have been for decades. When one out of every three babies is aborted, there is no way that half the country is pro-life. If half the country is pro-life, then why do I not hear open conversations on the topic in public places? It is a fable to think that illegal immigration is responsible for pro-abortion legislators, executives and judges. Back in 1969 when California ok'd abortion, signed by then Gov Reagan, there was not an illegal immigrant issue. Mexicans have not caused the pro-death culture. And when they are discriminated against for being Mexican, then do you expect them to sidle up to so-called pro-life politicians? According to Jesus in the Beattitudes, it is the poor people who will inherit the earth. It is always this way, and this is one reason why the bishops love the poor people ... because Jesus does. Those of you who place all their values in the work of their hands and brains already have your salvation in the material world; God evidently has placed His values in the work of His hands and brains, which happens to be souls: So, it comes down to a contest between the work of God's hands and the work of human hands: If only the Irish Sweepstakes were on this contest, I'd buy a winning ticket every time. Our Lady of Guadalupe has something to do with this "Mexican" problem, but then of course when you look at her on Bl Diego's tilma in Mexico City, you see a Mexican woman, and a poor one to boot.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 1:03 PM By JOE
Bad News--the mayors of San Francisco and Los Angeles--Hopefully the bishops of California will make a united statement about these guys and same sex marriages. Good News--the Pope's appointment of Archbishop Burke as his chief canonical man at the Vatican. AMDG
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 3:42 PM By Cyrus Johnson
In the City of the Queen of The Angels (Pueblo de la Reyna de los Angeles), on the feast of Saint John Fisher who gave his life for the sacrament of marriage, a counterfeit king performs a counterfeit sacrament, and then notes that we are now in a "new age." At least the guy is boldly honest in his comment, but nothing is new under the sun.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 4:06 PM By Sawyer
Got news for you, JOE, the bishops of CA aren't going to say anything more than they already have. They are hoping that the November ballot initiative will pass without them having to say or do much, and if the initiative fails well, ho-hum, they'll just go about the business of managing their dioceses. The story of CA Catholic bishops is one of capitulation and accomodation in the face of a stalwart advance of leftist ideology in the state. What's one more capitulation? The bishops will still make their appointments, have their luncheons, pose for their photo-ops, write their columns about insignificant issues, preach at schools and parishes about how God is love and how as followers of Jesus we should be forgiving, compassionate and welcoming. The Religious Ed Congress can still be held.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 5:21 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Sawyer, they are not timid, they are militant in support of these sodomites, especially Mahony and Neiderauer!
Miguel and BJ, according to Canons 1398 and 1329, they have already excommunicated themselves.
John L., are you sure you want to call it "pumping our babies"? Wouldn't it be better to write "giving witness to life"?
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founder & Chairman
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc.
www.crcoa.com
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 7:33 PM By Ed Peffer
The root of sexual scandals in the Church can be traced to the rejection by leading clerics (as Mahony) of the prophetic encyclical of Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae, promoted by each succeeding Pope. The Biblical 40th of its 7-25-1968
date deserves major attention THIS July. Fatima, too, strongly needs attention for Muslims, who teach that prophet Jesus was NEVER crucified. They regard the daughter of Mohammed as second among all women to the mother of prophet Jesus. We don't get it? Why?
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 8:40 PM By John L. Sillasen
A "counterfeit sacrament": Good way to express this; reminds me of the "abomination of desolation" mentioned in the Apocalypse, a false sacrifice. *** Kenneth, I just checked my post ... it says, "pumping out babies", not "our" babies. But in either case this phrase is not a good one. What I meant to convey is siring and bearing many babies.
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Posted Friday, June 27, 2008 9:10 PM By cjo
I'm sure Antonio will always CONTINUE to be welcome at the Cathedral during Mahony's reign!! One seldom hears CATHOLIC Church teachings in LA.. Only fuzzy wuzzy feel good stuff!!
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Posted Saturday, June 28, 2008 7:25 AM By Grisha
cjo ~ Everyone is allways welcome in any Catholic Church.
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Posted Saturday, June 28, 2008 10:29 PM By Sonja
And there you have it; a close buddy of Cardinal Roger Mahony, Villaraigosa knows he can do as he pleases, up to and including cheating on his wife. The previous Mayor of Los Angeles also cast off his wife of many years in order to marry another woman and, even though no spiritual annulment was granted, Mahony officiated at this wedding. All rules are out the door when it involves a friend of Mahony.
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Posted Monday, June 30, 2008 3:15 PM By Pat R.
This is such bad stuff....I can't imagine why Our God is allowing this to keep overshadowing His Church. I know He is all loving...He wants these church hypocrites to wake up. It has been said that He said: "You will think I have abandoned you". It's almost there folks....Keep up the Rosaries for these really very sad officials. They remind me of the same officials that wanted Jesus dead. I believe that if Jesus came amongst them again....that they would kill Him all over again.
