Catholic bishop resigns, admits he has 2 kids

[RockaFowler]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45871047/ns/business/

The Vatican said on Wednesday that Pope Benedict had accepted the resignation of Gabino Zavala, an auxiliary bishop of the diocese which has been plagued by sexual scandals.

A brief Vatican announcement did not give the reason for Zavala's resignation, saying only that the pope had accepted it under the norm in canon (Church law) that says a bishop who is ill or otherwise unfit to carry out his duties should resign.

But Zavala's direct superior, Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez, has prepared a letter for the faithful in the archdiocese explaining the circumstances of the departure of Zavala, who was assistant bishop for the San Gabriel region of California.

In the letter, a draft of which was obtained from a Catholic Church source in Rome, Gomez said Zavala, 60, had informed him in early December that he was the father of two teenage children who live with their mother in another state.


I'll just say this as a non-Catholic, I have never understood why it's so important for the Priests not being able to marry. I know Rabbis get married. My brother is a Baptist Minister - married with 4 kids. Why is it that the Catholic Church is still using this archaic method for choosing their leaders?? I just want to know. I'm not knocking Catholicism, I'm knocking this particular thing.

[rocktivity]

1. A SECRET family for AT LEAST twelve years?

Like hell the higher-ups didn't know (if you'll pardon the expression). He's being kicked out because they CAN'T keep it secret any longer!

P.S. If they're living out of state, it's also a bit of a stretch to call if a family!

(if you'll pardon the smiley)
rocktivity

[immoderate]

2. All religions need to do something that seems crazy to a rational thinker.

It's called faith.

--imm

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Duplicate post.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002117121

[jberryhill]

4. The original basis was more political than anything else

They didn't want church positions treated as hereditary dynasties.

[Aerows]

8. It was also financial

They didn't want the priest passing on his wealth after he died - they wanted it to revert back to the Church.

[mysuzuki2]

5. Is it financial? If priests were allowed to marry and have a family

they would have to pay them a living wage.

[Scootaloo]

6. So... wait. I just want to be sure I understand...

A church official who commits felonies by raping children is not dismissed, simply shuffled to a new diocese.
But...
A church official who has kids with an adult woman needs to get the boot?

And then they're the ones who yarble on and on about "family values"

[Aerows]

7. The reason was financial

The Catholic Church wanted to ensure that priests did not have progeny to pass their property onto. They wanted any wealth to revert back to the Catholic Church and that's why marriage and children were denied them (or at least public recognition of marriage and children. It's not like it didn't happen, they just didn't have any property rights).