Pope Francis sends prayer to Los Angeles fire victims

 

Firefighters work as an apartment burns in Altadena, Los Angeles county  (AFP or licensors)

POPE

• Pope Francis
• United States
• natural disasters
• Climate change

Pope prays for victims of fires in Los Angeles

In a telegram sent to Archbishop José H. Gómez of Los Angeles, Pope Francis stresses his “spiritual closeness” to those suffering from the fires currently raging in Los Angeles.

Vatican News

Pope Francis has expressed his deep sadness over the “loss of life" and "widespread destruction” caused by the recent fires near the city of Los Angeles in the United States.

In a telegram sent to Archbishop José H. Gómez of Los Angeles, the Pope stressed his “spiritual closeness” to the communities affected by the tragedy, and entrusted “the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God”.

The message – which was signed by Holy See Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin – added that the Pope sends “heartfelt condolences” to those mourning, and as well as prayers for relief efforts and emergency services personnel.

Burnt homes smolder near the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles

The fires

Fires raging in the Los Angeles area have reduced some 12,000 structures to ash and rubble. They have also killed at least 11 people, and displaced thousands of others.

The blazes started on Tuesday, powered by gusts from the Santa Ana winds. These died down on Thursday, but forecasters are warning that they could pick back up later this weekend.

An estimate from AccuWeather, a private firm that provides weather data, estimated the financial impact of the damages to be about $135 billion to $150 billion.

Altogether, the fires have consumed about 56 square miles (142 square kilometers), an area larger than San Francisco. This includes a mosque, a synagogue, a Catholic parish and half a dozen Protestant churches

Chinese Catholics celebrating the Lunar New Year in L.A. dealing with sorrow after mass shooting

 

Monterey Park shooting a 'gut punch' for LA's Chinese Catholics

Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles celebrates Mass for the Lunar New Year at St. Bridget's ChineseCatholic Church near downtown Jan. 22, 2023. (OSV News photo/John McCoy, Angelus News)

Local Chinese Catholics celebrating the start of the Lunar New Year at Chinatown's Catholic parish also prayed for the victims of the mass shooting in nearby Monterey Park the night of Jan. 21.

"We pray for those killed and injured in this shooting, and we ask that God stay close to their families and loved ones," said Archbishop José Gomez in his Sunday Mass homily at St. Bridget Chinese Catholic Church Jan. 22.

Gomez also blessed the parish's newly built "evangelization center" and presided over the renewal of vows for parish couples celebrating wedding anniversaries during the morning visit to St. Bridget, a small church in the shadow of Dodger Stadium just north of downtown Los Angeles.

But the celebration also was tinged with sorrow. That morning, parishioners had awoken to news of 10 people killed on the scene at a dance ballroom and at least another 10 injured in a late-night gun rampage in Monterey Park, a heavily Asian American city east of Los Angeles where thousands of people had gathered over the weekend for a two-day Lunar New Year festival.

On Jan. 22, one of the 10 injured died of her wounds after being transported to a hospital in critical condition, bringing the death toll to 11.

The suspect in the shooting was identified as 72-year-old Huu Can Tran after he was found dead in a Torrance parking lot Jan. 22 after apparently taking his own life. The Los Angeles Times reported that after the shooting in Monterey Park, Tran walked to a second dance studio in nearby Alhambra, apparently with the intention of shooting patrons there. But NBC News and other media reported that two community members on the scene disarmed him by grabbing his weapon and Tran fled and then was found in the Torrance parking lot. Police said they still did not know his motive for the shooting.

"It's a real gut punch," Darrel Ng said about the Monterey Park mass shooting. He grew up attending St. Bridget and had traveled from Sacramento to celebrate the Lunar New Year at the parish with his family.

Ng explained that for local Chinese immigrants, Monterey Park and Alhambra are considered suburbs of Chinatown, more residential areas that have welcomed more recent waves of Chinese immigrants. Most of the parishioners of St. Bridget are members or descendants of older generations of immigrants to L.A., particularly from Cantonese-speaking areas of China like Hong Kong.

"I'm glad that we have an event like this for us to be with each other, and to understand the strength of the community," Ng told Angelus, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Engeline Wong lives in Alhambra but is an active parishioner at St. Bridget. She called the Lunar New Year Mass and Archbishop Gomez's visit "a double happiness," but said the shooting was on her mind during the Mass.

"Monterey Park is a very safe city," Wong said. "I never imagined something like this would happen there."

