Justice tastes sweet enough by itself. It also goes great with brunch. At Kathy’s and my house over the weekend, the east Pasadena episcopal residence of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, we partied all weekend long on behalf of our baptismal commitment to the dignity of every human being.
On Saturday, the diocese’s sanctuary task force, whose street name is Sacred Resistance, joined hands over the buffet table with the Commission on LGBTQ Ministries, which traditionally throws a spring garden party. The federal government’s main scapegoats are immigrant workers and trans and nonbinary people. The Rev. Dr. Francisco Garcia, who spearheaded the December 2016 convention resolution making ours a sanctuary diocese, spoke on behalf of Sacred Resistance and diocesan liaison the Rev. Canon Susan Russell and commission convener Thomas Diaz on behalf of our LGBTQ+ ministries. The skies, like our cruel national politics, were dark, but the mood was festive, since our faith is that better times are ahead.
On Sunday, same tent, different good cause as HFS Adoption & Foster Care, also called Holy Family, welcomed 80 supporters to its annual fundraiser, dubbed Circle of Hope. Founded 75 years ago by Bob and Dolores Hope, HFS provides adoption counseling, post-natal support, and foster parent training. It was a ministry of the Roman Catholic archdiocese until the church decided not to work with same gender couples. Former Bishop Jon Bruno brought the agency under our wing. Representing him Sunday were board members Phil and Mary Bannan Bruno.
Board chair Marianne Wright, whose spouse, Matt, served ably as auctioneer, saw to every detail and hit her and the board’s $60,000 goal, despite the considerable distraction of her and Matt losing their home in the Eaton fire. Julie Brown, executive director since 2013, said the agency’s future is bright. Honorees included veteran advancement specialist, political hand, and Holy Family stalwart Joseph Zanetta, whom Kathy and I first met in 1991, when he was a Whittier College executive.
