Catholic bishop admits fathering teens, resigns

A Catholic bishop in the Los Angeles archdiocese has resigned after
admitting that he is the father of two children, both now teenagers. The
Vatican announced that Pope Benedict XVI had accepted the resignation
of Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala, 60, who was born in Mexico and grew
up in Los Angeles.

Ordained in 1977 and named a bishop in 1994,
Zavala had a reputation for fighting on behalf of immigrants and the
poor and against the death penalty. Most recently, Zavala had overseen
the bishops' communications office and media outreach.

Observers
say his scandal could hamper the bishops' high-profile public campaign
against gay marriage and could affect efforts by the American bishops to
develop Hispanic leaders to minister to the burgeoning U.S. population
of Hispanic Catholics.