Los Angeles Bishop Resigns After Acknowledging His Two Children

By ROBERT JABLON
01/4/12

LOS ANGELES -- The resignation of a Los Angeles bishop who fathered two children has shocked the nation's most populous Roman Catholic archdiocese, where Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala grew up and was an outspoken supporter of causes dear to the huge Hispanic population.

Zavala, 60, who once urged Catholic media to report scandals such as clergy sex abuse "in a spirit of love and mercy," had his resignation accepted by Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday. A code of Roman Catholic canon law permits bishops to step down earlier than the normal retirement age of 75 if they are sick or otherwise unfit for office.

"This is unexpected, sad and disorienting news for many people who know and like Bishop Zavala," archdiocesan spokesman Tod Tamberg said Wednesday. "Remember, he was raised here. He has deep roots in Los Angeles and so he's very well-known here."

Tamberg said he had virtually no details about Zavala's affair except that it involved consenting adults and that no church funds were used. the rest

Perv bishop gets time served for child porn
OTTAWA - A former bishop caught with child porn at the Ottawa airport in 2009 will be freed after a judge sentenced him Wednesday to time served.

Raymond Lahey, 71, got 15 months in jail and two years of probation. He has already spent eight months in jail, but received two-for-one credit for the time served...