Archbishop Jose H. Gomez
Posted on 02/28/2011 1:28:23 PM PST by NYer
.- With the retirement of Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, Archbishop Jose H. Gomez has taken over leadership of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the largest in the United States.
“L.A. is home for me now,” the Mexican-born archbishop told the cardinal and the assembled worshipers at a Mass marking the transition of leadership on Feb. 27. “I pray that I will be worthy of continuing the work that you have begun here.”
Before a crowd of 3,500 faithful at Los Angeles' Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Cardinal Mahony ceremonially passed on his crozier to Archbishop Gomez, investing him with the traditional staff that symbolizes the leadership of the local bishop. On that same day, his 75th birthday, the cardinal submitted his resignation in a faxed letter to Pope Benedict XVI.
On Sunday, March 6, one week after the transition, Archbishop Gomez will celebrate his inaugural Mass as Archbishop of Los Angeles.
At the transition Mass, Archbishop Gomez graciously thanked the cardinal for his leadership of the archdiocese over the course of 26 years. Cardinal Mahony's legacy, he said, is “a Church that radiates the love of God and the truth of the Gospel.”
“He has shown us what Christ wants his Church to be – a communion of cultures and a communion of saints, one family of God drawn from every country, race, and language.” The archbishop said that Cardinal Mahony “has helped us open our hearts, to love God and to love our brothers and sisters.”
As the largest archdiocese in the country, Los Angeles is home to more than 5 million Catholics, 70 percent of whom are Hispanic. Archbishop Gomez, who was born in the Mexican city of Monterrey and later became a U.S. citizen, will be the first Hispanic Archbishop of Los Angeles.
He told the crowd that he hoped to continue Cardinal Mahony's work by inviting people of all backgrounds to participate in the life of the Church.
“I am inspired by his love for the immigrant, for the strangers in our midst,” Archbishop Gomez said. “I am challenged by his call for us to live the Gospel – to find Christ among the poor, to love the immigrant as our neighbor and our friend.”
Archbishop Gomez also spoke of the centrality of the priesthood to his own life, and the life of the Church.
“Cardinal Mahony knows it. Our brother priests know it,” he reflected. “To be his priests, this becomes the reason why we live. To bring Jesus to people, and to bring people to Jesus.”
“A priest is a priest forever,” Archbishop Gomez pointed out. “And a good bishop never forgets that he is, first of all, a priest.” He told the crowd that Cardinal Mahony was “now able to return to full time priestly ministry.”
“And that is such a beautiful thing – to be a priest,” Los Angeles' new archbishop noted.
While returning to priestly ministry on a smaller scale, Cardinal Mahony will be working on the issue of immigration. He wrote recently that he was “encouraged by the prospects of helping these silent millions in our midst” during his retirement.
Here in the NY, we still have another 3 years until the retirement of Bishops Hubbard and Clark. Mahony's retirement brings us consolation.
I waiting for last few months for Roger Mahoney go NYER BIG TIME LOL!
Don’t get too carried away ...
Bp. Walter Sullivan retired years ago, and the Dreadful Diocese of Richmond is still pretty dreadful. I have found a few really good spots, though. There’s hope. The recovery just won’t be visible overnight.
How long before Abp. Gomez becomes Cardinal Gomez?
For one thing, the music was better.
For another, nobody pitched a fit when I received on the tongue.
Brick by brick.
Probably very fast Ron
When you become Archbishop I think fast track to Cardinal Jose Gomez
Oh’ the pedophile protecting pro-illegal alien Cardinal has retired.
The mess will not be straightened out quickly. You can’t fire all the bad priests, or there would be no one to say Mass in a lot of parishes. So you have to try to control them and improve things gradually.
And my experience is that they don’t usually fire the lay staffers and catechists, but wait for them to retire, I suppose out of human sympathy for them. I think that sympathy is misplaced, considering the terrible damage they do, but I can understand it.
Mahoney had a lot of time to make this mess, and it will take a lot of time to clean it up. But it’s a start.
Phony balony Mahony, don’t let the door hit ya, etc....
When Mahoney turns 80 and is no longer eligible to sit on the College of Cardinals to elect a pope.
Here in Chicago we’ve seen it every time; when someone becomes Abp. of the Diocese of Chicago they get a biretta at the next Conclave. Our current Abp’s prececessor died, so I don’t remember if there was a “wait for your predecessor to age out” issue.
I couldn't believe I was in the DDR.
OTOH, Tidewater (Chesapeake/Norfolk/VA Beach) is still a mess. Less of a mess than it used to be.
Probably not until Mahony goes off to face the Judge whom we all shall face.
If memory serves they don't like to have two Cardinals eligible to vote for the next pontiff from the same Archdiocese, which is why Archbisop Dolan in New York hasn't been elevated yet. Archbishop Gomez may have to wait until Cardinal Mahoney hits 80.
Well, that’s assuming he lives to 80. But no, we’re not supposed to hope that he won’t. . . . We’re supposed to pray for his conversion before he dies.
In any case, it will be a year or two or three at least, since a consistory was just held last fall.
I think you meant “consistory” not conclave.
Yeah, the last several Chicago archbishops died in office. The other commenters are right—Gomez can’t become a cardinal as long as Mahoney is alive or under 80.
” “I am challenged by his call for us to live the Gospel – to find Christ among the poor, to love the immigrant as our neighbor and our friend.””
Liberation theology, here we come...
IMO, that is a colossal mistake. Mid-level bureaucrats wield inordinate power.
The queers, feminists, socialists, liberation theology types, etc all need to be removed sooner rather than later.
Queer priests need to go, too.
We have the best monsignor in the world, and just about the worst Deacon.
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