"Court Reverses Decision, Admits California Parents Have Right to Homeschool"

Happy to see this decision come down favorably for homeschoolers:

"Court Reverses Decision, Admits California Parents Have Right to Homeschool"
Court adds that homeschooling is not absolute and can be revoked in cases of suspected parental abuse

Leading up to this ruling, there was a great deal of grassroots activities taking place to safeguard the right of parents to educate their children themselves:

"After enormous public outcry from homeschool advocacy groups and many others, including Governor Schwarzenegger himself, the Court agreed in March to reconsider the case, and invited interested parties to file amicus briefs in a new hearing."

I'm sure this won't be the last time "public outcry" will be required to have judges come to their senses.

Commentary: LA bishops' statement about "Gay Marriage"

Available as a PDF on the archdiocese website here, reproduced in full below:

The Catholic Bishops of the United States have affirmed repeatedly that persons with a homosexual orientation "must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity."

Accordingly the Bishops condemn all forms of violence, scorn, and hatred—whether subtle orovert—against men and women who are homosexual. All people, regardless of sexual inclination, are called to holiness; and "should be encouraged to take an active role in the faith community" and to live according to its teachings.

Nonetheless, the Church cannot approve of redefining marriage, which has a unique place in God's creation, joining a man and a woman in a committed relationship in order to nurture and support the new life for which marriage is intended. The meaning of marriage is deeply rooted in history and culture, and has been shaped considerably by Christian tradition. Its meaning is given, not constructed. "When marriage is redefined so as to make other relationships equivalentto it, the institution of marriage is devalued and further weakened."

The state has a primary and fundamental obligation to protect and promote the family,which is rooted in marriage and sustained by it. Some benefits currently sought by same sex partners can already be obtained without regard to marital status. For example, individuals can agree to own property jointly with another, and they can generally designate anyone they choose to be a beneficiary of their will or to make health care decisions in case they become incompetent.

Other desired benefits such as sharing in a partner's health insurance could be made available without the drastic step of a cultural or legal redefinition of marriage.

Let us strengthen our resolve to respect the dignity of each human being and to protect the sanctity of marriage, asking God's guidance in our efforts to promote the common good central to a free and democratic society.

I thought this statement was a good and sufficient one until I realized that, golly, it doesn't mention a single reason for the Church's teaching that homosexual acts are wrong, that allowing homosexual partners to marry is imprudent, that homosexual persons are called to lives of chastity, etc.

Would it have been so bad if they had made their document two pages instead of just one, I wonder?

Today, meanwhile, the California Supreme Court has allowed Californians to vote this November and decide whether to ban same-sex marriages.

In this sort of political climate, it is imperative upon the bishops of not only Los Angeles, but all California to uphold and witness to the Church's understanding of anthropology and divinely-revealed teaching on the subjects of sex and marriage. The clock is ticking.

Video: Tribal dance *after* Mass with Bp. Barnes of San Bernardino

Great Odin's Raven! Is there no sanity in the California episcopate? (besides Robert Vasa in Baker). [ed.: This is why I shouldn't blog late at night, I meant to say Bp. Allen Vigneron of Oakland (V-asa/V-igneron - that's the only explanation I can come up with). As noted in the comments, Robert Vasa serves the diocese of Baker, Oregon.]

Native dance after Mass with Bp. Gerald Barnes of San Bernardino:
Update: The video is still viewable here, just no longer embedded.

I'm calling this "Catholics with Cameras". And I'm taking submissions:

"thomas [at] americanpapist [dot] com."

Ph/t: AMDG, RCB & CCC.