Thread: CA: Pope selects Latino bishop to succeed Mahony in LA

Pope selects Latino bishop from Texas to succeed Mahony

(photo) Jose Gomez, the archbishop of San Antonio, is named by Pope Benedict XV1 to a position in L.A. that puts him first in line to succeed Cardinal Roger Mahony, who faces retirement at 75 next year.

By Henry Chu and Maria de Cristofaro
April 6, 2010 | 6:20 a.m.

Reporting from Rome and London - Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday named a Texas bishop to take over the archdiocese of Los Angeles after Cardinal Roger M. Mahony's expected retirement next year.

The pontiff appointed Jose Gomez as co-adjutor archbishop of Los Angeles, an assisting position that essentially puts him first in line to succeed Mahony, who reaches the mandatory retirement age of 75 for bishops in February.

Gomez is archbishop of San Antonio, a post he took up five years ago, during the last few months of John Paul II's papacy. Gomez, 58, is also a member of Opus Dei, the controversial order favored by John Paul II for its conservative teachings.

The selection of Gomez was apparently a nod to the demographics of Los Angeles, where Latinos form a large part of the overall population and especially of the region's Roman Catholics. Gomez was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and speaks fluent Spanish.

His appointment comes as the Vatican struggles to contain the biggest crisis so far of Benedict's papacy, an upwelling of complaints of physical and sexual abuse by priests across Europe.

The scandal mirrors an earlier one in the U.S., which has roiled the L.A. archdiocese and Mahony's tenure as archbishop. Three years ago, Mahony agreed to a record $660-million legal settlement with more than 500 alleged victims of clerical abuse.

The archdiocese's handling of abuse cases is also the subject of an ongoing investigation by a federal grand jury.

Mahony has served as head of the archdiocese for 25 years. In 1991, he was elevated to cardinal, a promotion that probably also awaits Gomez after, as expected, he takes over from Mahony at the top of the biggest Catholic archdiocese in the U.S.

"I welcome Archbishop Gomez to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles with enthusiasm and personal excitement," Mahony said in a statement posted on the archdiocese's website.

The cardinal is expected to introduce Gomez at a news conference at the L.A. cathedral Tuesday morning, and a welcoming Mass for the new co-adjutor bishop is scheduled for May 26.

Gomez became a priest at 26, and was appointed as an auxiliary bishop in Denver in 2001. He moved four years later to the archdiocese of San Antonio, which covers a population of 2 million, about one-third of whom are Catholics.

The Los Angeles archdiocese is home to more than five times as many people, of whom Catholics make up about 39%.

henry.chu@latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me ... 7685.story

Quote:
"Gomez, 58, is also a member of Opus Dei, the controversial order favored by John Paul II for its conservative teachings.

The selection of Gomez was apparently a nod to the demographics of Los Angeles, where Latinos form a large part of the overall population and especially of the region's Roman Catholics. Gomez was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and speaks fluent Spanish."

Reply:
I believe Gomez unfortunately will help further the transfer to this country of an emotional, intolerant, and "hard core" form of "Catholicism entirely from the top" which is practiced in Mexico. This will be a sad departure from the broader, more optimistic, and more tolerant form of Catholicism now often practiced by American Catholics, who also have a higher level of education than many recent Latin American immigrants.

American Roman Catholic Bishops have joined with Mexican Bishops in calling for "comprehensive immigration reform", and have announced their intention to work toward this end in the U.S. Congress. (As have other major religious organizations) Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid announced on the floor of the U.S. Senate in 2006 that he "had prayed with Cardinal Roger Mahoney" for passage of the amnesty legislation for illegal aliens then coming up for a vote. I thought this was a violation of the separation of church and state! However, now that the Catholic Chuch(together with other religious groups) has gotten its tax-exempt foot in our national civic door, they are going to be difficult to stop.

Previously the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops devoted an entire section on their website to:

"Justice for Immigrants: A Journey of Hope
The Catholic Campaign for Immigration Reform"

which was listed under "Social Justice" and "immigration". This, however, no longer seems to appear on their website. They do have a section now on "Responsible Citizenship" featuring in its background the red, white, and blue of the American flag.

(Quotations from the USCCB's previous "Journey of Hope" website section at:
The Catholic Campaign for Immigration Reform:
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-129244.html )

Gomez was born in Mexico, raised in Texas. "New face of the church in California." quote from video accompanying news story.

(quote)

Gomez vows to be an advocate for L.A.'s immigrants, the less fortunate

April 6, 2010 | 11:35 am


Cardinal Roger Mahony on Tuesday introduced Los Angeles to his successor, San Antonio Archbishop Jose Gomez, saying Gomez would be an advocate for the city's vast immigrant community as well as the less fortunate.

"Over the years he has been a most effective leader working with priests serving the Spanish-speaking communities across the country, and his leadership in proclaiming the dignity and rights of our immigrant peoples has helped motivate many people to advocate for our immigrants," Mahony said.

Gomez voiced his unequivocal support for immigration reform and said he wholeheartedly supported Mahony's advocacy for immigrant rights.
Gomez spoke of his joy of coming to Los Angeles, which he said “like no other city in the world, has the global face of the Catholic Church.â€

Georgia Peach wrote:
"Gomez was born in Mexico, raised in Texas."

Nevertheless, I believe his loyalty, as with the majority of U.S. Hispanics (studies show), remains with his native country. For those who do not know, the Virgin of Guadalupe is the Patron Saint of Mexico.

Quote:
"Gomez voiced his unequivocal support for immigration reform and said he wholeheartedly supported Mahony's advocacy for immigrant rights.

"Gomez spoke of his joy of coming to Los Angeles, which he said “like no other city in the world, has the global face of the Catholic Church.â€

Why are Catholics always seeing "visions"?? I knew one once that thought she saw "angels" all the time! It's like they live in a fantasy world sometimes.

That's why I don't affiliate with the Catholic Church anymore. They think that by applying medeivel tactics, they can keep the congregation together, when the opposite is what is happenning. Maybe that's why they appeal to 3rd world uneducated peoples.

[quote]He invited everyone to “thank God for our diversity and to commit ourselves to things that unite us,â€