The Mass was celebrated with Scripture readings traditionally used by Catholics for the celebration of the Lunar New Year. The day's Gospel, a passage of the beatitudes from Matthew, seemed appropriate given the events hours earlier in Monterey Park.

"The beatitudes tell us we need to live and work with humility and purity. We need to have a simple lifestyle. We need to bring a spirit of mercy and forgiveness, and try to be peacemakers in our relationships," said Gomez in his homily. "They tell us that we need to care for people in our society, we need to have a heart for the poor, and compassion for the vulnerable."

They also, he added, tell us "that we need to live these values and these priorities, even if they are not popular or if they are opposed in our culture."

Traditional red Chinese decorations were placed both inside and outside the church for the day's festivities, and even the priests wore red vestments for the occasion.

The church was originally established in 1940 not as a parish, but as a mission center by Columban Fr. John Cowhig, an Irish priest who had previously served as a missionary in China. It was eventually taken over by Salesian priests and was formally recognized as a parish in 2000.

A Salesian priest and Hong Kong native, Fr. John Lam, 82, has been the pastor at St. Bridget's since 2006. He said his parishioners are used to praying for peace, especially in their homeland, where Christians have suffered decades of repression. On Jan. 23, he was praying for those killed in Monterey Park and for the conversion of the gunman.

"Unfortunately, this happens too often in the U.S.A.," said Lam.

Less than 48 hours after the Monterey Park shooting, seven more people were shot and killed in Northern California at two different landscaping nurseries Jan. 23 near Half Moon Bay, California, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.
The suspect, 67-year-old Chunli Zhao, was taken into custody after he was found in his car in the parking lot of the Half Moon Bay sheriff's office substation. He is believed to have acted alone.

"The recent shootings in Monterey Park and now in Half Moon Bay remind us of how fragile human life is, but also how precious human life is," said San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone in a statement. "We must never take human life for granted. We must never take out our aggressions and our frustrations on others, especially in any form of violence."

Pope Francis expresses sadness over the mass shooting in California

 

Pope Francis in prayer 

POPE

• POPE FRANCIS
• DEATH
• TELEGRAM
• VIOLENCE

Pope Francis saddened by California shooting

In a telegram sent to Archbishop Gomez of Los Angeles, Pope Francis expresses sadness, offers prayers, and decries a recent California shooting that claimed 11 lives and wounded several others, in Monterey Park, during Lunar New Year celebrations.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Pope Francis has expressed his great sadness for the tragic shootings that killed eleven people during Lunar New Year in Monterey Park, California, last weekend.

The Holy Father's message came on Wednesday in a telegram sent on his behalf by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and addressed to the Archbishop of Los Angeles, Archbishop José H. Gómez.

In it, he said he was "deeply saddened" to learn of the shooting that took place in the US.

Commending souls to God's loving mercy

Assuring those affected by this tragedy of his spiritual closeness, the Pope said, he "joins the entire community in commending the souls of those who died to Almighty God's loving mercy."

The Holy Father also implored "the divine gifts of healing and consolation upon the injured and bereaved."

Pope Francis concluded, by sending his Apostolic Blessing "as a pledge of strength and peace in the Lord."

The tragic events

A gunman in California shot dead numerous people in the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park, during Lunar New Year celebrations on Saturday.

Currently, 11 people have died and nine others remain injured.

While the motives of the shooting suspect, who ultimately committed suicide, are unclear, Monterey Park is home to a very large Asian community.

Nearby the dance club on the outskirts of Los Angeles, small businesses are adorned with signs in both English and Chinese, and many locals speak Cantonese and Mandarin.

According to the Associated Press, the suspect was found dead on Sunday, apparently having died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a van. Authorities say he fled in the van after people thwarted his attempt to perpetrate a second shooting at the Lai Lai Ballroom in the nearby city of Alhambra on Saturday night.

Shooting details

Los Angeles County Sheriff, Robert Luna, identified the man as 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, and said no other suspects were at large.

The sheriff said the motive remained unclear for the attack.

Speaking at a Sunday evening news conference, Sheriff Luna said he did not have the exact ages of the victims, but added that all those killed appeared to be over age 50.

The weapon, he said, was a semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine, noting a second handgun was discovered in the van where Tran died.

While the Lunar New Year celebrations in Monterey Park were to be one of California’s largest, with two days of festivities planned and some 100,000 people set to attend, officials cancelled Sunday’s events following the shooting.

