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St. Louis, Mo., Mar 23, 2023 / 15:30 pm (CNA).
Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles will lead a six-mile eucharistic procession on Saturday through the city as part of the National Eucharistic Revival, a thr… […]
Archbishop José H. Gomez places the Book of Gospels and a cross on the coffin of Bishop David O’Connell before leading a procession at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, in downtown Los Angeles on March 3, 2023. / Photo by Jay L. Clendenin-Pool/Getty Images
CNA Newsroom, Mar 3, 2023 / 16:56 pm (CNA).
Thousands gathered Friday for the funeral of slain Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell, who was remembered as “a friend of Jesus Christ” and the poor.
Archbishop José Gomez presided over the funeral Mass, held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. Speaking briefly at the conclusion of the liturgy, Gomez said “Bishop Dave,” as O’Connell was affectionately known, would be sorely missed, but “we know that he’s in heaven.”
“From there he’s going to continue to intercede for us,” Gomez said, “as he has done his whole life.”
O’Connell, 69, a popular Irish-born priest who worked on myriad social causes in South L.A. for the past 45 years, died Feb. 18 after being shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home, according to District Attorney George Gascón. Carlos Medina, the husband of O’Connell’s housekeeper, has admitted to murdering the bishop, Gascón said in a Feb. 22 press conference.
One of O’Connell’s closest friends, Monsignor Jarlath “Jay” Cunnane, gave the homily at Friday’s Mass.
“We’re heartbroken with you,” he said, speaking to O’Connell’s relatives sitting in the packed cathedral. “But thank you and your parents and those who’ve gone before you for giving us the blessing of him.”
Earlier this week, both Pope Francis and President Joe Biden issued condolences to O’Connell’s family and all those grieving his death.
The Holy Father’s message, which was first shared with attendees at a memorial Mass for O’Connell on Wednesday, was shared again at the beginning of Mass Friday.
“To those gathered for the Mass of Christian burial and to all who mourn Bishop O’Connell’s loss in the sure hope of the resurrection, the Holy Father cordially imparts his blessing as a pledge of peace and consolation in the Lord,” Gomez said, reading the statement, which was signed by Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
Following the reading from the Gospel of Matthew, Cunnane described O’Connell as “David, the friend of Jesus Christ; David, the friend of the poor.”
Said Cunnane: “I can’t imagine having walked that road without David at my side. I’m sure I would have got lost. I would have gone astray.” He said that O’Connell “was good at friendship” and was his “Anam Cara,” Gaelic for “soul friend.”
“He was a friend of souls. David did soul work. He spoke to the soul. He healed souls. He brought peace to souls,” Cunnane said, adding that “more than anything else … Bishop Dave was a friend of Jesus Christ and of Mary our Blessed Mother.”
Cunnane spoke about O’Connell’s devotion to the rosary and the Blessed Mother and mentioned his strong prayer life in recent years.
“For Dave life was, and especially in the recent years, life was prayer. Life was in the presence of Christ, and that is what he shared. Yes, he helped the poor. Yes, he fought for justice. But most of all, what he wanted to share was that encounter with Jesus Christ,” he said.
Cunnane added that he has battled sickness over the past number of years, which has hospitalized him. He said that O’Connell faithfully visited him in the hospital every day.
“I think I hear the Lord say to you, ‘My friend David O’Connell, come, blessed of my Father, enter the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of creation,’” Cunnane concluded.
David O’Connell, Bishop O’Connell’s nephew, offered remarks about his uncle before the Mass concluded.
“Uncle Dave was an inspiration for us throughout our whole lives and he will remain to be so,” O’Connell said.
“He taught us that if you have the capacity to help someone, you should do it. I can hear him so clearly in my mind saying, ‘Ah, it’s no problem I can do it.’ All he wanted to do was make things easier for everyone else and he never asked for a single thing in return, ever.”
O’Connell said that his uncle would consistently offer his prayers for his nieces and nephews as they encountered challenges in their lives.
“He never ended a phone call without telling me how proud he was of me,” O’Connell said, fighting back tears.
“He was really the rock of the family, the one we went to for advice, and for support. We are all heartbroken,” he said.
O’Connell said that a new opportunity presents itself following his uncle’s death.
