Fourth Annual Spirit and Law Convention

Sunday September 30th 2007
Filed Under Announcements, Archdiocese 

October 1st -  7th, 2007

This convention provides a wonderful opportunity for parishes to prepare to meet the needs of people petitioning for annulments and for parish ministers to grow in their own faith formation. Workshops are available for submitting ministers, advocates and auditors in annulment cases, in liturgy and law, scripture and law, in the rights of the laity, deacons, priests and religious, and in cultural issues
involved in marriage and divorce.
For further information, brochures, or for registration, please call Sr. Tracey Sharp at (213) 637-7296, or contact her by email at Srthsarp@la-archdiocese.org

A Million Prayers Initiative

Wednesday May 23rd 2007
Filed Under Archdiocese 

Believing in the power of prayer, the Office of Justice and Peace in conjunction with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Justice for Immigrants Campaign invites you to join your voice with countless others in A MILLION PRAYERS INITIATIVE.

The campaign, called “A Million Prayers Initiative,” asks Catholics to lobby and pray on behalf of immigrants nationwide, their families, and members of Congress. The U.S. Senate will be considering this legislation during the next two weeks and they need our prayers and need to know that we are calling for a just and equitable immigration reform bill, one that will make a vital difference in the lives of those who will live by its mandates.   Our voices are essential and crucial in the legislation.

There are many ways to raise our voices but two in particular are called for at this moment:

Advocacy

The campaign calls all of us to educate ourselves based on the five U.S. Bishops’ immigration principles, and to encourage parishioners to call our Senators.

To make family a priority in immigration law

To insist the worker programs contain protection for U.S. and migrant workers

To allow for an earned legalization program for the undocumented in the country

To restore due process protections

To respond to the economic, political, and social root causes of migration.

Call our Senators Dianne Feinstein at (310) 914-7300 and Barbara Boxer at (213) 894-5000, and asked them to Support legislation which would:

include a legalization program which is workable and supports family unity including a realistic and achievable path to citizenship;

create a new worker program with worker protections, living wage levels, and a path to citizenship; and

preserve family reunification in our immigration system by reducing family backlogs and maintaining all family preference categories.

Prayer

All of us are asked to pray a special “Justice Prayer” to help guide thousands of advocates as they work to influence the passage of a just and humane comprehensive immigration reform bill in the U.S. Congress.  Please share this prayer with your parishioners, communities and families.

                         
The Justice Prayer

Come, O Holy Spirit!    
Come, open us to the wonder, beauty, and dignity of the diversity
found in each culture, in each face, and in each experience
we have of the other among us.
Come, fill us with generosity as we are challenged to let go and allow others
to share with us the goods and beauty of earth.
Come, heal the divisions that keep us from seeing the face of Christ in all men,
women, and children.
Come, free us to stand with and for those who must leave their own lands in order to find work, security, and welcome in a new land, one that has enough to share.

Come, bring us understanding, inspiration, wisdom, and the courage needed to embrace change and stay on the journey.
Come, O Holy Spirit, show us the way.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops • Justice for Immigrants Campaign 202-541-3352 · www.justiceforimmigrants.org

Sincerely in Christ,
  
Most Reverend Oscar A. Solis
Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles
Director of Office of Justice and Peace

Archdiocese Begins Process To Fund Future Settlements In Civil Cases

Sunday May 20th 2007
Filed Under Archdiocese 

By Cardinal Roger M. Mahony
Archbishop of Los Angeles
  May 15, 2007
 

            Last December, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles settled 46 civil cases in which clergy abuse had been alleged. The total settlement cost was $60 million, with the Archdiocese contributing approximately $40 million of the total amount. At the time of that settlement, I wrote:
 

“Now that this settlement is finalized, our attention will focus on the resolution of all remaining cases. To reach a settlement in those cases will require the active participation of the many insurance companies who provided liability insurance during those past years when abuse occurred. It is my hope that these insurance companies will join all of us in moving steadily toward a final settlement of these cases as soon as possible.”
 

            Over the past several months, attorneys, judges and Church leaders have been working diligently to fashion a settlement that is fair and just. It is my daily prayer that this process will continue to intensify, and that in the near future these cases can be fairly settled.
 

            Though it has always been the position of the Archdiocese that the insurance companies must honor their responsibility to fund a major share of future settlements, the Archdiocese must also be prepared to fund its share of these coming settlements. As I also said last December, this will require the Archdiocese to begin to dispose of non-essential real estate properties in order to raise funds for coming settlements, and to re-evaluate some of the services and ministries it provides to parishes.
 

            The Archdiocese does not invest in real estate as a goal; rather, properties were acquired over the years to establish new parishes, schools, various charitable institutions, convents, etc. Some properties are held for future parishes, future schools, and similar ministry purposes. Our preference would be to retain all of those properties. But we have no other way to raise our share of money for coming settlements except through such sales.
 

            No parishes or parish schools will be closed to fund these settlements, nor will their essential ministries be affected by these sales. None of the properties being considered for sale are being used by the parishes of the Archdiocese.
 

            I have established a special working group with membership from the Archdiocesan Finance Council, the Deans, the Council of Priests, and the College of Consultors to identify possible eligible properties and to rank them according to use and value. Some 50 properties have already been identified, and further appraisals are being sought on their fair market value. Other possible properties that could be sold are being studied.
 

            With concurrence of our major consultative bodies, I have requested that the first major property to be sold will be the Archdiocesan Catholic Center, located on Wilshire Blvd., in the mid-Wilshire area of Los Angeles. It is only right that the Archdiocese begin this process by demonstrating our commitment to reach final settlement in these cases by selling our central administrative building. We would then either lease other lesser office space for our ministries and services, or possibly lease back some space in the existing building.
 

            I once again renew my pledge and that of the Archdiocese to continue the important work of preventing sexual abuse and the potential for abuse through our abuse prevention training programs, screening procedures for all priests, employees and volunteers, and our age-appropriate safe environment programs for children in our parishes and schools.
 

            I have often said over these past years that God’s grace is more powerful than the evil of sinful actions. Our Church has become more humble, more faithful, and more centered upon our primary mission: to evangelize all peoples in the name of Jesus Christ.
 

            I am confident that we will be able to carry forward this mission with renewed energy and with a bold creativity.
 

            Let us pray for the special intercession of Our Lady of the Angels that she will guide all of us in restoring wholeness to victims and integrity to the Church.
 

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