A priest at St. James Parish Catholic church in Davis has been arrested for allegedly abusing a 17-year-old female, the Davis Police said.
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Davis Catholic priest arrested on suspicion of statutory rape
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A second Sikh temple faces opposition in Sacramento County
Sri Guru Ravidass Temple wants to replace its existing Sikh prayer hall with a 12,000-square-foot building with gold domes in a rural neighborhood near Dry Creek Road and G Street in Rio Linda. Neighbors have twice shown up before a community planning board to oppose the project, citing concerns about drainage and parking, among other things.
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Opposition to a Sikh prayer temple in Rio Linda echoes a similar situation recently in Galt.
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Abuse victims skeptical about meeting with pope
A Massachusetts man who took part in a private meeting six years ago between Pope Benedict XVI and victims of sex abuse by Roman Catholic priests said Tuesday that he hopes another summit planned soon with Benedict's successor will be more productive.
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Pope Francis gives a speech at the Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane, in east Jerusalem, on Monday, May 26, 2014. Pope Francis honored Jews killed in the Holocaust and other attacks and kissed the hands of Holocaust survivors as he capped his three-day Mideast trip with poignant stops Monday at some of the holiest and most haunting sites for Jews. At Israel's request, Francis deviated from his whirlwind itinerary to pray at Jerusalem's Victims of Acts of Terror Memorial, giving the Jewish state his full attention a day after voicing strong support for the Palestinian cause.
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Pope Francis talks to journalists during a press conference he held aboard the papal flight on his way back to Rome at the end of a three day trip to the Midle East, Monday, May 26, 2014
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Pope Francis talks to journalists during a press conference he held aboard the papal flight on his way back to Rome at the end of a three day trip to the Midle East, Monday, May 26, 2014
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Pope Francis waves to journalists as he arrives for a press conference he held aboard the papal flight on his way back to Rome at the end of a three day trip to the Midle East, Monday, May 26, 2014
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Davis priest faces three felony charges of unlawful sex
The Davis priest arrested in May on suspicion of having sex with a 17-year-old girl faces three felony charges tied to the allegations.
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Hector Coria Gonzales
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Sacramento recalls 1999 synagogue firebombings by white supremacist brothers
Fifteen years after three Sacramento synagogues were firebombed, Sacramento's multi-faith community comes together to continue the healing.
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Rabbi Mona Alfi of B’nai Israel recalled how a full-page ad published in The Sacramento Bee figured prominently in the community’s response to the firebombings.
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Mormon church excommunicates women's group founder
The Mormon church excommunicated the founder of a prominent women's group Monday, a rare move that brings down the harshest punishment available on an adherent who created an organization and staged demonstrations in a push for women to join the faith's priesthood.
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Kate Kelly, right, walks with a supporter after addressing her supporters at the Church Office Building of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during a vigil Sunday, June 22, 2014, in Salt Lake City. Kelly was shocked to find out earlier this month from her bishop that she is facing excommunication from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which she is a lifelong member.
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In this Sunday, June 22, 2014, photo, Kate Kelly, the founder of Ordain Women, a prominent Mormon women's group, walks with supporters to the Church Office Building of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during a vigil, in Salt Lake City. Kelly could find out Monday if she will be excommunicated from her church.
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In this Sunday, June 22, 2014, photo, Kate Kelly, the founder of a prominent Mormon women's group, center right, receives a hug from a supporter during a vigil, in Salt Lake City. Kelly could find out Monday if she will be excommunicated from her church.
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Kate Kelly, left, walks with supporters to the Church Office Building of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Sunday, June 22, 2014, in Salt Lake City. While Kelly's former church leaders meet in Virginia on Sunday night to decide if she'll be ousted from her church, the founder of a prominent Mormon women's group will hold a vigil in Salt Lake City along with hundreds of her supporters.
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Experts: Mormon excommunication 'warns everybody'
The decision by the Mormon church to excommunicate the founder of a prominent women's group marks a stern statement at a time when the church is under pressure to recognize gay rights and allow women into the priesthood.
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Kate Kelly wipes a tear from her face during a vigil Sunday, June 22, 2014, in Salt Lake City. While Kelly's former church leaders meet in Virginia on Sunday night to decide if she'll be ousted from her church, the founder of a prominent Mormon women's group will hold a vigil in Salt Lake City along with hundreds of her supporters.
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In this Sunday, June 22, 2014, photo, Kate Kelly, the founder of a prominent Mormon women's group, center right, receives a hug from a supporter during a vigil, in Salt Lake City. Kelly could find out Monday if she will be excommunicated from her church.
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Kate Kelly receives a hug from a supporter after walking to the Church Office Building of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Sunday, June 22, 2014, in Salt Lake City. While Kelly's former church leaders meet in Virginia on Sunday night to decide if she'll be ousted from her church, the founder of a prominent Mormon women's group will hold a vigil in Salt Lake City along with hundreds of her supporters. The leader of Ordain Women is accused of apostasy, defined as repeated and public advocacy of positions that oppose church teachings.
