Southeast : SACRAMENTAL PROTEST

The scene on Rosecrans Avenue in Compton could have given the term “holy war” new meaning. There was Father Clif, parish priest for the Roman Catholic Our Lady of Victory Church, leading about 15 parishioners in a demonstration against another church, Iglesia San Marcos.

According to Clif, Iglesia San Marcos Pastor Carlos Garcia is passing himself off as a Catholic priest and selling sacred rituals to Spanish-speaking immigrants.

Weddings are performed for $250 to $300, First Holy Communion goes for $100 and, to bless a new home, people are asked to shell out $120, Clif said. But the sacraments performed by Garcia are not sanctioned by the Catholic Church.

Priests at Our Lady of Victory have been feuding with Garcia for years. About three years ago, Clif’s predecessor succeeded in forcing Garcia to put a sign out front identifying the church as Lutheran, Clif said. But tearful Catholics continue to come to Clif’s office, saying they had just discovered that they were not married in the eyes of the Catholic Church or their children were not properly baptized, the priest said.

So the priest resorted to street action Sunday. He and his flock are planning to return this Sunday--and perhaps Saturday, for the weddings, Clif said.

“He’s not a Roman Catholic priest,” Clif said. “He’s running a business that’s making him well-to-do. He’s stealing from people--stealing their faith.”

Pastor Carlos Garcia-- who identifies himself on business cards as “Parroco,” which is the title for “priest” in Mexico--could not be reached for comment.

Bishop Paul Egertson, head of the Lutheran Church’s Southern California West Synod, did not return phone calls, but his office confirmed that Iglesia San Marcos is under internal investigation. The Lutheran organization would have no further comment, a spokeswoman said.