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Posted Monday, June 30, 2008 8:01 PM By Bruce
Quite the coincidence that the CA Supreme Court ruling that approved gay and lesbian marriage, against the will the CA voters, and that these politicians like the mayors of LA and San Fran masquerading as catholics whom carried-out these evil deeds have now dealt us with what some might believe is the wrath of God. No I don’t think it is quite the coincidence that over 1400 fires ignited by lightning strikes and raging in northern CA within just a few days after these fateful awful sinful events! Remember how people have associated and master artists depicted God’s power as lightning bolts emitting from His finger in the oil paintings! I wonder how long it will take before any of these evil people will figure it out, confess their sins and amend their lives? How many will continue to deny their evil and prideful ways? How much longer will catholic voters continue to re-elect these evil doers and promoters of evil? How did God punish the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah again? We are responsible for the evil doers elevation into political and judicial positions of power. Has anyone heard it said about the principality of darkness that power corrupts and corruption empowers? Now we need to fire these evil doers. May God forgive us our sins and help Californians and the people of this world return back to Almighty God. Oh my God I am heartedly sorry for having offended Thee and I detest all of my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all, because I have offended Thee my God Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
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Posted Monday, June 30, 2008 10:02 PM By gallicman1
BobM
Maybe the Vatican II is NOT the Catholic Church, Ha Ha Ha
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Posted Tuesday, July 01, 2008 10:04 AM By Tom
Gallicman1, Why are you laughing? Its not funny, your thought might be divinely inspired, and what you said is true! That doesn't mean there is not Catholic Church anymore, all it means that it is not in Vatican II. Remember Our Lord told Peter that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church, that is, the true loyal remnant remaining of the Roman Catholic Church. Seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you.
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Posted Tuesday, July 01, 2008 11:35 AM By RR
Tom, absolutely true. NOTHING dogmatic came from Vatican II. It was ONLY a pastoral council. The True Church is what St. Pius V said in his Quo Primum DOGMATIC declaration. The Indult Mass (1962 Missal) is not valid either since there were changes in this Missal from Pius V's Missal, which was NEVER to be changed. It's still being changed, even as of last year with the prayer for the Jews. Pius V's Mass is where the True Catholic Church lies and the gates of hell will not prevail against God's True Church. And God will find this remnant!
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Posted Tuesday, July 01, 2008 4:15 PM By cnmarrelli
I think it’s time for Catholics to put pressure on the bishops to wake up and return to being real apostles of Christ? I plan to push that concept, respectfully, on my website in the near future. One way we, the laity, can pressure California Bishops to take meaningful action is to come up with a list of “public servants” in all the public offices or members of institutions, like the Knights of Columbus, who are known to be Catholic, yet who hold to the claim that they are pro-choice. It would be a very large number that would prove how scandalizing cafeteria Catholicism has become, with its undeniable effect of the loss of souls. This vast high profile list of cafeteria Catholics would cry out for attention as overwhelming concrete evidence of failure by our Bishops as leaders, and that’s not what Christ would expect from his apostles. If about half of the Catholics don’t believe in the real presence, and about half are pro-choice that means that half of the people that the Bishops count as Catholics, are not Catholic! Where would it be more important to evangelize than in our own back yard? In his book “Living the Catholic Faith” Archbishop Charles J. Chaput says “The teaching of the Church is the teaching of Christ. That’s why the idea of “cafeteria Catholics” is such a contradiction. The Catholic who picks and chooses his doctrines sets his own judgment above that of the Church. In doing so, in a certain sense he removes himself from her. Being 80 percent Catholic is like being 80 percent married. It doesn’t work.” Catholics can have the highest respect for the office of the Bishop, but they also have the right to demand clarity, but what we are suffering are mixed message, conflict and confusion.
Charles N. Marrelli
Writers for Life
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Posted Tuesday, July 01, 2008 4:25 PM By gallicman1
Well it sure has a lot of power for a pastoral council. It has had more influence and force than any pastoral council I know about. It has wrecked havoc on Catholics. And you your right, the gates of Hell will not prevail. Yes, then question is, is the Catholic Church run by modernist priests, bishops and Popes or is the Catholic Church alive in the hearts of men and alive in the Mass that is offered by so few Catholic priests properly ordained in true catholic rites? Tom—I really meant to cry.
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Posted Wednesday, July 02, 2008 12:57 AM By John70
How many more years are true Catholics going to wait and pray for these PHONY bishops,arch-bishops and cardinals, to actually lead the Church like we need them to? I don't know why I make myself angry reading all this garbage about Mahoney or Niederhauer, to my mind they are nothing but Luther wanna-be's. Quite some time ago, I asked myself which group, Vatican II or the Society of Pius X , left the Roman Catholic Church? Since I answered that question for myself, I am content and happy with my choice. I just feel a rage when I see what these "false prophets" have done to my church. They should be dragged from our Churches and have their vestments removed and horsewhipped! Please God, forgive ME!
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Posted Thursday, July 03, 2008 2:30 PM By Fr. M.P.
RR, the Pope has made changes to the Missal for almost two-thousand years. And other Rites have different forms, so the total form of the Mass is not dogmatic. There are many valid forms of the Mass besides the Tridentine. You greatly misunderstand Quo Primum.
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Posted Thursday, July 03, 2008 4:14 PM By Marcum
examples for our children:
the the wide road to Hell
take any path and it will get you there
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Posted Thursday, July 03, 2008 10:07 PM By John L. Sillasen
"All paths lead to Rome". *** Consider: St John in the Apocalypse watched from a high mountain, the great city being destroyed. He did not go down and walk into it and correct the situation. *** Modernism: I've done a little reading lately and find that the entire western world has been modernist for fivehundred years, and may be transitioning to something else not well defined.
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