Church v. State: Who’ll Blink First?

Is the Sacramento Diocese bullying the City of Elk Grove?

St. Maria Goretti, the namesake of the proposed new Roman Catholic Church in Elk Grove, was a peasant girl who was canonized for her unconditional forgiveness of the man who raped and murdered her.

The fight going on right now between the Sacramento Diocese, adjoining neighbors and the City of Elk Grove is not without irony as the Diocese has been anything but forgiving in its single-minded pursuit of building the parish in agricultural-residential area on Bradshaw Road on the city’s north side.

The project was rejected unanimously by the Elk Grove Planning Commission for not being consistent with the city’s general plan. Not surprisingly the Diocese appealed the decision and the project was heard by the city council in September.

Emotional parishioners and a white-shoe lawyer

During that highly-charged meeting, scores of parishioners and people of others faiths urged the city council to approve the plan on emotional grounds. Similarly, a number of adjoining neighbors, several of who were self-identified Roman Catholic, opposed the parish saying it would forever change the rural nature of the area.

The icing on the cake though was the Diocese’s attorney, James F. Sweeney. A skilled orator with biting sarcasm, Sweeney seemingly threatened the city council with a lawsuit if they did not cave to Diocese’s will.

At the end of the marathon session, the city council appeared to approve the project. Reality was quite different.

The matter was again heard in October at which time Sweeney implied the city council had clandestinely placed the matter on the agenda. Sweeney was called out by council member Gary Davis who said the matter had been properly communicated.

At this meeting, with no parishioner representation, adjoining neighbors again plead their case citing concerns from the size of the project to the lack of proper water studies. Aside from taking stabs at the city, Sweeney seemed to relish in role as provocateur when he called his opposition a “tolerant mob.”

The provocations continued during the public comment section of Wednesday’s city council meeting. The difference this time was the message was a politically charged threat aimed at council members.

On Wednesday night, parishioner Dan Brennan aimed the Diocese’s ire at council members. Brennan accused two un-named council member of being “opportunist” intent on killing the project.

“I intend to share all that information with everybody in Elk Grove,” Brennan indignantly said.

Brennan seemed to imply this: if you don’t bend to the Diocese’s wishes, we’ll make sure you are run out of office.

Political calculus

All of this leads to the question of just how will city council members react to the pressure being exerted by the diocese?

Jim Cooper has already strongly stated he supports the church. With his run for sheriff looming large, opposition to a church would be great campaign fodder for his opponents.

Sophia Scherman has too expressed support for the church. However, as many who have observed her over the years will note, Scherman often has a muddled understanding on the issues before her and could unwittingly change her vote, or have voted the wrong way to start with.

Of all the council members, Steve Detrick appears to the one most willing to adhere to the general plan. With reelection three years off, he has very little political capital at stake.

That leaves Gary Davis and Mayor Pat Hume. They will be the two that, in my estimation, will determine the fate of the parish.

For Davis and Hume this issue is perilous and they have been put in a politically tough position. If Brennan and Sweeney follow through on their implied threats, their vote could determine how smooth their reelection campaigns will be in 2010.

A no vote will put them at odds with one of the most powerful organizations on Earth – the Roman Catholic Church. A parish-based stealth campaign could easily be launched to oust them.

This may all be a moot point though as the city council has formed an ad hoc committee, which both Davis and Hume will serve on, to iron out the sticking points between the parties. The die may have already been cast.

That would be a shame.

While there is a consensus that the city needs another parish to handle the burgeoning growth of Roman Catholics, the Bradshaw site is the wrong location. Elk Grove has a unique long-term opportunity to have a variety of land uses within its borders and the placement of the parish in this agricultural-residential area would be the catalyst for other development in the ag-res areas of Elk Grove.

While I am certain by writing this my family and I we won’t be invited anytime soon to serve the offering at mass, I nonetheless believe relocating the St. Maria Goretti parish won’t hurt the church. On the other hand, allowing the Bradshaw Road location will only hurt the people and the City of Elk Grove.