“We now all have the opportunity to pick up where he left off and carry the example that he set. Help those that you can help. Lend an ear and listen to people. Respect each other. Be considerate and give others the benefit of the doubt. Have patience, and give everyone a chance. Make sure that those who are closest to you know that you love them and that you are proud of them,” he said.
“Uncle Dave, we all love you so much. I am so sorry that you will not be here for all the things that are to come in our lives, at least not in person,” he said. “Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.”
Students at Precious Blood School, located a few miles west of downtown Los Angeles. Precious Blood is one of three new inner-city “microschools” trying a fresh approach to Catholic education. / Photo by Victor Alemán/Angelus News
Los Angeles, … […]
Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell / Credit: MajorChange/YouTube Jul 26, 2020
Boston, Mass., Feb 22, 2023 / 16:40 pm (CNA).
Carlos Medina, the suspect in the murder of Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell, was arraigned in state court Wednesday and formally charged with one count of murder and a special allegation that he personally used a firearm.
“This was a brutal act of violence against a person who dedicated his life to making our neighborhoods safer, healthier, and [who always served] with love and compassion,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a Wednesday press release.
“As Catholics around Los Angeles and the nation start the holy season of Lent, let us reflect on Bishop O’Connell’s life of service and dedication to those in greatest need of our care,” Gascón said. “Charging Mr. Medina will never repair the tremendous harm that was caused by this callous act, but it does take us one step closer to accountability.”
News of O’Connell’s death shocked the nation and rocked the local and international Catholic community.
O’Connell was found dead with “at least” one gunshot wound to his upper body on Feb. 18 in his bedroom at his Hacienda Heights home, Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said in a Monday press conference.
After an around-the-clock manhunt for the killer, sheriff’s deputies were tipped about a person of interest in the city of Torrance, which is about a 45-minute drive southwest from Hacienda Heights, where O’Connell was found dead.
Detectives had identified the person of interest as Medina, the husband of O’Connell’s housekeeper, on Sunday evening after the tipster told them that Medina was exhibiting “strange” and “irrational” behavior and had “made comments about the bishop owing him money.”
Police had also discovered video evidence of a “dark-colored, compact SUV” that had pulled into the bishop’s driveway, stayed for a short time, and then left, the sheriff said.
Medina drove a similar type of vehicle, Luna said.
On Monday morning at about 2 a.m. local time, sheriff’s deputies arrived at Medina’s home after being tipped off that he arrived at his residence.
With a warrant in hand for his arrest, sheriff’s deputies called for Medina, 61, to surrender, but he refused to come out of his residence.
The sheriff department’s Special Enforcement Bureau personnel arrived at the scene with an amended warrant to search Medina’s home and arrest him. Medina exited his home and surrendered to authorities at about 8:15 a.m. local time, “without further incident,” Luna said.
Two firearms “and other evidence” possibly incriminating Medina were found at his residence in Torrance during his arrest at approximately 8:15 a.m. Monday, the sheriff said.
Those firearms will be examined and tested in a crime lab to determine if they were used in the murder.
Offering remarks at Monday’s press conference, Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez broke into tears and struggled to complete his brief comments on Bishop O’Connell.
“Out of his love for God, he served this city for more than 40 years,” Gomez said.
“Every day he worked to show compassion to the poor, to the homeless, to the immigrant, and to all those living on society’s margins. He was a good priest and a good bishop and a man of peace, and we are very sad to lose him,” Gomez said.
Bishop David O’Connell. / Credit: KTLA screenshot
St. Louis, Mo., Feb 21, 2023 / 10:40 am (CNA).
David O’Connell, an auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles who was shot and killed over the weekend, is being mourned in his home country of Ireland.
O’Connell was born in 1953 in County Cork, on Ireland’s southern coast. He was baptized at Sacred Heart Church in the village of Glounthaune, where he later served as an altar boy. Sacred Heart was also where he celebrated his first Mass following his ordination in 1979, RTÉ reported.
Father Tom Hayes, a priest of the local Diocese of Cork and Ross, said his entire parish — about an hour’s drive from O’Connell’s — is talking about the tragic killing. O’Connell maintained close ties to Cork, returning at least once a year, most recently last summer, Hayes said.
“[His murder] is a front-page story here in Ireland since it happened, and it’s on the television and radio news, and so it’s getting quite a lot of news attention,” Hayes told CNA.
