Archbishop Gomez will be the highest ranking hispanic in the U.S. Catholic church.
Change Coming to Los Angeles as Pope Appoints Replacement for Mahony
2005, while Cardinal Mahony was holding an inauguration for a pro-abortion mayor in the Cathedral, young pro -life Catholics who were prayerfully protesting outside the Cathedral were removed and threatened with arrest by Cathedral security.
In 2008, however, as archbishop of San Antonio Texas, Gomez objected to the appearance of pro-abortion Senator Hilary Clinton at a Catholic University. He recalled that an official 2004 document of the U.S. bishops says, “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” Gomez added: "Our Catholic institutions must promote the clear understanding of our deep moral convictions on an issue like abortion, an act that the Church calls 'an unspeakable crime' and a non-negotiable issue."
In addition, Archbishop Gomez – ordained as an Opus Dei priest - praised South Bend Bishop John D’Arcy for his refusal to attend the 2009 commencement ceremonies at Notre Dame because of the university’s decision to give an honorary degree to pro-abortion President Barack Obama, and to have him speak.
Archbishop Gomez and his auxiliary bishop wrote: "President Obama has made it clear that his policies on abortion and the general protection of innocent life are in dramatic opposition to the teachings of the Catholic Church."
"At this critical time we cannot afford to send an ambiguous message to the leaders of our people."
Here is the NY Times on Archbishop Gomez - a 22 paragraph news feature.
Latino to Lead Los Angeles Diocese
The Vatican has chosen Archbishop Jose H. Gomez — who was born in Mexico and became an American citizen while serving in Texas as a priest for the conservative Catholic organization Opus Dei — to become the next leader of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the largest Roman Catholic archdiocese in the country.
The choice is an acknowledgment that the church’s future in America depends on the growing numbers of Hispanic faithful, and that the Vatican is intent on elevating leaders who are solid theological conservatives.
The appointment of Archbishop Gomez, 58, to succeed Cardinal Roger M. Mahony represents a historic first for Hispanics, the largest minority group in the United States, and was greeted with enthusiasm by some.
Comments