A New Bishop For Los Angeles
Posted by Rebecca Teti in News on Wednesday, April 07, 2010 12:00 PM
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has a new coadjutor bishop.
A coadjutor is sort of a co-bishop who automatically succeeds the current bishop upon his retirement.
This means that when Cardinal Roger Mahoney retires, Bishop Jose Gomez, born Mexican and naturalized American, will inherit the nation’s second largest diocese.
There have been all kinds of responses (mostly jubilant) to the news of this appointment, but I found Bishop Gomez’ own remarks the most fitting.
He, almost alone among the commentaries I’ve read, seems to have in view not just the political implications of becoming the nation’s highest-ranked Hispanic bishop, but the meaning of service in the episcopacy and a kind of holy fear of the responsibility just laid on his shoulders.
His remarks above are just lovely, I think: humble, simple, self-effacing, emotional. The Spanish portion is translated below.
“When I received word of my appointment, I went immediately to my chapel to pray before the Blessed Sacrament. I asked for the grace of generosity, to be able to give myself completely to this new call from God. I also prayed for fortitude to be able to accept this responsibility, which is unquestionably immense. It gives me peace to know that this calling is from God, and he, the God of Mercy, will help me to be faithful and to serve his people in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
I will never forget that when I hung up after speaking with Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Apostolic Nuncio in the United States, the first thing that met my eyes was an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the hallway. I felt the love and protection of the Virgin of Guadalupe, who has accompanied me in each moment of my ministry. I entrusted my new ministry in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to her.”
I loved this line: “A bishop can live with the challenges of everyday life and even with the criticism of the world. As every bishop quickly discovers, it goes with the job description, all the way back to the original 12 apostles. But no bishop can live without the love and prayers of his people.”
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