It was a weekday evening following the exhilaration of Holy Week, but St. Michael Catholic Church in South Los Angeles was still abuzz.
There was a memorial Mass for a deceased parishioner, a spiritual encounter for couples, a women’s prayer gathering and a session for new parents — all conducted in Spanish. People arrived en masse as though headed to a sporting event, undeterred by a church bulletin noting five recent homicides in the vicinity.
Word was just circulating that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles would soon have a new leader — Archbishop Jose Gomez of San Antonio, Mexican-born, like most of these parishioners — replacing Cardinal Roger Mahony, set to retire next year after a quarter-century guiding his hometown see.
A pervasive sense of pride, even elation, greeted the news that a compatriot would become the heir apparent.
"Of course it makes you feel good. He’s one of us; he understands us," said Juan Bramusco, 60, originally from Mexico’s Zacatecas state.
Many agreed that such an appointment was long overdue in an archdiocese that is now 70% Latino. But Humberto Magallanes, another volunteer, voiced a common refrain.
"The new bishop is going to have some big shoes to fill," said Magallanes, 29, a construction worker. "Cardinal Rogelio Mahony has fought for immigrants as much as anyone."
— Patrick McDonnell in South Los Angeles.
Photo: Jose Gomez. Credit: Los Angeles Times