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Kate Kelly, founder of Ordain Women, checks messages of support and requests for interviews during a quiet moment at a bed and breakfast near the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City after getting an official message through email that she had been excommunicated, Monday, June 23, 2014. The excommunication is a rare move that brings down the harshest punishment available on an adherent, who created an organization and staged demonstrations in a push for women to join the faith's priesthood.
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Rev. Dan Madigan to retire after 50 years with Sacramento Diocese
The Rev. Dan Madigan, founder of the Sacramento Food Bank, will retire from the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento on Sunday after 50 years as a parish priest.
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The Rev. Dan Madigan plays with his Great Dane, Molly, inside St. Joseph’s Church in Freeport, September 4, 2008. Molly died last year, but Madigan will go into retirement with his current dog, Nellie, another Great Dane.
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Davis priest pleads guilty to statutory rape of teen parishioner
Calling his behavior “a crime and a sin,” local Catholic Church officials will ask the Vatican to defrock a disgraced Davis priest after he pleaded guilty to statutory rape of a teenage parishioner.
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Hector Coria Gonzalez, who had been a priest at St. James’ Parish in Davis since July 2012, pleaded guilty Friday of statutory rape of a teenage parishioner. Gonzalez will also be placed on formal probation for three years and barred by Yolo Superior Court Judge Paul Richardson from having contact with the girl until she turns 18.
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Sacramento faith groups respond to Israeli teens' murder
Local faith groups are finding ways to participate in the international dialogue surrounding the high profile murder of three Israeli teenagers and subsequent Israeli military response in the Gaza Strip.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eulogizes three Israeli teens who were abducted and killed in the West Bank during their joint funeral in the Israeli city of Modiin, Tuesday, July 1, 2014. Tens of thousands of mourners converged Tuesday in central Israel for the funeral service for three teenagers found dead in the West Bank after a two week search and crackdown on the Hamas militant group, which Israeli leaders have accused of abducting and killing the young men. The deaths of Eyal Yifrah, 19, Gilad Shaar, 16, and Naftali Fraenkel, a 16-year-old with dual Israeli-American citizenship, have prompted angry calls for revenge and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security Cabinet for an emergency meeting to discuss a response to the killings, hours after airstrikes targeted dozens of suspected Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip.
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Israeli army soldiers take positions during clashes with Palestinians in an early morning operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, Wednesday, July 2, 2014. Tensions have mounted between Israel and the Palestinians after the bodies of three Israeli teens were found in the West Bank more than two weeks after they went missing.
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An Israeli army soldier takes a position during clashes with Palestinians in the early morning in the West Bank city of Jenin, Wednesday, July 2, 2014. Tensions have mounted between Israel and the Palestinians after the bodies of three Israeli teens were found in the West Bank more than two weeks after they went missing.
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Rachel and Avi Fraenkel, parents of U.S.-Israeli national Naftali, 16, one of the three Israeli teens who were abducted and killed in the West Bank, mourn as they sit next to Israeli President Shimon Peres during their son'ss joint funeral in the Israeli city of Modiin, Tuesday, July 1, 2014. Tens of thousands of mourners converged Tuesday in central Israel for the funeral service for three teenagers found dead in the West Bank after a two week search and crackdown on the Hamas militant group, which Israeli leaders have accused of abducting and killing the young men. The deaths of Eyal Yifrah, 19, Gilad Shaar, 16, and Naftali Fraenkel, a 16-year-old with dual Israeli-American citizenship, have prompted angry calls for revenge and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security Cabinet for an emergency meeting to discuss a response to the killings, hours after airstrikes targeted dozens of suspected Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip.
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Sacramento relatives of slain Palestinian teen say he didn’t deserve to be targeted in Palestinian-Israeli conflict
Muhammed Abu Khdeir, the Palestinian teen who was kidnapped and burned to death Wednesday in Jerusalem, was a sweet, peaceful boy, his relatives in Sacramento said Thursday.
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Aisha Abu Khdair, in the white shawl, and daughter Shams Abu Khdair, center right, receive condolences for the loss of cousin Mohammed Abu Khdeir at Sacramento’s SALAM center on Thursday.
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Belal Abu Khdeir holds his cousin Muhammed in his arms during a visit to the village of Shufat, Palestine last year.
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Muhammed Abu Khdeir posted a selfie on his Facebook page.
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Q&A: Sacramento pastor builds bridges across religions
For Ramadan, Pastor Rick J. Cole of Capital Christian Center one of the regions oldest and largest fundamentalist churches gave a sermon to about 500 Muslims and their friends at the Sunrise Event Center in Rancho Cordova on Friday. Cole, whose 98-year-old Assemblies of God church was long considered the most conservative in the region, has been reaching out to gays, Jews and now Muslims to break down barriers and biases.
