Nice…so the faithful Catholics of his diocese get to send his kids to college.  I wonder how many parents in that diocese can’t afford to send their kids to Catholic school.

Is this scandalous bishop going to be laicized? In spite of his despicable behavior, will he be permitted to retire with full benefits, including a pension paid for by archdiocesan funds resulting from donations from the unsuspecting faithful? Will there be an investigation to find out what other damage this man has done during his priesthood and tenure as a bishop? Full disclosure of everything that involves this man is essential to healing the wounds he has caused and to show that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has learned the painful lessons of the preceding scandals involving priests. All of the faithful Catholic laity deserve a complete airing of this scandal.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!  What happened to holiness among the shepherds!  Another example of a loathsome lack of faith from those charged with our Lord’s Holy Church!

Seems to me Bishop Zavala should be taking care of the expenses of his children not the people of the archdiocese.

It is with deep sadness that I write this comment. Bishop Gabino Zavala confirmed my teenage twins three years ago.  Yet through my tears I am hopeful—our Roman Catholic church and faith is one of love,  forgiveness, and healing.

And people wonder why many US Catholics feel the leadership of the US Bishops lack real authority? Where are the faithful shepherds? How do the lousy ones (Weakland also comes to mind - and makes me gag) get through “the system”? This news also makes one think about Cardinal Mahony and his legacy of failure and accomodation in Los Angeles. LA is a big place, I got it, but what did Mahony accomplish except to tear down the real Catholic Church? Shame on him, shame on this poor excuse of a bishop who flourished and “served” under Mahony, and shame on the larger structure of bishops (such as Cardinal George) which permitted this to happen within the bishops as a group. What to do? Clean house. Strip Mahony of anything to do with the Church. Strip this disgusting excuse of a Bishop of anything to do with the Church. Fire all “Professional Catholics” who looked the other way, or encouraged, or facilitated this disgrace!

God have mercy on us and the curse of false shepherds! Where are our real leaders?! Why does Michael Voris sound like a prophet and RealCatholicTV.com come across as one of the few beacons of truth in the surrounding darkness called the American Catholic Church? Stories like this validate Voris’ strident calls for repentance and his “in your face” approach to the sick antics of many (hopefully not the majority but a significant minority) of back-stabbing clerics, religious and rebellious laity scattered through the Body of Christ. Yes, I know the story of the wheat and the weeds and that they will grow up together until the end times. But, this is disheartening…

Come Lord Jesus! Help us because our leaders CONTINUE to let us down…where should we turn when Bishops reveal themselves as untrustworthy liars and betrayers of the true faith?

I want to cry in anger and frustration - so, instead, I’ll take a deep breath and begin to pray for peace, forgiveness, and for someone with a big stick to clean house…

Thank God for ex opera operato or we’d all be questioning the validity of the sacraments in the failure of those who perform them. Maranatha!

Good grief. What a knucklehead.

When we will start seeing the departure of episcopal “shepherds” who bungled the whole question of pedophiles and child molestors in the priesthood, playing a game of Chinese checkers in moving priests within and among dioceses?  Alas, too many of those Graces are still providing episcopal “leadership” or have been advanced to tidy sinecures (e.g., Archpriest of St. Mary Major Basilica).

I applaud him for at least coming forward and doing the right thing, while his children are still teens and living at home.

I wonder how many people, such as parishioners, his family and other priests and bishops knew about this, and kept his secret.  I wonder if he was appointed a bishop *after* he fathered the children, or before.

It’s a relief for his children that are innocent of everything, and a single mother is never the ideal.  So perhaps father can be a real father to his children now.

Of the five comments made thus far I believe Maria Galletta shows compassion and forgiveness while the focus of the other comments do not. How quick we are to cast the first stone.  We know nothing of the circumstances surrounding the two individuals who brought about these children and yet we jump are quick to jump on the priest who is as human as the woman involved.
Shame on Nadster, Farley, and Carlon for their quickness in condemning.