Archbishop Gomez's closeness

Archbishop Gomez also mourned the victims and prayed for all affected.

In a statement issued on Sunday, he said, “We pray for those killed and injured in this shooting" and "ask God stay close to their families and loved ones.”

“We pray for the wounded to be healed, and ask that God give strength and guidance to the doctors and nurses who are caring for them," he said.

Fifth mass killing this month

This dance club massacre was the fifth mass killing this month in the United States.

In a back-to-back mass shooting in northern California just two days afterwards, seven people were shot dead in the coastal city of Half Moon Bay. And just over a week ago, six people including a teenage mother and baby were killed at a property in Goshen, central California. 

The Monterey Park shooting in marks the country's deadliest attack since 24 May 2022, when 21 were killed in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, visited Monterey Park on Sunday, meeting with victims, their families, and local officials.

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden said they were thinking of those killed and wounded.

USCCB opens Fall Meeting with Mass in Baltimore

 BALTIMORE – In a Mass Nov. 14 to mark the opening of the 2022 Fall Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez called on his brother bishops to examine themselves and renew their vocation and ministry.

Archbishop Gomez, who will end his three-year term as USCCB president at the close of the meeting Nov. 17, was joined by seven cardinals and more than 220 archbishops and bishops in celebrating the Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore.

At the beginning of the Mass, Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori welcomed the bishops to the basilica, the first cathedral built after the establishment of the United States.

In his homily, Archbishop Gomez noted that the church is nearing the end of the liturgical year and he reflected on the readings for the day’s liturgy, from Revelation and the Gospel of Luke. “Today, the readings of the Mass are useful to examine ourselves and renew our vocation and ministry,” Archbishop Gomez said.

Noting that in the first reading, the Lord says, “I know your works, your labor. … Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary.”

The archbishop said that because God knows us so well — “better than we can ever know ourselves — God understands that sometimes we can lose our enthusiasm and our sense of purpose; we start doing things more out of a sense of duty than out of a sense of love.”

In Revelation, the Lord says, “You have lost the love you had at first.”

“Sadly, we recognize that sometimes that’s true,” Archbishop Gomez said.

However, God gives a simple way to be renewed and refreshed in love. “He says to us, ‘Realize how far you have fallen. Repent and do the works that you did at first.’

“He is calling us today to come back to him, to place ourselves in his presence, to seek his light and guidance, to remember and renew our love for him,” the archbishop said.

The story in Luke’s Gospel of the blind man seeking healing from Jesus along the road to Jericho is a beautiful example of that renewal, he said.

“The saints remind us that this blind man is also us — you and me. This is a miracle story, but on a deeper, more spiritual level, this is the story of our lives as disciples.”

Archbishop Gomez said we are all following Jesus on the path of life, trying to walk in his footsteps. “Sometimes, in our ministries and in our lives, we have a hard time discerning the Lord’s will; it’s hard to know what he wants us to do.

“In his darkness, the blind man turns and looks for Jesus, he calls out to him urgently. … As the blind man seeks Jesus, he finds that Jesus is seeking him.”

Prayer such as that of the blind man opens our eyes to realize that the Lord is near, the archbishop said. “And, as we know, that means Jesus is alive. He’s with us, now, as truly present as he was on that road to Jericho.”

The archbishop said Jesus asked the blind man what he wanted him to do. “Brothers and sisters, Jesus puts the same question to us. He is inviting us to look inside ourselves, to recognize our blindness, to recognize that we can’t go on without his light.”

The blind man’s prayer, “Lord, let me see,” should also be our prayer — “especially in our darkness, in those times when we’re tired, when our hearts feel restless and troubled, when our burdens feel like they’re too much.”

Invoking the patron namesake of the basilica, Archbishop Gomez asked Mary, Our Lady of the Assumption, to win for us the grace of being able to see and be faithful to God’s will.

“May her Son give us the eyes to see that we can continue our mission of following him and serving him, and giving glory to God with our lives.”

The Mass was also attended by priests and religious and members of the USCCB staff, who were in Baltimore for the meeting, which began Nov. 14 with a morning of prayer and executive session.

Public portions of the meeting Nov. 15-16 are scheduled to include the election of a new president and vice president for the conference, who will succeed Archbishop Gomez and Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron, current USCCB vice president, who is ineligible to be elected president because he will reach the retirement age for bishops of 75 next October.

The bishops will also hear an update on the National Eucharistic Revival and National Eucharist Congress planned for 2024, among other reports and action.