“So almost everybody has heard about it. And, yeah, people are shocked. I met one young woman today, and her issue was that she just couldn’t understand how one human being could take up a gun in close proximity to somebody else and kill them. But that’s kind of a reflection of maybe the difference in cultures as well, because in Ireland, we don’t have gun violence for the most part.”
Appointed a bishop in 2015, O’Connell ministered to immigrants, the poor, and victims of gang violence for 45 years in the South Los Angeles area. O’Connell was 69 when a deacon found him dead in his home Saturday in Hacienda Heights with at least one gunshot wound to the chest. A suspect has been arrested and on Monday was identified as 65-year-old Carlos Medina, the husband of O’Connell’s housekeeper. The investigation is ongoing.
Father Damian O’Mahony, co-pastor of O’Connell’s home parish of Sacred Heart, told CNA that “Bishop Dave never forgot his native home here in Cork,” describing him as “a proud Corkman, and he always let people know.”
“Naturally, those parishioners who knew Bishop Dave and those who know his family here in the parish were very shocked and upset and there was an air of disbelief,” O’Mahony told CNA.
“A Memorial Mass will be held in the Sacred Heart Glounthaune at a later date where those in his native parish will gather to pray for, remember, and celebrate the life of a good man who was taken so tragically and so cruelly from this life. It will also be an opportunity to show our continued support for his family as they come to terms with the loss of someone much loved and who will be missed dearly.”
At the regularly scheduled Mass on Feb. 20, O’Mahony noted that O’Connell has several surviving family members in County Cork, including a brother.
“We also pray for and remember his family at this time in the parish … his many, many friends in this time of heartbreak, shock, tears, sadness, and sorrow and all here in the parish who would have known him as well,” O’Mahony said, as reported by RTÉ.
Prayers have been said in Cork for Bishop Dave O’Connell who was shot dead at his home in Los Angeles. The 69-year-old was originally from Brooklodge near Glanmire in Co Cork. A murder investigation is under way | More: https://t.co/hgEE3owmA6 pic.twitter.com/mp9EESTgUv
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 20, 2023
The local bishop of O’Connell’s home diocese also spoke out in remembrance of the murdered bishop, urging prayers for him and for his family.
“Since his ordination in 1979 Bishop David has served as a priest in Los Angeles but has always maintained his connection with family and friends here in Cork, where has been a regular visitor. We pray that the Lord will console Bishop David’s many friends in Cork and throughout Ireland,” Bishop Fintan Gavin of Cork and Ross said in a Feb. 19 statement.
“We will pray for Bishop David at Mass throughout the Diocese of Cork and Ross in the coming days, asking the Lord to comfort his family, his colleagues, and all the bereaved. Bishop David worked tirelessly for peace and harmony in communities; may he now rest in the peace of the Lord.”
O’Connell was ordained during an era when many of the young men from Ireland becoming priests were sent abroad as missionaries, Hayes noted. For his part, O’Connell decided to come to the United States due in part to meeting fellow Irishman Cardinal Timothy Manning, who was then the archbishop of Los Angeles.
“In that providential conversation, the cardinal convinced him that Los Angeles was where he should go. So then he went and trained for the priesthood here in Ireland. The college that he trained at in Dublin is called All Hallows College, and the vast majority of seminarians who studied in that college studied to serve in dioceses in other countries,” Hayes said.
Many priests of a similar age to O’Connell came from Ireland to the United States and continue to minister throughout the country, he said. Beyond his visits back to Ireland, O’Connell was a very faithful supporter of his home diocese’s missions to Peru and Ecuador. Hayes said O’Connell would always warmly welcome Irish missionary priests to his parishes in the U.S., allowing them to preach and fundraise for their mission.
Hayes said his parishioners remain shocked that a person who made such a positive effort in his community could be the victim of such a crime.
“A lot of the people as well, and they’re also just shocked at the loss of what we see as somebody who was contributing very significantly to the life of his diocese and to the people that he was ministering to. And to have his life cut short is just such a shame,” Hayes said.
He said that if anything at all good can come from O’Connell’s murder, it would be a wider recognition of the peacemaking work he did for so many years in Los Angeles.
“It may inspire others to pick up some of the issues that he was advocating for — justice for the people on the margins of society — and to create a world of peace and fairness where people don’t have to be violent to one another. I think if that message gets amplified both in Ireland and in L.A., then that in itself would be a blessing.”