This is distressing.  First, breaking his promise of chastity; next, continuing on as bishop for years when he had the responsibility to be present for and help raise 2 kids; and third, why the archdiocesan leadership under Cardinal Mahony didn’t do anything about this (they must have known).  At least Archbishop Gomez got him to resign.

Maria Galletta: I am sorry for your sad experience.  But I wonder,is the Roman Catholic church and faith one which also values accountability, consequences for bad behavior, and justice?  I rarely hear “devout” Catholics demanding accountability when the offenders are clergy members.

I understand removing him. I don’t understand the Archdiocese paying for college for the two sons. Is there more to this than is being reported ?

The Bishop should be held accountable, not the Archdiocese. If the Archdiocese knew more about it and allowed it to happen, then they might have some responsibility. Otherwise, I don’t see the church having enough money to pay for the sins of all priests and Bishops.

Nadster, W Farley and LMR, I couldn’t agree more.  Why did this Bishop wait until now to disclose this?  Could it be that he felt he would receive greater leniancy with the current Arch Bishop Gomez?  This, evidenced by the statement that the LA ArchDiocese would be paying for these kids education instead of Zavala taking full responsibility.  How are we supposed to process all this? First, Gomez’ statement on illegal aliens, now this.

We are all human, we fall and as Catholics we have confession to be forgiven.  We can’t judge anyone as that is a sin but we can question why the diocese is paying for these kids college that should definitely bethe former Bishop’s job and if that means he needs to get a job then so be it.  I would think the diocese needs to step back and let the mother and father figure this out.  I will pray for Gabino and I will pray for all priests.  God bless our holy and faithful shepherds and thank you Lord for the sacrament of confession.  Help me with the sin of pride.

Agree with Nadster and LMR. It appears that the church is rewarding this
scandalous behavior by helping the mother and children spiritually and financially. The mother and the bishop knew what they were getting into so I do not understand why they should receive financial aid. Forgiviness is all we should be asked to do and not to contribute to a sinful situation. The Bishop should revisit his decision. Maybe there is more to it that we are led to believe.

Bishop Zavala was [still is ?] Co-President of the Interfaith Worker “Justice” Board of Directors ... for an example of just how much damage this guy did and how he promoted Abortion see:

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2012/01/about_that_bishop_with_the_two_children.html

The disinformation and naivete and even arrogance and Gnostic like pride that the faithful have to be micro-managed “social justice” is killing the real Evangelization mission of the Church; the teaching of Christ and of Him crucified. If all of us and especially the Bishops would seek this first then all of the real bottom up not top down social justice will follow.

C.S. Lewis had old Screwtape hit the nail on the head:

The thing to do is to get a man at first to value social justice as a thing which the Enemy demands, and then work him on to the stage at which he values

Christianity because it may produce social justice. For the Enemy will not be used as a convenience. Men or nations who think they can revive the Faith in

order to make a good society might just as well think they can use the stairs of Heaven as a short cut to the nearest chemist’s shop. Fortunately it is quite

easy to coax humans round this little corner. Only today I have found a passage in a Christian writer where he recommends his own version of Christianity

on the ground that “only such a faith can outlast the death of old cultures and the birth of new civilisations”. You see the little rift? “Believe this, not because

it is true, but for some other reason.” That’s the game,

Your affectionate uncle   SCREWTAPE

Previous comments here prove that some of you are no better than the bishop. What happened to forgiving those who trespass against us, and love thy neighbor? Shame on you. The man succomed to sin, unless your perfect (ie:god) you have no right to judge.

While I have great sympathy for the children of this wayward shepherd, for their mother, and even for the man himself, I’m really not sure why the Church feels a responsibility to educate his children.  It seems to me, in justice, that their care is the responsibility of their mother and father, just as would be the case for any child.  Anyone who loses a job because of misconduct on the job certainly doesn’t expect an employer to foot the bill for his or her children.  Perhaps the most efficacious course for this former bishop would be simply to get a job that would support his children as they should be.  Moreover, if there has been any misuse of church funds to support his hidden family, as there might have been, he should be required to pay restitution.  Certainly the faithful did not make their donations to the Church so that a bishop’s children would be educated.  Even by American laws, which prohibit funds donated to a tax exempt religious organization from being used for purposes other than that for which they were donated, it seems that the Church’s taking financial responsibility is a no-no.

