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Contents © 2003
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

LITTLE NOTES
June 2003

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When reminded about the Pope's remarks about Catholic politicians' responsibilities in his recent Doctrinal Note, Aguirre seemed indifferent. "I have to tell you, I don't pay a lot of attention to what the Pope says about politics."

Sanchez tailored her campaign to appeal to Hispanic voters, even going so far as to change her last name, Brixey, back to her maiden name to sound more Hispanic. Aguirre was asked if he thought Sanchez really represents the interests of Hispanics, especially since the majority of Hispanic voters are Catholic. His reply was equally evasive. "I like her. I don't know anything about that."


IN A RESPONSE TO AN EDITORIAL in the Union Tribune, Father Richard Perozich, spiritual advisor to the local Courage chapter, wrote this letter to editor on May 8: "The editonal 'Condemning hate' (Apri1 29) accuses Sen. Rick Santorum of bigotry in remarks he made regarding the sodomy rase before the Supreme Court. Bigotry is the state of mind of a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices. This accusation is untrue. Santorum expressed the common sense of law and the morality of the nation that men and women who practice homosexuality are trying to change.

"Before any laws are passed that would promote a new morality permitting sexual activity outside of marriage between man and woman, real studies and honest debate should be undertaken regarding the consequences of such behavior beyond the emotive language of rights, oppression and name-calling. Santorum has expressed himself with reason. Those who oppose him with name-calling have expressed themselves unreasonably."

In response to this letter, Father Perozich received a letter, an excerpt of which read: "It is my belief religious leaders should not contaminate their messages of morality by presenting them in the political arena. The church, temple, mosque or synagogue is the only appropriate forum. Since you are obviously unable to restrict your views to proper place, let me inform you that as a noncatholic I deeply resent your preaching morality in my copy of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Not only do I resent it as a noncatholic, but more importantly, because I believe the Catholic Church has a very bad record regarding issues of morality. After all, Fr. Perozich, Where were your letters to the editor when it became common know- ledge the church was protecting and promoting child molesting priests? Where were your letters to the editor when it became knows the church leadership, including the pope, had been involved in a lengthy cover-up?"

An excerpt of Father Perozich's response on May 9: "You shared with me your belief that religious leaders "should not contaminate their messages of morality by presenting them in the political arena". This would violate my basic human rights and rights as an American should I be quieted. My opinions on morality may be shaped by my religion, but they are also shaped by my life experience as are your opinions.

"The basis of morality has always been revealed truth from scripture. Our first amendment will not allow the state to establish a certain church to be the national church. Neither can it tell us not to bring ideas from religion in general into the public forum; we have freedom of religion not from religion.

"While all my letters to the editor are not published, a search of the Union-Tribune archives will give you one on the church scandals wherein some priests practiced homogenital sex with teen males. There is no defense of this behavior. Yet there is a movement to decrease the age of consent exactly in the line of Santorum's argument. If the legal age had been 14, as some are advocating, no recourse to the law could be taken yet the evil would still have existed. The Senator has some good points for protecting the morality of the nation. He believes sex belongs in marriage between a man and a woman. As a Senator he is right to say so, just as are you within your rights to differ."


SAN DIEGO CHRISTIANS UNITED conducted a joint anti-pornography and anti-abortion outreach in Chula Vista on Saturday morning, April 26. Several "college pastors" affiliated with Calvary Church in Chula Vista simultaneously protested the F Street porn shop and Feliciano Rios' abortion clinic on Third Avenue.

The outreach was coordinated by San Diego Christians United director Phil Magnan, who succeeded CU founder Steve Klein after Klein moved to Riverside County in mid-April.

The men held signs in front of the F Street store that said, "God Hates Porn," "Porn is Slavery to Sin," "Molesters Love Porn," and "Porn Hurts Families." At the Rios clinic, they displayed abortion photos and a lettered sign that said, "Rios Stop Killing Babies."

"We had about four guys at the Rios clinic and an additional six or seven guys on the sidewalk by the F Street bookstore," said Magnan in a May 10 interview.

Most passersby responded favorably to the display, Magnan said. "I was really struck how 70 percent of the people who drove by, if they gave some kind of response to us, it was very positive. I was very surprised by that. We stood on the sidewalk and gave out gospel tracts and tried to challenge some of the people who were going into the F Street store to not go in.

"One man who drove up was flipping us off vehemently. He was so angry. There is no back door to the store; the patrons have to park in the back and then walk up to the front door. This guy was 6'3". I told the man, 'God have mercy on you, Sir.' He said, 'God have mercy on me? Whose God?'"

Sammy Sandino, 24, of Chula Vista, said, "Some people were responsive. Others were very hostile, like [the way] a dog reacts to you when you try to take him away from his food. We also had a lot of support from those driving by."

Magnan credits Calvary Church pastor Brian Newberry for supporting the effort. "Our pastor regularly preaches against abortion, homosexuality, and porn."