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During a sermon at Capital Christian Church, Pastor Rick Cole apologizes to two people who were wronged by the church years ago. He apologized to Ben Sharpe, an African American who was stripped of his valedictorian status in 1995 after shaving his head in the 8th grade. Also mentioned was Christina Silvas of Sacramento, whose daughter was not allowed to attend school there because Silvas worked as an erotic dancer in 2001.
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Student: Expelled from college after gay marriage
A woman said Monday that she was expelled from a private, Christian college in suburban Oklahoma City because she married her same-sex partner.
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Friends celebrate Sacramento’s longest serving Roman Catholic priest, an Irishman ‘from central casting’
He’s been toasted in pubs throughout Kilkenny County, Ireland, for his hurling prowess and called the “Irish Godfather,” “the spiritual father of south Sacramento,” a singer and a saint during his 66 years ministering to needy Sacramentans across faiths and races. Monsignor Edward “Ned” Kavanagh is his name, and serving underdogs is his game.
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Kavanagh leads a 1989 Mass. He is recovering from ailments at a care site.
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Monsignor Edward Kavanagh, pictured in 1989 at St. Rose’s church, has been called “the spiritual father of south Sacramento.”
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Monsignor Edward “Ned” Kavanagh, left, is seen after beating Cork in 1947 in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.
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Sacramento Congo connection forms lasting roots
As Jamie, 6, and Jordan, 5, made their way down a church camp chow line recently, the choices were abundant – hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, taco salad, potato salad, garden salad, watermelon and cookies for days.
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Josie and Gabe Wilmarth hold their children during evening service this month at Scotts Flat campground in Nevada County. Area families have adopted children through an African orphanage supported by Sacramento-area churches.
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Mateus Layton relaxes at Scotts Flat Lake. Mateus was adopted by Phil and Jaime Layton three years ago from an orphanage on the outskirts of Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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Jesse and Keleah Greggs sit together at Scotts Flat Lake during a multi-church campout earlier this month near Nevada City. Seven adopted youngsters were among 150 people from three churches enjoying powerboat rides and singalongs.
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Cara Wilmarth, left, and Jordan Loucks play during the campout at Scotts Flat Lake. Jordan and her sister Jamie were among the first Congolese children adopted through Compassion for Congo, which is supported by Sacramento-area churches.
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Congressman spreads gospel on Capitol Hill
Republican Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi has found a way to inject new meaning into constituent service by obliging a request to distribute Bibles to his colleagues in Congress, all 534 of them.
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Rep. Steve Palazzo of Mississippi
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Bible-based recovery center seeks to cure addiction among Sacramento’s Slavic youths
Behind a locked gate on E Street in rural North Highlands, about a dozen young men pray to God to deliver them from addiction – part of the God Will Provide treatment regimen.
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Michael Kumansky, 20, at center, listens as one of the counselors leads Bible study as part of his substance-abuse rehabilitation at the God Will Provide center in North Highlands on March 24. Residents range in age from 18 to 29. They stay for six to nine months, often followed by a mission trip.
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Michael Kumansky, 20, takes his free time to read the Bible in his room as he continues drug rehabilitation at a God Will Provide center in North Highlands on July 17. The residents spend most of their day praying, studying the Bible and working to help fund the organization.
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Michael Kumansky, 20, arrived at the North Highlands house last spring. Kumansky’s drug abuse began when he was 14. He started with marijuana. At 19, he said, he was using heroin and meth.
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As part of the God Will Provide program, Russian and Ukrainian youths battling addiction plant trees at the facility in North Highlands on March 24. God Will Provide does not offer statistics on the long-term sobriety of its clients. In 2013, 300 people entered the program nationwide and about 150 completed it, said the Rev. Victor Nakhaychuk, a senior pastor at the Sacramento centers.
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Pastor pleads no contest in sex sting
A Carmichael pastor caught in a prostitution sting has pleaded no contest to misdemeanor soliciting for prostitution, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.
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John Oselsky
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Sacramento church seeks donations of food, medical supplies for Ebola-stricken West Africa
An Ebola donation drive seeks medical supplies, non-perishable food and drinks, as well as cash to help West Africans and aid workers trying to stamp out the deadly virus.
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Men, right, working for a humanitarian group, give water in small bags to West Point residents behind a gate at a holding area, as they wait for a second consignment of food from the Liberian Government to be handed out, at the West Point area, near the central city area of Monrovia, Liberia, Friday, Aug. 22, 2014. Two new cases of Ebola have emerged in Nigeria and, in an alarming development, they are outside the group of caregivers who treated an airline passenger who arrived with Ebola and died, Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said Friday.
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Police: Carbon monoxide caused missionary deaths
Police in Taiwan suspect carbon monoxide poisoning caused the deaths of two Mormon missionaries.
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