Posted on 04/05/2010 9:17:23 PM PDT by Pyro7480
...New Advent's Kevin Knight cites unnamed sources to report tonight that, in his pontificate's most significant move on these shores, Pope Benedict will name Jose Gomez, 58, archbishop of San Antonio since February 2005, as coadjutor-archbishop of Los Angeles.
In the process, the native of Mexico -- the lone American bishop professed as a numerary (full member) of Opus Dei -- will make history, becoming the first Hispanic prelate placed in line for a Stateside red hat.
The appointment would bring to a close several months' worth of intense consultation and speculation since word of Cardinal Roger Mahony's request for an understudy began circulating late last year. A coadjutor will first spend some months learning the ropes alongside the 74 year-old cardinal before succeeding to the helm of the 5 million member local church -- its Catholic population estimated to be three-quarters Latino -- shortly after Mahony reaches the retirement age of 75 next February 27th. (Among other attributes of its wildly-diverse ethnic makeup, Los Angeles -- the nation's second-largest city -- is home to the world's largest concentration of Mexicans outside Mexico City.)
Born in Monterrey and ordained for Opus Dei in 1978, Gomez served in Texas from 1987 in both Houston and San Antonio. A former executive director and president of the National Association of Hispanic Priests, in 2001 Pope John Paul II named him an auxiliary to Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, then rocketed him into the lone senior US post customarily held by a Latin cleric on his appointment to San Antonio in late 2004. Six months after his installation there, TIME magazine named Gomez one of the nation's 25 most influential Hispanics.
(Excerpt) Read more at whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com ...
Catholic ping!
I found this via Google: “Archbishop Gomez sent a letter to every parish in the city informing them of his decision to have the local, former ‘indult’ TLM community move from its former place in a tiny chapel behind a nursing home to one of the biggest parishes in the city. The attendance was estimated at 450 people, and the comments the people made afterward were overwhelmingly positive.”
May the Lord bless the Holy Father Benedict richly and give him years, long years.
May He scatter and confuse the enemies of the Church even more than they are scattered and confused today.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, amen.
Which Parish?
[To replace Cardinal Mahony] Vatican rumor: an American prelate in play?
Well, it would be good for LA, but sux for SA. We are rather fond of Archbishop Gomez. He hasn’t really been here that long..He certainly has cleaned things up.
Sounds like he will be, um, different from Cardinal Mahoney. I can see the LA Times, though, looking at the Opus Dei membership and the fact that he is Chaput’s protege, and making noises about how this is a reactionary choice, out of step with Californians. (Not like the LA Times should wield any influence in internal matters of the Church, I know, but the public, including many Catholics, will read it and be wary.)
I simply hope that he is a good and holy man, and I wish him well in his new role.
1. How does Archbishop Gomez get along with the charismatic community?
2. What was it that he “cleaned up” in San Antonio?
3. Anything else we need to know about him?
He just helped with the foundation of a new institute of consecrated life. It's Charismatic: http://www.brothersofthebeloveddisciple.org/
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They moved it to St. Pius X parish in San Antonio.
I have had dealings with Opus Dei ever since I was a student at Harvard back in the 60s. They are strongly orthodox and traditional. The Jesuits seem to hate them. You might, only half jokingly, call them the anti-Jesuits.
The more dissident and liberal the Jesuits get, the more Opus Dei has, in effect, taken their former place in the Church, bringing sanity to Catholic college students wherever they have footholds.
This should be a big move in the right direction in Los Angeles, since Cardinal Mahoney has been one of the country’s leading heretic bishops, who has damaged the Church as much as he has dared.
The Jesuits still have bad problems but are on the road back. Here in New Orleans a cell of impressively traditional Jebbies is forming. I believe the SJ’s best years are still before them.
St. Pius X is not a traditionally-designed church, but it appears to be a good size. Of course, this is but a token presence in an archdiocese the size of SA. I’m sure Gomez will be an improvement on what LA has now, but I ain’t celebrating yet.
The Jesuit leadership still appears to be deeply compromised. When they chose a new General a while back he seemed to be the same breed of dissident as the previous one. And most of the colleges seem to be broken. But they still have a few good, faithful members left in the order. I’m glad to hear about the ones in New Orleans.
Oh, I agree. And traditional SJs are frequently in for a hard time. But that is changing, slowly. I hear of encouraging traditional stirrings among some St. Louis SJs also. In 10 years, things will look much better. If I knew of a bright and motivated young man considering a vocation, I would not hesitate to suggest the Jesuits. (In fact, I do know one such, who's still in college but very seriously interested in the Jesuits.) I would never have said that 3 years ago.
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