LET'S PLAY EUCHARIST! This was the evident theme of an Agape Meal for first communicants and their parents at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Lakeside. Sister Frances Michelle led this event at the church's social center on May 2nd.

The table liturgy emphasized remembering Jesus our Friend. The celebration posed the question, "Why did Jesus choose to be remembered by ordinary bread and wine?" Answers included the nourishing nature of bread, the joy producing effect of wine, how bread and wine symbolize many becoming one, and how sharing them together is an expression of mutual love.

Prior to the children's narration of the Last Supper, Sister Frances said, "But then Jesus made bread and wine special signs of his love. After the narrative, all responded, "Thank you, Jesus, for giving us this special gift of your love."

After the ceremonial sharing of bread and juice, Sister Frances concluded the Agape: "Tonight we have thought and prayed about some of the rich meanings that can be found in bread and wine. But we must always remember that the real Eucharist, the real coming of Jesus, takes place in our hearts."

Sister Frances gave two verbal reminders about receiving Communion. 1. "Remember, children, we cup our hands to receive Jesus and give ourselves communion with one hand. 2. After you receive communion there is no need to bless yourself with the Sign of the Cross, as you just got blessed when you received Jesus."


MOIRA NOONAN, a former New Ager and convert to Catholicism, was quoted in a 1997 News Notes story pointing out that Teaching of the Inner Christ, "which operates Questhaven Resort in Harmony Grove" was to hold a retreat at Mission San Luis Rey. After the ministry that runs Questhaven emailed to complain in Febraury, 2003 about the error on the News Notes website, Noonan explained to this reporter in May 2003, that Teaching of the Inner Christ operates neither Questhaven Retreat nor Harmony Grove Spiritualist Association. Moreover, Questhaven Retreat is located in Elfin Forest, rather than Harmony Grove (both of which are in the Escondido area).

Noonan confirmed that, in 1997, she contacted Mission San Luis Rey Retreat Center, after learning that the Teaching of the Inner Christ organization had scheduled a retreat there and that the Mission did cancel the retreat, after she informed them of the nature of the group's teachings.

Noonan reiterated that Teaching of the Inner Christ's practices include table tipping, necromancy and other forms of spiritualism. Noonan affirmed that Harmony Grove Spiritualist Association is not affiliated with Questhaven Retreat and that Harmony Grove is involved in spiritualism. Among the activities listed on the Harmoney Grove's website are monthly "psychic fairs" involving "trance mediums" who provide "spiritual readings" and use occultic practices such as numerology, astrology, "aura readings," crystals, healing stones, tarot cards.

Noonan also affirmed that Questhaven is not involved in spiritualism Questhaven was established in 1940 as a "non-denominational Christian retreat." Nonetheless, based on her personal experience there as a former New Ager, Noonan described Questhaven's spirituality as being New Age.

Questhaven's foundress, Flower Newhouse, also founded Christward Ministry, which operates Questhaven. Among Christward's theological principles are a belief in reincarnation and very distinctive beliefs concerning angels: "The Earth Kingdom consists of Elemental and Devic beings. The elemental creatures include Frakins, who etherically energize the simplest cells of life; Elves, who are entrusted with ministering to the spirits of growing things such as small plants; and Gnomes, who dwell in the etheric world in proximity to the rocks above and below the earth's crust itself."


"ON EASTER SUNDAY," read the letter from Riverside County's Ed Ryan, "I went to Sacred Heart Church to make the 9 am confession. I was told no confessions would not occur on Easter; so I had some time to "kill" between masses. So I took this as an opportunity to cruise Joseph Durante's abortion mill. (This mill used to run on Sundays and even Easter as I recall. (Abortionist Sherman who has come out of retirement during my hiatus, once told me that there wasn't a better time to work at this than when everybody was in church.) Anyway, on Easter 2003, the mill looked closed; and I thanked God and began to drive away.

"As I was leaving, Durante showed up in his Chevy. He actually looked clean and dapper like maybe he had been to church. He went to unlock the gates of the front door and I called to him from across the street while seated in my car.

"'Hey Joe, you gonna' shred babies today?' He turned around and looked in my direction. I repeated myself and he began walking down the steps, across the sidewalk and into the street to get a closer look at the caller. He stopped on the broken white line in the middle and peered at me like he was having a hard time recognizing me. I said, 'Hey Joe, if you can't recognize me from there, you're going to have a tough time running that vacuum around the insides of women. You're bound to puncture a uterus, Joe. You're sure to suck a bowel, bowelsucker. That's right, you're a baby-shredding bowel sucker, Joe!'

"Then he recognized me and said, 'You still alive? I thought you were dead!' He turned and walked back toward the butchertorium and I turned the adjective around and called to him, 'Joe, you're a bowelsucking baby-shredder -- remember Sharon Hamptlon! She got you for over a million!' Sharon was killed by abortionist Steir who was Durante's associate in Moreno Valley."

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