Bishop David O’Connell leads a non-denominational memorial service to provide a space for community members who have lost loved ones in 2020 at the St. Cornelius Catholic Church in Long Beach, California, on Nov. 14, 2020. / Apu Gomes/AFP via Getty Images)
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Feb 19, 2023 / 13:47 pm (CNA).
The shooting death of Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David G. O’Connell Saturday is being investigated as a homicide, authorities have confirmed.
“This incident is being handled as a murder investigation,” the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) said in a statement Sunday. No additional details were released.
“We learned early this morning from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office that they have determined that the death of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell yesterday was a homicide. We are deeply disturbed and saddened by this news,” Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez said in a statement Sunday.
“Let us continue to pray for Bishop Dave and his family. And let us pray for law enforcement officials as they continue their investigation into this terrible crime,” Gomez added. “We ask Our Blessed Mother Mary to intercede and be a mother for all of us in this moment of sadness and pain.”
The shooting happened around 1 p.m. local time Saturday inside a home in the 1500 block of Janlu Avenue in Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County, the sheriff’s department said. Property records show an address on that block as being associated with O’Connell, but CNA could not immediately confirm local media reports that identified the location as O’Connell’s residence.
Sheriff deputies called to the scene for a medical emergency found O’Connell suffering from a gunshot wound to his torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene, the LASD said.
A native of Ireland, O’Connell, 69, ministered to immigrants, the poor, and victims of gang violence for 45 years in the South Los Angeles area. Pope Francis made him a bishop in 2015.
O’Connell’s friends and fellow bishops reacted with shock and sadness to the news of his death.
I received last night the devastating news that my dear friend, Bishop David O’Connell, has died. Bishop Dave and I were ordained auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles seven years ago. pic.twitter.com/GWrgLY1hPX
— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) February 19, 2023
Among those to comment on social media was Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, who was ordained an auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles with O’Connell in 2015.
“From the moment I met him, I was struck by his goodness, kindness, prayerfulness, and simplicity of heart,” Barron tweeted.
“Throughout the course of my years in the LA Archdiocese, Bishop Dave was a constant source of support, encouragement, and good humor,” Barron continued.
“He dedicated his priesthood to serving the poor. I can honestly say that he was one of the most Christ-like men I’ve known. May he rest in peace.”
Linda Dakin-Grimm, an immigration lawyer in California, tweeted a photo of O’Connell with one of her young clients.
This is L.A. Aux. Bishop David O’Connell, with one of my young clients. Bishop Dave, who was shot to death in his home today, was there for every child and family I have represented. Always. Helping, supporting and generally being the face of Jesus for me and many many others. pic.twitter.com/zdtEN25DGE
— Linda Dakin-Grimm (@LindaDakinGrimm) February 19, 2023
“Bishop Dave, who was shot to death in his home today, was there for every child and family I have represented. Always,” she tweeted. “Helping, supporting and generally being the face of Jesus for me and many many others.”
Sister Norma Pimentel, the director of Catholic Charities of Rio Grande Valley known for her work with migrants on the Texas-Mexico border, also shared a photo of O’Connell on Twitter, calling him “truly a man of God.”
Bishop David O’Connell truly a man of God! Your sudden departure has left us extremely sad.may you rest in peace Bishop O’Connell. ♥️ pic.twitter.com/YZumDZkqZ5
— Norma Seni Pimentel (@nspimentel) February 19, 2023
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department posted a statement on Facebook Sunday addressed to the grieving South LA community. “We can only imagine how the community is suffering because of this senseless murder. Bishop O’Connell was a guiding light for so many, and his legacy will continue to live on through the community that he helped build,” the statement said.
“Please know that you are not alone in your grief and that @lasdhq is here to support you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, and we are working diligently to seek those responsible.”
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
Those who prefer to provide information anonymously may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use their smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google Play or the Apple App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell of Los Angeles at Mass at the Southern California Renewal Communities convention on Aug. 31, 2018. / Courtesy of Southern California Renewal Communities
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Feb 18, 2023 / 23:08 pm (CNA).
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Inez Arakaki and her son Zachary place flowers on a makeshift memorial site in front of the Star Dance Studio in Monterey Park, California, on Jan. 23, 2023, where 10 people were shot dead late on Jan. 21, 2023. California police searched on Ja… […]
Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, the outgoing president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, speaking on Nov. 15, 2022, at the conference’s fall assembly in Baltimore. / Screenshot from USCCB video
Washington D.C., Jan 6, 2023 / 16:45 pm (CNA).
