Bishop Buddy Scrapbook 1938-1940

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 1938 ....

FRIDAY, AUG

Rejec Change, Way to

DISCUSS CONVENTION PLANS

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Way Cleared by City Council After Two Weeks' Deliber– ation for Church to Build on Property Purchased in El Cerrito Heights; Bishop Buddy Interviewed. An appeal based upon "reason and justice" made calmly and deliberately, without recourse to polyphonies by His Excellency's attorney, Nicholas J. Martin, to which was added the Most Rev. Bishop Buddy's second letter, prevailed with the City Council Tuesday when five of the seven members recog–

in the El Cerrito Redlands Gard– ens district. Obviously it should not be necessary for us to resort to mandamus proceedings or any formal litigation. Neither do we deem it relevant or ethical to stage a baJlyhoo in the CoWlcil Chamber. "Let your honorable delibera– tive Council state fearlessly and unequivocally, 1. Are the zoning laws of Sa.n Diego to be nullified? "2. Does me Council recognize our right to build in Zone R-4 El Cerrito Redlands Gardens dis– trict? "On these two points we rest our case relying on your sense of fair play to gjve a just decision. Many local attorneys not di– rectly concerned, as well as many non-Catholics, have for the past several weeks upheld the Bishop's right to build a church on El Cerrito drive .and have made their opinions known by letters to the Chancery Office. Promise Given Interviewed this afternoon re– garding what the Ch111·ch TT'i:Jht promise the property owners in the El Cerrito Redlands Gardens district, His Excellency said: "The only promise we make at this time is to welcome to our El Cen-ito school the neighbors' chil– dren of all creeds and no creed. We engage ourselves to teach them with their abc's why they are living, the existence of God, the necessity of recognizing the Creator and His eternal laws-– the form and framework of life– the rights of our neighbor, re– spect for authority, honesty, truthfulness and above all that God has a right to live next door." The difficulties between the Church and home owners on El Cerrito drive arose when the lat– ter sought to have the zone in which they live re-zoned into a strictly residential district in or– der to prevent the erection of a church. "CHARLES F. BUDDY, "Bishop of San Diego.''

nized the Bishop's right to erect a church on El Cerrito drive and, therefore, refused the petition of neighbors there to change the di– ocesan property from R-4 zone to R-1. After discussion between the opponents• lawyer and Mr. Mart– in, Councilman Fish made a mo– tion to grant the petition for change of zone. He was seconded by Councilman Siebert. Both councilmen based their action on the right of the petitioners to voice their objections to the con– struction of a church and also upon the recommendation of the planning commission to re-zone the property. Councilman Crandall argued that the attorneys whom he con– sulted advised that the church had a right to build on the pro– posed site and that he should stand by the R-4 zone. Mayor Benbough, Councilmen Wansley, Housh and Stannard agreed and voted with Crandall against the change of zone, with Fish and Siebert voting for the change Bishop';: Letter Read Repeal of t:ne res0lution which hi.d witrheld issuance of a per– mit to the Church followed. Bishop Buddy's letter, read into the records by Mr. Martin, reads: "Regarding Zone R-4 in the El Cerlto Redlands Gardens district, may we respectfully submit that because this question is one of principle we cannot consider any compromise. A just decision, then, does not depend on expedi– ency nor on our ability 'to get to– gether' for an exchange of prop– erty, nor even on the preference of other property owners in the district. "Having faithfully complied with the requirements of the City, will the Council now ask us to go begging in other quarters? We cannot consistently surrender the rights guaranteed us in Zone R-4 under which provision-and only after diligent investigation - we acquired a residence together with 240 front feet, total value $16,750.

Approval of plans for the first Diocesan convention of the Catho– lic Youth Organization was given by His Excellency Bishop Buddy at a conference with committee members. Left to right: Charles Bor– gerding, Bishop Buddy, Rod McLeod, council president; and the Rev. Francis Ott, Diocesan Director of Catholic Youth. --Cut courtesy San Diego Union. CYO GIVEN WELCOME TO THE CYO-A thousand welcomes! Eager and glad to see this day. we salute and bless you and pray for you enduring gifts. You have come from home of probity, piety and patriot– ism where you have learned admirable lessons of heroic life. Living in these times, you must feel d,eeply, even though dimly, that days of sharp struggle confront you. But your very pres– ence at this first Diocesan Convention of our organized young people stamps you as "doers of the Word." Thus you stand not in the twilight of doubt and uncertainty, but in the bright morning of Catholic action. Wisdom and courage are the ele– ments of success, the eyes and hands expressive of achievement. May· the Divine Spirit of Knowledge and Fortitude guide your deliberations. Let your love for God and country be known to 1111 men.

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