Statement on Quarry v Doe Ruling

on 29 March 2012.

On March 29, 2012, the California Supreme Court released their decision in the case, Quarry v Doe, affirming the Legislature’s defined one year “window”—the year 2003—for the revival of sex-abuse claims that had previously been time-barred.

The plaintiffs had sued—asking that their claims be “disposed on the merits” rather than on procedural grounds, i.e., they wanted to file a sex abuse case in another year than that designated by the Legislature. Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye authored the 5-2 opinion, in which she quoted from the Legislature which formulated the policy: “We have seen, over the years…that a recognition that the right to be free of stale claims in time comes to prevail over the right to prosecute them.”

Rest in Peace, Fr. Donald Charles McDonnell

on 23 February 2012.

The Most Rev. Gerald E. Wilkerson, auxiliary bishop for the San Fernando Pastoral Region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and president of the California Catholic Conference, issued the following statement on the death of Rev. Donald Charles McDonnell, longtime friend and associate of United Farm Workers (UFW) Founder Cesar Chavez:

Fr McDonnell 1964 3 “We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Fr. Donald Charles McDonnell, who died on February 20, 2012 at the age of 88. He was a priest of generous and hope-filled heart.

“Fr. McDonnell was born in Ireland and ordained by San Francisco Archbishop John Mitty at St. Mary’s Cathedral in 1947. Soon thereafter, he began serving the Spanish-speaking people of Santa Clara County, where his extensive ministry to Mexican workers led him to make the acquaintance of Cesar Chavez—and perhaps changed the course of history.

Pope Names Bishop Cirilo Flores Coadjutor Bishop of San Diego

on 09 January 2012.

Pope Benedict XVI has named Bishop Cirilo Flores, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Orange, California, coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of San Diego.

The appointment was publicized in Washington, January 4, 2012 by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States. As coadjutor bishop, Bishop Flores is automatically in line to succeed Bishop Robert Brom upon his retirement.

Cirilo Flores was born June 20, 1948, in Corona, California. He attended Corona Unified School District, St. Edward School and Notre Dame High School in Riverside, California. He received a bachelor’s degree from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, a doctorate from Stanford University Law School, Palo Alto, California, and a master of divinity from St. John Seminary in Camarillo, California. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Orange on June 8, 1991.

Pope Names Bishop Ochoa of El Paso, Texas to Fresno

on 03 January 2012.

Pope Benedict XVI has named 68-year-old Bishop Armando X. Ochoa of El Paso, Texas, as Bishop of Fresno, California. He succeeds Bishop John Steinbock, who died December 5, 2010. The appointment was publicized in Washington, December 1, by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Armando Ochoa was born April 9, 1943, in Oxnard, California. He studied at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California, and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1970. Bishop Ochoa served in several Los Angeles parishes and was associate director of the Spanish-speaking permanent diaconate for the archdiocese. He was named an auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles in 1986, and named bishop of El Paso in 1996.

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