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

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.”

He recalled how immediately after he was told about his new appointment, “the first thing I saw was a painting of our Lady of Guadalupe in the hallway. “I felt her love and protection. To Mary of Guadalupe, I would like to entrust my new ministry in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.”

He invited everyone to “thank God for our diversity and to commit ourselves to things that unite us,” which he explained were “our service to Jesus, the poor, the defense of the unborn child, the immigrant and the disabled.”

Gomez, who was warm and funny in his interaction with reporters, said he had not spent much time in Los Angeles.

“I need to learn about it,” he said. “I don’t know too much about it.”

Mahony, who spoke first, stressed to the pope about the importance of having a Hispanic archbishop. He noted that Los Angeles has the largest Spanish-speaking diocese in the U.S. and the fourth-largest in the world. He said that is the real story today.

He said Gomez’s appointment sends a signal around the world that the church supports Spanish-speaking Catholics. “I was so grateful to God for this gift of a Hispanic archbishop,” he said.

“I welcome Archbishop Gomez to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles with enthusiasm and personal excitement,” Mahony said. “During the process to select a new Archbishop, I urged that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles deserved to have a Hispanic as the next Archbishop. Los Angeles is the largest Hispanic Diocese or Archdiocese in the United States.”

Gomez, 58, has risen rapidly through the Catholic church and earned a national reputation. In replacing Mahony, Gomez would instantly become the most prominent Latino bishop in the U.S., leading an archdiocese that by far is the nation’s largest and is dominated by parishioners with roots in his native Mexico.

If his personal history is any guide, he also could be expected to guide the Los Angeles church along a more traditional -- some would say conservative -- path than Mahony, known as one of the most progressive archbishops in the country and an impassioned fighter for immigrants’ rights.

Gomez is a former member of Opus Dei, a conservative and controversial Catholic organization (known to most Americans because of its unflattering role in “The DaVinci Code,” which Opus Dei leaders denounced as misleading and offensive).

Mahony addressed that issue in his statement Tuesday morning: “Some may conclude that since Archbishop Gomez was ordained a priest of Opus Dei he must be 'conservative.' In fact, these labels of 'conservative' and 'liberal' are really unhelpful in the life of the Church. We are all called to a deep relationship with Jesus Christ, and I can attest that both of us share a common commitment to Christ and to the Church, and that both of us are interested in promoting the teachings of the Church fully as well as bringing the words and example of Christ to today’s society and world. I consider ourselves to share an equal commitment to the continued growth of the Church here in Los Angeles.”

Gomez built a reputation in San Antonio as a staunch traditionalist who reversed some of the more liberal-leaning initiatives of his predecessor. According to local news reports, he disbanded a Justice and Peace Commission whose members disagreed with his support for a state constitutional amendment barring gay marriage, and he once denounced a local Catholic college for hosting then-presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton, an advocate of abortion rights.

Since taking over the San Antonio archdiocese in 2005, Gomez has pleased some members of the community with his strong anti-abortion stance and his insistence on traditional church doctrine, while alienating others who favor a more progressive approach, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

-- Mitchell Landsberg and Jessica Garrison at Our Lady of Angels Cathedral 

Photo: Archbishop-elect Jose H. Gomez in 2005. Credit: Eric Gay / Associated Press

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Comments

[edla]

What kind of immigrants, is this again the liberal way of using the term IMMIGRANTS to encompass ILLEGAL immigrants?

But there are latinos out there who detest illegal immigration and i hope GOMEZ is one of them, or else his debut will have a hard time

[Herberte]

I really don't understand the significance of an Hispanic Catholic Cardinal for Los Angeles. You mean there aren't and never have ever been any Hispanic CaRdinal in the Catholic Church in all of the Americas? Or is Los Angeles some sort of front in the war of attrition in the overcoming of national boundaries?

[Emotional you]

Well, with all the scandal, the church had better do something to keep its member pews filled, cause fixing the real problem is not on the agenda. Go back to the basics, the bible. And let it govern the church.

Or, play political games to win popularity and miss it all together, there was a wise old saying, if you find yourself in a hole, STOP DIGGING.

[Roberto]

Mahony needs to leave Los Angeles and not come back. This new Bishop better not start playing with issues of Los Angeles and supporting political causes. Where is the division of Church and State?

[DRE DAWG]

Great! First thing out of his mouth is immigration reform and NO mention of catholic priests in L.A., across the nation, and across the world forcing children to perform sex acts with them.....rape, molestation, mental abuse, physical abuse. Disgusting and shame on you Archbishop Jose Gomez!!!!

[karin]

so he is saying the ILLEGALS and mexicans will have a stronger voice and if you are Italian, German, Korean, Spanish, Irish or LEGAL you will no longer matter..I love in a town that has to have a sister church to help fund the mexican church because they do not donate enough to support the church and they use to many of the social services that need to be funded!

[Jayne]

Another so called advocate for illegals, just what we don't need. Tend to the flock and stop being "advocates" and rewarding illegal behavior.