At a Jan. 5 memorial Mass for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Archbishop José Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said that while the late pope will be remembered for his great intellect, his real legacy will be the love he had for Jesus and those he led to Jesus.
His homily, delivered at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, follows:
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
We thank the loving God today for the life and witness of our beloved Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, as he was laid to rest earlier this morning in Rome.
With the words of Pope Francis from the funeral Mass, we pray for Benedict: “May your joy be complete as you hear his voice, now and forever!”
I’ve had the privilege to know and minister under three popes — St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and now the Holy Father Pope Francis.
Each has his own distinctive personality and pastoral style. In my own ministry, I draw inspiration and guidance from all of them, from their words, and even more from their example.
I will always be grateful to Pope Benedict because he chose me to be archbishop here in Los Angeles. It has been the blessing of my life to be your shepherd and pastor.
In my experience, Pope Benedict was a gentle soul, a beautiful man. It is true that he was a great teacher and biblical theologian, and one of the most brilliant minds in the history of the Church and Western civilization.
But I will remember him, most of all, for his kindness to me and his deep humility.
I remember his smile as he was imposing the pallium on me on the altar at the St. Peter Basilica on June 29, 2011. He asked me about my archdiocese. And as I said Archdiocese of Los Angeles, he smiled and said: “It is a big archdiocese!” I responded, “Yes, please pray for me!” He then assured me that he would pray for me and for the archdiocese.
Our pope emeritus put Jesus Christ at the center of his life. And leading men and women to friendship with Jesus was the purpose of his life.
In his first homily as pope, Benedict told us: “Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. … There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ. There is nothing more beautiful than to know him and to speak to others of our friendship with him.
We see this beautiful encounter in the Gospel today, the story of the calling of Nathanael.
Our Christian life, the life of faith, always begins with an invitation.
It begins in friendship, in witness. One heart speaking to another heart about the love that they have found in Jesus.
This story that we hear today is from the early days of Jesus’ public ministry. Philip has just met Jesus and begun to follow him. Now he goes to invite his friend, Nathanael.
They both know the Scriptures, the writings of Moses and the prophets, and Philip tells Nathanael that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah they’ve been taught to hope for.
As we heard, Nathanael doesn’t believe him at first. But Philip is not discouraged. He says, simply: “Come and see.”
Philip makes this gentle invitation, and Jesus does the rest.
My brothers and sisters, Pope Benedict XVI is right: There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel! Nothing more beautiful than to meet Jesus!
He understood that the modern world is moving away from God, that faith is fading from the hearts of many people, that our society is growing cold and intolerant toward religion.
But he also knew that God is not finished with his creation, not done building his kingdom on earth. Jesus is still calling, still knocking at the door of every human heart.
Pope Benedict reminded us: the Church’s mission is Christ’s mission — to seek and to save the lost. It’s not just about popes and bishops, priests and religious. All of us share in this mission! Every one of us who has been baptized.
Each of us is called — in our own way and in our own lives — to be like Philip. Speaking to others of our love for Jesus and our friendship with him. Calling others to “Come and see.”
It really is true: when we meet the living God in Jesus Christ and follow him, our life changes.
To be surprised by the Gospel is to discover the truth about where we come from, and what we are living for.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus knows and loves each one of us, just as he knew and loved Nathanael. We heard in the first reading today: “God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.”
And Jesus makes the same promise to you that he made to Nathanael: when you come to him, “you will see greater things.”
When we allow his love to fill our hearts — the gate of heaven stands open before us. We see with certainty that we walk in the light of his presence, in the company of angels and saints. The little things in our everyday lives become like a ladder leading us to heaven.
I am confident that Pope Benedict will be remembered among “the great names in the history of God’s dealings with mankind.
But as he looks on the face of God and hears his voice, his legacy will not be one of great words and important books.
His legacy will be the countless souls who found friendship with Jesus through his love, through his gentle invitation to “Come and see.”
Let us honor his memory by renewing our own friendship with Jesus, and dedicating ourselves once more to the beautiful task of bringing others to be surprised by the Gospel!
May Mary Most Holy pray for us, and keep us all under the mantle of her protection.
Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles speaks at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12, 2022. / YouTube screenshot taken via Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, De… […]
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