USCCB issues statement on today's Pro-Life Supreme Court ruling

 

USCCB Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson

JUNE 24, 2022 BY PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

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WASHINGTON - In response to the Supreme Court of the United States issuing its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities issued the following statement:

“This is a historic day in the life of our country, one that stirs our thoughts, emotions and prayers. For nearly fifty years, America has enforced an unjust law that has permitted some to decide whether others can live or die; this policy has resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of preborn children, generations that were denied the right to even be born.

“America was founded on the truth that all men and women are created equal, with God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This truth was grievously denied by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized and normalized the taking of innocent human life. We thank God today that the Court has now overturned this decision. We pray that our elected officials will now enact laws and policies that promote and protect the most vulnerable among us.

“Our first thoughts are with the little ones whose lives have been taken since 1973. We mourn their loss, and we entrust their souls to God, who loved them from before all ages and who will love them for all eternity. Our hearts are also with every woman and man who has suffered grievously from abortion; we pray for their healing, and we pledge our continued compassion and support. As a Church, we need to serve those who face difficult pregnancies and surround them with love.    

“Today’s decision is also the fruit of the prayers, sacrifices, and advocacy of countless ordinary Americans from every walk of life. Over these long years, millions of our fellow citizens have worked together peacefully to educate and persuade their neighbors about the injustice of abortion, to offer care and counseling to women, and to work for alternatives to abortion, including adoption, foster care, and public policies that truly support families. We share their joy today and we are grateful to them. Their work for the cause of life reflects all that is good in our democracy, and the pro-life movement deserves to be numbered among the great movements for social change and civil rights in our nation’s history. 

“Now is the time to begin the work of building a post-Roe America. It is a time for healing wounds and repairing social divisions; it is a time for reasoned reflection and civil dialogue, and for coming together to build a society and economy that supports marriages and families, and where every woman has the support and resources she needs to bring her child into this world in love.

“As religious leaders, we pledge ourselves to continue our service to God’s great plan of love for the human person, and to work with our fellow citizens to fulfill America’s promise to guarantee the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all people.”

California Bishops send congratulations to Cardinal elect McElroy

 

Bishops in US congratulate Bishop McElroy on his elevation to cardinal

By CNA Staff

Denver Newsroom, May 29, 2022 / 13:50 pm

Archbishops José Gomez of Los Angeles and Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco both welcomed the announcement Sunday that Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego is to become a cardinal.

“By naming Bishop Robert McElroy as a cardinal, Pope Francis has shown his pastoral care for the Church in the United States. I have known and have had the privilege of working with Cardinal-designate McElroy for many years,” Gomez said May 29.

“As brother bishops, we’ve worked together on many issues and initiatives in service to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, as well as the California Catholic Conference. His strong faith and the pastoral concern for the faithful he has shown in his diocese will serve the global Church well. Please join me in praying for the continued ministry of Bishop McElroy.”

Cordileone noted that McElroy “is a native San Franciscan” and said, “We send congratulations to Cardinal-elect McElroy.”

Pope Francis said announced he will create 21 cardinals at a consistory to be held Aug. 27. Of the 21, 16 will be cardinal electors.

McElroy, 68, was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of San Francisco in 1980. He appointed auxiliary bishop of the same see, and consecrated, in 2010. He has been Bishop of San Diego since 2015.

USCCB Executive Committee calls for an immediate end to the unprovoked war on Ukraine

 

Top USCCB committee says Russia's 'unprovoked war on Ukraine' must end now

WASHINGTON — The Administrative Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops March 16 called for "the immediate cessation of Russia's armed aggression and unprovoked war on Ukraine."

"We are witnessing an unprecedented threat to world peace," it said in a statement. "This possibility of global warfare is compounded by the unthinkable consequences that would result from the potential use of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction."

The committee, led by Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez as USCCB president, joined its plea with that of Pope Francis, who said March 13: "In the name of God, listen to the cry of those who suffer, and put an end to the bombings and the attacks!"

"Similar appeals have been raised throughout the Orthodox Christian world and indeed by many Russians themselves," it said, noting the war "has already exacted a staggering toll — thousands dead and an exodus of 3 million refugees — with no end in sight."

The Administrative Committee, which met in Washington March 15 and 16, operates as the USCCB's board of directors. In addition to Archbishop Gomez, its membership is made up of the USCCB's other officers, chairmen of its standing committees, as well as a representative from each episcopal region of the United States.

