LAY COUNCILS SET FOR DISCUSSION PANELS COULD FIRE ABUSIVE PRIESTS.

Byline: Holly Andres Staff Writer

SAN FERNANDO - Outraged over the sexual-abuse scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church, a longtime parishioner at St. Ferdinand Church wants to organize laity councils with the authority to hire and fire priests.

Sam Cordova has gotten the permission of the Rev. Paul Nourie, senior pastor of St. Ferdinand, to use the parish hall to discuss his proposal.

``We need a complete reformation and a purification of the church,'' said Cordova, 70, who served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War. ``I don't want to be known as a troublemaker ... But there needs to be someone staying in the church, fighting and cleaning it up. You have to be brave to make a change.''

He envisions an elected parish council with the authority to investigate the background of priests assigned to the church and the power to remove those clergymen.

``What is the vocation of a parish priest? Some of the clergy say, 'Taking care of the sheep,' like we have no thinking ability. We're not sheep. I don't think a pastor should be worried about the air conditioner, how much was the take on bingo night or the plans for the fiesta.''

Laying the groundwork before asking for a parish meeting, Cordova sent letters outlining his proposal to Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as well as Bishop Tod D. Brown of the Orange Diocese, and to Pope John Paul II himself.

Mahony replied with a letter saying he would give Cordova's ideas ``some thought and reflection.''

But archdiocese spokesman Tod M. Tamberg said church law would prohibit the creation of parish councils with the authority that Cordova is seeking.

``It is not part of church law and would be very (difficult), if not impossible, to change,'' he said.

But Cordova said he is not deterred by church law. He gave an example of Mahony giving the nod, despite the wishes of the pope, for girls to be allowed to be altar servers - a role traditionally reserved for boys.

``Just because church law says one thing doesn't mean it can't be. Members of the clergy have said the problems of the church can't be solved just by them. They have asked the laity for help,'' Cordova said. ``There are ways to do things if there is a will.''

Cordova also wants the elected parish council to be able to look at the finances of the church it serves.

``If you asked 1,000 people, I would bet that not even five of them could tell you how much their pastor is paid. An elected board with authority can ask, Why are we supporting this? Why are we sending money downtown?

``The iron curtain of secrecy has to come to a complete end,'' he said. ``Why should the church be secret and keep secrets?''

A meeting to discuss the role of parish councils will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the parish hall at St. Ferdinand Catholic Church, 1109 Coronel St., San Fernando. Call [phone] for more information.

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Sam Cordova is spearheading a move for lay parish councils to oversee church matters, including hiring and firing priests.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer