The name of the successor for the Los Angeles Catholic diocese was revealed Tuesday by Cardinal Roger Mahony. Former Denver auxiliary archbishop José Horacio Gómez, 58, has been appointed heir of the position from where he plans to be an advocate for the city's enormous immigrant community. "This is an epic moment in the life of the church in the United States (...) Over the years he (Gomez) 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 during the presentation.
Gomez shared his enthusiasm of coming to the city of Los Angeles: like no other city in the world has the global face of the Catholic Church, he said. The new archbishop invited everyone to thank God for our diversity and to commit ourselves to things that unite us (as) our service to Jesus, the poor, the defense of the unborn child, the immigrant and the disabled.
Mahonys successor is passionately against abortion, supports the barring of same sex marriages, and is a fervent supporter of immigration rights.
Gomez, who was born in Monterrey, Mexico, was officially appointed by the Pope Benedict XVI as Archbishop Coadjutor of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, in anticipation of the retirement of Cardinal Mahony, announced for February 2011 when he turns 75 years old. Mahony has been archbishop of Los Angeles for almost 25 years, jurisdiction where a total of 4.2 million share the Catholic faith.
Los Angeles has the largest Spanish-speaking diocese in the U.S. -where Latinos make up 70 percent, and is the fourth-largest in the world. By replacing Mahony, Gomez becomes the most prominent Latino bishop in the United States.