Bishop Zavala broke his promise to God - But who among us has not at some point in out lives.  He is not a predator, he is not a pederast, he is a man who has sinned and (albeit late), wishes to attend to his responsibilities.

“Thou art a priest forever…”

He should not be laicized, but dismissed from active ministry to labor and support his minor children and their mother.  When these children reach the age of independence, Bishop Zavala, if properly penitent, should return to his ordained ministry in a minor capacity.

I lay this at that feet of Cardinal Mahony. He was so liberal as to allow this sort of sin and make priests think it was OK.

He was my local bishop when I was living in California.  During my conversion to the Catholic faith, I was stuck in a “holding pattern” for in the Rite of Chriatian Initiation for Adults at my local parish.  I contacted Bizhop Zavala’s office for guidance; in less than a week he eliminated the obstacles (of which I was unaware) that were keeping me in the holding pattern.

Let’s remember that clergymen - including Bishop Zavala - are sinners just like the laity.  We’re supposed to love the sinner and hate the sin.

Creeps like this bishop make me sick.

Why is it “judging the bishop” if we don’t approve of his behavior and him causing scandal to the church?  In that case, let’s free all murderers, rapists, thieves from all jails - how dare we judge them.  Judging is when you say “he’s going to hell for that”.  So far no one is saying that.  They are just scandalized by a man that took a vow of chastity and lived a lie for many years.  Only God knows his soul and will judge him but the rest of us to have a right to say it was wrong for him to do this.

Bishop Zavala confirmed by son and daughter a few years back.  I really like him.  He “talked” to me during his homilies.  Shoot.  What a shame.  Why can’t we be holy and have more conviction in our vocation in life? If I only could myself.  Jake called him a ‘creep’.  Hey, I’m one too if you look at my history.  Thank God for the Church!  I need her terribly, now more than ever.  I can just imagine where I would be without her.

Thanks aka Bishop Mahoney.  Your anti-Catholic Church legacy seems to survive you.  I pray that Christ cleans his church of people like yourself who occupy the Office of Bishop and Priest. Then maybe we the faithful will have real leaders instead of Satan’s hand puppets.

For heaven’s sake: 1. It is a matter of justice that provision be made for these two children.  If Bishop Zavala, who is a very kind and pastoral bishop, were married and he fathered children outside the marriage, he AND his wife would have to support the children.  While he is not married to the Church; he was dependent on the Church for his living.  We, the People of God who are the Church, are responsible for the maintenance of these two INNOCENT minor children.  2.  Bishop Zavala should get his retirement - he earned it with 34 years of service to the archdiocese.  (The retirement plan also comes under ERISA and he is vested, which means he owns the retirement benefits.)

Finally, why are so many people so callous, cold, and un-Christian in their reaction to the bishop’s very human failing and his two children? Is this what it means to be Christian and Pro-Life?

It is sad and unfortunate when a priest or religious falls and is unfaithful to his vocation. Can he be made a permanent deacon, therefore be allowed to enter the work force, marry this woman and help care for the children he is responsible for? I was not sure if the Church would even allow that. Some clarity on this would be greatly appreciated. Yes, he has fallen (like all of us) and sinned (like all of us), but he can come clean and make good with the rest of his life (like all of us can).

This is very sad and I felt very bad this morning when my colleagues at work who are non-Catholics were mocking us because of this incident,after it was reported in the news. It brought about a heated argument and many of them queried the use of celibacy. All I can say is that our priests may not know how much they hurt us and cause others to ridicule us when they do things like this. I just pray that our priests should be holy or quit early if they know they cant live the celibate life. However, they are still human and need our prayers! May the Lord Jesus help our priests to be holy.

