L.A.'s New Shepherd Archbishop Jose H. Gomez 1 of 2

L.A.’s New Shepherd Archbishop Jose H. Gomez 1 of 2
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Ash Wednesday, March 9, 2011

“For the Greater Things We Were Born”

“There many matters on my heart as I begin my new ministry as your Archbishop. But I keep coming back to these words from Ven. Maria Luisa Josef de la Pena, the refugee from Mexico who founded our Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles.

“I find her words express some of my deepest desires for my ministry. I want to spread this simple and beautiful truth of the Gospel: That each of us is born from the love o God. That each of us is a child of God who belongs to the family of God, the Church. We are born to be saints – every one of us!

“Since I came here last May, I’ve put a lot of miles on my car. I’ve travelled our great freeways to each of our 20 deaneries. I’ve been blessed to celebrate Mass with many of you, and to talk with you and get to know you. I am eager to meet everyone. And I look forward to our friendship growing in the years to come.

“My heart is truly in Los Angeles now. I am rooting for the Lakers! I feel at home here is this beautiful archdiocese, in this beautiful state. And I’m excited to begin my ministry.

“I have five basic priorities as I begin my work. They are rooted in the priorities of Christ and his mission for the Church. They are priorities that the United States bishops have identified for the Church in this country. They fit well, too, with our Archdiocese Synod’s goals of promoting faith education, sacramental life, social justice, evangelization, collegial leadership and greater sense of responsibility in ministry.

“My first priority is education in the faith. We need to know the Gospel. It is our light and our salvation. We need to know our Lord’s words and how he lived. We need to know the teachings of his apostles and his Church. We need especially to know the Church’s social teachings so that we can live as faithful citizens.

“I also want to promote vocations to the priesthood and the religious and consecrated life. Our Church needs more men and women who can testify to the radical beauty of a life dedicated totally to Christ.

“My third priority is to help us see the beauty of the Church’s cultural diversity. The Catholic Church is meant to be a great multitude called from all nations, peoples and tongues. As Catholics, we need to break down the walls that divide us. Every barrier that keeps us from being one family.

“My fourth priority is that we proclaim to our society that life is sacred from conception to natural death. We must insist on the rights and dignity of the human person- born and unborn; young or old, sick or healthy; no matter where he comes from or what kind of documents he possesses.

“Fifth and finally, we must defend and strengthen the natural institutions of marriage and the family based on the permanent and exclusive union of one man and one woman. We must insist that society respect the Church’s freedom to promote our belief that the family is the fundamental cell of civilization...” G.H.K