"We call on Catholics of the United States and all people of goodwill to pray for an end to this war in Ukraine and for peace based on justice and respect for international law," the committee said. "We remember always that prayer is never a feeble gesture of last resort! It is a weapon of hope."

"We continue to call on the U.S. government to aid humanitarian access and to support and provide assistance to those who remain in Ukraine and those fleeing the country," it said. "We call on all Americans to contribute generously and sacrificially to Catholic and other humanitarian agencies supporting these efforts."

The statement concluded: "At this dark time, we are united with the suffering people of Ukraine. May Our Lady of Fatima and the patron saint of Kyiv, St. Michael the Archangel, guide all peoples in the pursuit of peace and watch over all those in the path of war."

Super Bowl Bishops betting on the game to benefit Catholic schools

 

Archbishops’ friendly Super Bowl wager also will benefit Catholic schools

Catholic News Service February 9, 2022

Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Cincinnati, left, and Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles are seen in this composite photo. (CNS composite; photos by Bob Roller)

LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Cincinnati are rooting for their home team in Super Bowl LVI, but they also have placed a friendly wager on the outcome of the Feb. 13 showdown between the Rams and the Bengals.

The prelates announced the wager in a joint video posted online Feb. 9.

For his part, Archbishop Gomez offered baked treats from the City of Angels beloved Porto’s Bakery. On his end, Archbishop Schnurr offered a case of Cincinnati’s own Graeter’s ice cream.

“I look forward to celebrating the Rams’ victory with the delicious Graeter’s ice cream that Archbishop Schnurr will be sending my way,” commented Archbishop Gomez.

“One of the best parts of the Bengals’ triumph will be digging into the famous Porto’s pasteles and cookies provided by my friend Archbishop Gomez,” responded Archbishop Schnurr.

The prelates also are encouraging Catholics to get involved in this friendly exchange by donating to each archdiocese’s Catholic Education Foundation, or CEF, in the spirit of the big game by going to www.bishopsbiggame.com.

“Or follow #BishopsBigGame on social media to see how you can be a part of the excitement and donate to support Catholic school students in the name of your favorite team,” said a news release about the episcopal wager.

“The CEF of the ‘winning’ archdiocese will receive 60% of the total fund and the CEF of the other archdiocese will receive 40% of the total fund,” it said. “All proceeds collected will go directly to the respective CEFs, which provide needs-based tuition assistance for students attending Catholic schools.”

To get things started, each archbishop has made a donation of $1,000 to the joint fund set up to receive all donations.

“I am so proud of the Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the work of the Catholic Education Foundation. Through the generosity of the faithful, the CEF is providing millions of dollars of financial assistance each school year,” Archbishop Schnurr said.

“We may disagree on the winning team, but on Catholic education, our bet is on our Catholic schools in both archdioceses all the way,” added Archbishop Gomez.

“I’m proud of the great work of our students, teachers, staff, families and parish communities that make our Catholic schools great,” he said, “and for the generous support of the faithful through CEF so that our students have the opportunity to learn and grow to become the leaders of tomorrow.”

USCCB issues statement ahead of Dr. MLK Jr. Day

 

Statement for Observance of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2022

JANUARY 15, 2022 BY PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

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• EN ESPAÑOL

Statement for Observance of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2022

Most Reverend José H. Gomez

Archbishop of Los Angeles

President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

We recall once again this year, the witness and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Let us remember not only the justice that he pursued, but how he pursued it.

Rev. King was driven by the biblical vision of righteousness and truth, a vision that he understood to be reflected in our nation’s founding documents. He believed in what he called the “American creed,” the belief expressed by our founders that all men and women are created equal and endowed by God with a sacred dignity and undeniable rights to life, liberty, and equality.

More than a half-century after his death, America faces many challenges — this ongoing pandemic, issues of economic inequality and racial discrimination, violence in our communities, the struggle to welcome immigrants and refugees. In recent years, our nation has also become more polarized and our divisions angrier.

As we look to our future, let us continue to draw from Rev. King’s wisdom, especially his commitment to the Beatitudes of Jesus, and the principles of nonviolence and love for our enemies.

In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Rev. King reminds us that we are brothers and sisters, part of a beautiful web of relationships of mutual care, each of us depending on others as others depend on us. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” he wrote. “We are … tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

Let us go forward in that same spirit of fraternity and solidarity, and let us carry on his work for equality and justice. As we remember Rev. King, let us continue to learn from him and imitate his example and prophetic witness.