Dear Dave S - I don’t recall seeing anything from Zavala asking for anyone’s forgiveness nor do i see any guideance from Gomez on how we lay faithful should be dealing with this.  A ‘bomb’ was dropped and we are all left hanging there, and to add insult to injury, we, not the responsible parties, are all going to have to foot the bill for college for two anonymous boys. Like the scripture says, “All that is hidden will be revealed”. The only comfort i take is in the fact that the Lord is in complete control, no one else - not Gomez, not Zavala etc etc.

What may be being missed here is the good news:  Bishop Zavala has resigned under the leadership of the new Archbishop Gomez.  Thanks be to God.  Perhaps more good news will be forthcoming now that the Archbishop has replaced Mahony?  I would be interested to read more from the faithful in the archdiocese of LA…

We may commit sins.  But maintaining two opposing faces involving cheating the faithful is maximum shameful and sinful. This bishop did not learn even after the birth of the first child. What does that mean ? Ruling the Diocese without any grace and repentance , but with devil’s blessings

My question is, when can we trust the advice we seek from clergy?  Could I be being misled?  How do I know whether I am offending God taking their advice.  Are things so bad in our Catholic Church in the U.S. that we are making incredible mistakes in judgment of our own activities based on the advice of our priests?  It is so scary when there is such indiscretion on the part of clergy and also when there is apparent lukewarmness.  I’ve confessed sins that I know of, am I going to be surprised when I die and find my soul lost regardless?  That is my real question.  That is my fear in what is happening in the Church in our country.  The commandments are easy. But there is so much more where we could be misled.

Lorenzo and Dave,

It is possible to forgive Bishop Zavala yet firmly believe he is a knucklehead for hurting so many people.

Is Zavala going to apologize to the Catholics of Los Angeles or is he going to hide like a coward?

I’m a Catholic and live in the San Gabriel pastoral region and was shocked and ashamed when I heard the news. How could he administer the Sacraments all these years and not feel any sense of wrongdoing?

I have to wonder out loud…what took him so long to bring forward the knowledge he has 2 children?  Did he know all along?

Lord have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Pax,

Something to be strongly emphasized is that we women must remain modest and charitably careful in our rapport with our priests!  We must pray constantly for our ministers, for we send them like soldiers without weapons into battle!

And as Christians, perhaps we should remember Our Master’s words:

John 8:7 “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone…”

Luke 6:36 “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven…”

Cardinal Mahoney has known about this for some time. Also Bishop Zavala believes that same sex marriage is OK. He also had a shindig down in Anaheim a few years ago that embarrassed the diocese when he took liberal advantage of the Mass and had the deacon ‘dance” into the arena with the Book Of Gospels.” He should of never been made a Bishop and he certainly should of resigned a lot sooner than he did.

RememberFatima where our Blessed Mother told of how Satan would enter the church and try to destroy it from within.
This is a period of great distress for our holy men and women who continue to serve faithfully, and for the lay people of our great Catholic faith.  Remember to always pray for our priests.  We must remain faithful to the Magisterium, our Pope and the 99 percent who remain obedient, and not be discouraged by the grave sins of those who have succumbed to the
Unfortunate moral calamnities of our day.  May God have mercy on his soul and of all those affected by his sinful decisions.  Our priests need our support and encouragement, and especially our continued prayers.

To Deacon Thomas:
.
“It is a matter of justice that provision be made for these two children” No, it’s not. To provide for these children’s needs while they are minor is a matter of compassion and charity, not justice. It goes beyond compassion and charity, though, to pay for college costs for these children. This is the responsibility of the children’s father and mother. If they can’t afford it, virtually all colleges give need-based aid.
.
“While he is not married to the Church” - a bishop is supposed to be married to the Church…
.
“We, the People of God who are the Church, are responsible for the maintenance of these two INNOCENT minor children” No, we’re not. Fathering these two children was not in Bishop Zavala’s job description as a Shepherd of the People of God, therefore neither the Church nor the people can be held responsible for the children’s maintenance. It is a matter of charity and compassion, though, to help the children’s father and mother with their parental responsibilities, if the parents are struggling.
.
“Bishop Zavala should get his retirement” - Agreed. But wouldn’t you agree that paying for his kids’ college goes well beyond the retirement he is entitled to?
.
“Finally, why are so many people so callous, cold, and un-Christian in their reaction to the bishop’s very human failing and his two children” - Why the name calling? Why don’t you treat people on the list with the same charity you ask from them for Bishop Zavala? You said that he is a “very kind and pastoral bishop”. But he fathered two kids, which means his “very human failing” was going on for a long time. When people find out that somebody they look up to is leading a double life, they are hurt and upset, and an emotional reaction is understandable.

