Archbishop Gomez ‘perfect choice’ to head Los Angeles, remarks Archbishop Chaput

Denver, Colo., Apr 6, 2010 / 08:58 am

Reacting to the Vatican’s appointment of Archbishop Jose H. Gomez as coadjutor archbishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Denver’s Archbishop Charles Chaput noted that his confrere has a “great gift for bringing people together” and is the “perfect choice to lead the Archdiocese of Los Angeles after Cardinal Mahony retires.”

Archbishop Gomez was ordained a bishop by Archbishop Chaput in 2001. He served as Denver’s Auxiliary Bishop until he was installed as Archbishop of San Antonio in 2005. Archbishop Chaput said that people in Denver remember Archbishop Gomez with “great affection.”

Speaking of his brother bishop, Archbishop Chaput noted that “he played a very big role in making our Hispanic ministry one of the best in the country, but his impact and friendships went well beyond the Hispanic community.” “He has a great gift for bringing people together from very different backgrounds.”

The Archbishop of Denver also reflected on Pope Benedict's decision to choose Archbishop Gomez, calling him “the perfect choice to lead the Archdiocese of Los Angeles after Cardinal Mahony retires.”

“Archbishop Gomez will serve the Catholic people of Los Angeles with character, courage and good will. He has one of the best minds in the Church in the United States and a great capacity for work, but he combines those qualities with a personal warmth and respect for other people that make him a very effective leader,” the Denver prelate said.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is the largest diocese in the United States and is home to a large Hispanic population.