[MichaelJackson]

Wow, the Catholic Church supporting illegal immigrants who break multiple laws in living and working here... who would have thought? But then again, this is the same church that saw nothing wrong in protecting and supporting child molesters and rapists. And don't believe for a second that the Catholic Church doesn't have a financial motive in supporting illegal immigrants. Fewer native born Americans are practicing Catholics these days, and the Catholic Church needs to increase membership and thus, its coffers.

[esb]

The Catholic church needs to stay out of political issues. Doesn't it have enough internal problems to deal with?

[One Way Street?]

Apparently advocating for the interests of native-born Americans, Catholic or not, is still considered evil.

The Americans paying the highest price for millions of unskilled immigrants, legal or not, are the similarly poor & unskilled that compete for the same places in the economy, with the result being lowered wages.

In a time of record unemployment, no less, the borders stay open.

[2 cents]

used to have respect for Roman Catholic leaders but not anymore - they advocate the breaking of U.S. laws and that is just plain wrong - no moral high ground there - if they are so concerned about certain persons or groups then they should take their own money and go to where they are and not encourage illegal activity that ends up costing the U.S. taxpayers and not the Roman Catholic church - the "good Samaritan" did not force others to pay for a need he percieved, he payed for it out of his own money

[kuruc]

i advocate dignity for non-immigrants. the cc is going down for "defending the unfurtunates and the illegal aliens. NOT WITH MY CONTRIBUTIONS,CARDINAL.let's check your green card too.

[abuse?]

It's all well and good to talk about his conservative leanings and role as a prominent Latino in the church, but this article entirely ignores the central issue facing church leadership in Rome and Los Angeles: the sexual abuse scandal. What is this guy's track record? As he made his way up through the church leadership, he either disciplined wayward priests or he didn't. He either covered up or he exposed. He either stood up for victims or he didn't. Which is it?

[Lindy Jack]

If this Bishop is so against abortion and denounced a Catholic college in Texas for allowing Hilary to speak, who supports the killing in abortion, does he also denounce Prez George Bush for sponsoring the killing in the death penalty in prisons which is also condemed by the Vatican, Bishops, and the Pope??? George Bush as governor of Texas killed more prisoners on death row than any other governor in history--how many were innocent who could have proven it with DNA tests of blood or saliva as we have seen in scores of cases across the country? What is this Bishop's record in opposing the death penalty in Texas where he came from? Will this Bishop work to oppose and ban the death penalty in California or will he stay with the safe topics of abortion, gay marriage and immigration which are the front line fights and abandon the inmates on death row who are subject to just as much "killing" as a fetus in abortion? Sincerely, Lindy Jack

[J-DUB]

An advocate for immigrants....isn't that the code word for illegals in nowadays?

[Dan]

I'm not Catholic, but, how can you not demand the Pope disclose and condem the actions against children is beyond me. Apparently, everyone is turning a blinds eye to this, business as usual for the Catholic Church. Remember, the Catholic Church has always been on the side of illegal immigration, oh wait, did I just say illegal alliens?

[Phyllis N.]

When the Catholic Church talks about immigrants, of course they mean illegals also. They are happy to have more Hispanics to fill their pews, wherever they come from. Hopefully our politicians will realize that more illegals will cost us more money, especially now that we are offering national health care. And that amnesty will attract more illegals, the same as the 1986 amnesty.

[Mrs-America]

The archbishop will be advocating on the basis of skin color or country of origin?

I thought his job was to advocate for the benefit and betterment of ALL us Catholics.
:eyeroll:
I guess I am mistaken.

[Malagate]

I just wonder if Archbishop Gomez would be so eager to be an advocate of illegal immigrants if they were, say, Methodist and not Catholic. Then he would probably be for stronger national borders. As long as they are Catholic, they are already established customers and a built-in power base.

[Lawrence Wu]

The Catholic Church is just another business. They do what's will increase attendance and contributions. Doing what's popular and what's good for yourself is easy, doing the right thing and what is Bibilical even at financial cost is another. It's right to prosecute child molesters and it's wrong to make the poor pay for elaborate facilities.

[meters fan]

The reason he supports illegal immigration is the large number of young boys that will be available for the priests' "enjoyment" and the reluctance of those young boys to come forward for fear of deportation.

[luisa]

its funny how most of the comments are against the cc but are placed on the shoulder of the new guy... there is bull crap in all religions on earth..ALL OF THEM.. man are full of crap and therefore anything we do will just blow on our faces.. stop pointing fingers and start working!!! Ya all speak of this like ya are sin-free ppl... give me a break! instead of sitting down judging, get up and do something...

[kdiggs]

this sucks

[Richard]

I so agree with many of these comments! More talk of immigrant rights. Just a euphemism for protection of illegals and another reason to NOT speak ENGLISH! As soon as we Americans (whatever nationality) have guts enough to tackle this illegal problem, the sooner our troubles here will be alleviated. Let's hope the archbishop realizes this.

[Duped Tax Payer]

Immigrants do not need help. They always lump them together. Illegal need help in getting status which the church is helping in the name of reform. Is the church bias? Why not help the Chinese, Africans or Arabs obtain status?