I wonder how Bishop Zavala would stand in a spiritual battle with a demon if he were to perform an exorcism?

I totally agree with Carmele Chaplin. I do not understand why the Church is going to assume financial responsibility. Carmele you put it “right”.
Hope the Bishop reverts his position. Let the fallen bishop get a job even though I forgive him for what he has done. He will have to account to God.

There are many comments given here that are appropriate for the Christian community and many others that disturb me if they are composed by members who profess the Faith of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.  I would question whether or not the Archdiocese has any obligation to provide for the college education of the children.  The article merely states “funding to assist,” not that they will receive an education paid by the Church. We cannot jump to that conclusion.

Troublesome are all of the judgments that are being made about the man, about priests and bishops in general, and our Church.  Have we learned nothing about the forgiveness offered by the Father and taught to us by Our Lord on this earth?  Shame on those who judge.  To judge the sins of others belongs to God, and to God alone.  Let us pray that all of us are recipients of the Lord’s mercy and that we make proper decisions to avoid the temptations offered to us daily by the Evil One.

This is not the first time I have seen this.  But it is definitely the worse.  As a grade school altar boy, I saw one of the parish priest run off with one of the catholic school sisters.  No one forced them to stay, so they left quietly.  At a neighboring parish, the sole priest and pastor ran off with the secretary.  The resident sister scolded him not for running off, but for leaving the church and parish buildings locked without the keys.  She demanded he be a gentleman and forced him to return and hand over the keys.  No one was forcing him to stay there.  (years later he enrolled his two daughters in one of my music classes at the local community college, he didn’t recognize me)  As a high school seminarian in the Los Angeles area,  one of the priests ran off with one of the sisters who worked in the cafeteria.  No one forced them to be there, they left quietly.  There are many more instances, but enough.  But the common thread,  they violated their vows, betrayed their congregations, and ran off with someone who was nearby and had daily interaction.  But they all left quickly and quietly.  Can’t say the same for Bishop Gabino.  As a deacon, he was assigned to our parish in East Los Angeles.  He was very immature at the time.  Before mass once, all the priests and altar boys were lined up in the sacristy ready to begin mass,  we had to wait a minute, Deacon Gabino dressed in his cassock, was busy playing air basketball. The altar boys all looked at each other befuddled.  The resident bishop grimaced and just looked up, the other priest bit his lip and finally told him to grow up.  During meetings for the parish youth group, some took notice that Deacon Gabino and one the young female adults behaved like a dating couple.  But we all grimaced and moved on.  Living in East LA, one has bigger problems on your plate.  Fast forward; I was quite surprised when he was named bishop.  OK, maybe he grew up.  Years later when he confirmed my two nieces and nephew, I noted how he was not prepared and made up his sermon right then and there.  As a long time teacher, I know all the tricks.  Now, it turns the LA archdiocese will offer to pay college costs for his two minor teenage children.  Back track a bit; that makes them @15 - 17 years old.  So they were born sometime between 1992 - 1994.  That’s the time he was rector at St. John Seminary and right before he was appointed bishop.  The difference here is he didn’t leave quietly and resign before he became bishop.  Now the archdiocese and Catholic community is left to pick up the mess in all aspects.  Instead of an apology, we asked to respect his privacy.  As a high school seminarian,  day in and day out,  priestly celibacy and obedience to the bishop were drummed in over and over.  It was said many times:  if you can’t accept that, then the priesthood is not for you.  Well, he violated both repeatedly, while expecting non-questioning obedience from the archdiocese priests.  I don’t think I can forgive him just yet,  but something changed between 1994 and 2011, and this the first I’ve heard of an archdiocese offering to pay money to a secret family.  If you want to forgive him - fine.  But don’t ask me to pay to raise his kids and responsibility.  Lastly, if Bishop Gabino found himself in battle with evil through an exorcism, he would be so spiritually and morally compromised, he would crumble and be destroyed.  Our spiritual leaders.

To William VanderWyden and others of his ilk: Jesus got angry with the money changers who defiled the temple and he drove them out; he cleaned house with a whip in hand. This two-faced liar of a Bishop led a sustained double-life - it is appropriate to call a person like him a jerk because his actions reveal him to be one; there is no guessing involved. This jerk makes me angry and the whole system who put him there and sustained him. The state of his soul is indeed between him and God (and I pray he gets to confession soon if he hasn’t already) but there is filth in the Church masquerading as goodness and cleaning house IS needed. Sweet pious finger waving is of dubious worth; people like this, in public Church leadership positions, who betray their flocks, need to be grabbed by the scruff of their necks and removed. Their scandal does extreme harm to the Body of Christ and poo-pooing their actions makes you and your like part of the problem and contributes to the lingering stench in the Church which masks the glory of God. That is something to get angry about…

All our reactions show that we are human. Only God is perfect and He alone can write straight on crooked lines. Let us always remember that “where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Rom. 5:20). Only God’s grace and mercy can save all of us! I pray earnestly for Bishop Zavala, for the poor innocent children, for all the children of God, and especially for all priests.

WOW- Of all the posts here, THIS one troubles me the most, if it’s based on fact:

Posted by Mojoron on Thursday, Jan 5, 2012 8:52 PM (EST):
“Cardinal Mahoney has known about this for some time. Also Bishop Zavala believes that same sex marriage is OK. He also had a shindig down in Anaheim a few years ago that embarrassed the diocese when he took liberal advantage of the Mass and had the deacon ‘dance” into the arena with the Book Of Gospels.” He should of never been made a Bishop and he certainly should of resigned a lot sooner than he did.”

Do you have any documentation to back this up?  There must be a way to rein in priests that support same sex marriage.  We know it is an affront to God.  For anyone that depends on ONLY a priest or bishop to tell us what is right from wrong, then: Let the Buyer Beware.

If you have a liberal priest or a liberal diocese, and you don’t know right from wrong on your own, a soul is at stake, and it is possibly: yours.

God writes right from wrong in our hearts, and he writes guidlines for us to follow in the Sacred Scriptures. It’s a good idea to read it - way too many clergymen are being outed for one thing or another, and regularly.

Further proof that priests should be allowed to marry.

The Catholic Church is the bride of Jesus Christ. Peter built our Church upon the rock as Jesus instructed him to do. Great saints have come up in our Church and many were celibate priests and sisters who were faithful to their promises. Today, we lack discipline and focus in the Church. The traditional latin mass and the practice of the sacraments helped keep us honest. Today we live in a culture and for too many years now a church that has allowed a selfishness. If I sin instead of repenting for them and accepting the consequences I can instead change the rules because everything is relative. No, the Church is steered by Christ and believe it or not we will see a day in the future when holiness returns to our people. Bishop Gabino committed a mortal sin when he had sex outside of marriage. Even if he confessed his sins and told superiors about them when they occurred he still had a responsibility as a father and defacto husband to lead his family. He should have left the priesthood for his family. If his previous superior Cardinal Mahony knew about this situation and kept quiet then Mahony will face a severe judgement from our Lord.

So people are tithing to the catholic church so that this mortal sinner’s children can go to college? Time to turn of the money faucet. Or is the bigger sinner the one who came up with the plan to use church money to support these kids.The people in that diocese need to revolt, the same way the people of Boston forced Bernie Law out.