Pope Names Three Auxiliary Bishops to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Accepts Resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Wilkerson
WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has appointed three auxiliary bishops to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and accepted the resignation of Bishop Gerald E. Wilkerson, 75, another Los Angeles auxiliary. The bishops-elect are Msgr.
WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has appointed three auxiliary bishops to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and accepted the resignation of Bishop Gerald E. Wilkerson, 75, another Los Angeles auxiliary. The bishops-elect are Msgr. Joseph V. Brennan, 61, a priest of Los Angeles and until now vicar general and moderator of the curia, Father Robert Barron, 55, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and until now rector of Mundelein Seminary, and Msgr. David G. O’Connell, 61, a priest of Los Angeles and until now pastor of St. Michael Parish in Los Angeles.
The appointment was publicized in Washington, July 21, by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Msgr. Joseph V. Brennan has served as vicar general and moderator of the curia of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles since 2013. He was born March 20, 1954, in Van Nuys, California. He completed philosophical and theological studies at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California, and was ordained a priest of the archdiocese on June 21, 1980.
Assignments following ordination included parochial vicar of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Los Angeles (1980-1983), St. Linus Parish in Norwalk (1983-1987), and St. Vibiana Cathedral, Los Angeles (1987-1991); as well as pastor of St. Linus in Norwalk (1992-2004) and Holy Trinity Catholic Church, San Pedro (2004-2012). He began service as chaplain to the Southern California Knights of Columbus in 1995, served on the presbyteral council, 2003-2008, and resided at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in Los Angeles, 2012-2013. He was named a Chaplain of His Holiness (Monsignor) in 2005.
Father Robert Barron has served as rector of Mundelein Seminary and president of University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois, since 2012. He was born November 19, 1959, in Chicago, Illinois. He holds a master’s in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in Washington (1982), a licentiate in sacred theology from University of St. Mary of the Lake (1986) and a doctorate in sacred theology from Institut Catholique de Paris (1992). He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago in May 1986.
Assignments following ordination included associate pastor of St. Paul of the Cross Church in Park Ridge, Illinois (1986-1989), Institut Catholique de Paris (1989-1992), professor of systematic theology at University of St. Mary of the Lake (1992), visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame (2002) and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome (2007) and scholar in residence at the Pontifical North American College, Rome (2007, 2010, 2011). He was appointed the Francis Cardinal George Professor of Faith and Culture at Mundelein Seminary in 2008. While teaching in the United States, he served in parishes throughout the Chicago Archdiocese during weekends. Bishop-elect Barron is fluent in French and has reading and some speaking knowledge of German.
Msgr. David G. O’Connell has served as pastor of St. Michael Parish in Los Angeles since 2003. He was born August 16, 1953, in Cork, County Cork, Ireland, and attended All Hallows College in Dublin. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on June 10, 1979.
Assignments following ordination included associate pastor of St. Raymond Parish, Downey (1979-1983), St. Maria Goretti Parish, Long Beach (1983-1984) and St. Hilary Parish, Pico Rivera (1984-1988); and pastor of St. Frances X. Cabrini Parish, Los Angeles (1988-1998) and Ascension Parish, Los Angeles (1998-2003). He was named a Prelate of Honor (Monsignor) on November 30, 1999. He served on the presbyteral council (1996-2002, 2003-2006), the priests’ pension board (2000-2004) and as dean of the Inglewood Deanery (2011-2014).
Bishop Gerald E. Wilkerson was born October 21, 1939, in Des Moines, Iowa. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on January 5, 1965, appointed an auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles on November 4, 1997, and ordained a bishop January 21, 1998.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles comprises 8,762 square miles in Southern California. It has a total population of 11,518,233 people, of whom 4,362,469, or 38 percent, are Catholic. It is the largest diocese by Catholic population in the United States. The archdiocese has four other active auxiliary bishops and two other retired ones.
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Keywords: Pope Francis, appointment, auxiliary bishops, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, Bishop-elect Joseph V. Brennan, Bishop-elect Robert Barron, Bishop-elect David G. O’Connell, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Archbishop José H. Gomez
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Don Clemmer
O: 202-541-3206
The appointment was publicized in Washington, July 21, by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Msgr. Joseph V. Brennan has served as vicar general and moderator of the curia of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles since 2013. He was born March 20, 1954, in Van Nuys, California. He completed philosophical and theological studies at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California, and was ordained a priest of the archdiocese on June 21, 1980.
Assignments following ordination included parochial vicar of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Los Angeles (1980-1983), St. Linus Parish in Norwalk (1983-1987), and St. Vibiana Cathedral, Los Angeles (1987-1991); as well as pastor of St. Linus in Norwalk (1992-2004) and Holy Trinity Catholic Church, San Pedro (2004-2012). He began service as chaplain to the Southern California Knights of Columbus in 1995, served on the presbyteral council, 2003-2008, and resided at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in Los Angeles, 2012-2013. He was named a Chaplain of His Holiness (Monsignor) in 2005.
Father Robert Barron has served as rector of Mundelein Seminary and president of University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois, since 2012. He was born November 19, 1959, in Chicago, Illinois. He holds a master’s in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in Washington (1982), a licentiate in sacred theology from University of St. Mary of the Lake (1986) and a doctorate in sacred theology from Institut Catholique de Paris (1992). He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago in May 1986.
Assignments following ordination included associate pastor of St. Paul of the Cross Church in Park Ridge, Illinois (1986-1989), Institut Catholique de Paris (1989-1992), professor of systematic theology at University of St. Mary of the Lake (1992), visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame (2002) and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome (2007) and scholar in residence at the Pontifical North American College, Rome (2007, 2010, 2011). He was appointed the Francis Cardinal George Professor of Faith and Culture at Mundelein Seminary in 2008. While teaching in the United States, he served in parishes throughout the Chicago Archdiocese during weekends. Bishop-elect Barron is fluent in French and has reading and some speaking knowledge of German.
Msgr. David G. O’Connell has served as pastor of St. Michael Parish in Los Angeles since 2003. He was born August 16, 1953, in Cork, County Cork, Ireland, and attended All Hallows College in Dublin. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on June 10, 1979.
Assignments following ordination included associate pastor of St. Raymond Parish, Downey (1979-1983), St. Maria Goretti Parish, Long Beach (1983-1984) and St. Hilary Parish, Pico Rivera (1984-1988); and pastor of St. Frances X. Cabrini Parish, Los Angeles (1988-1998) and Ascension Parish, Los Angeles (1998-2003). He was named a Prelate of Honor (Monsignor) on November 30, 1999. He served on the presbyteral council (1996-2002, 2003-2006), the priests’ pension board (2000-2004) and as dean of the Inglewood Deanery (2011-2014).
Bishop Gerald E. Wilkerson was born October 21, 1939, in Des Moines, Iowa. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on January 5, 1965, appointed an auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles on November 4, 1997, and ordained a bishop January 21, 1998.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles comprises 8,762 square miles in Southern California. It has a total population of 11,518,233 people, of whom 4,362,469, or 38 percent, are Catholic. It is the largest diocese by Catholic population in the United States. The archdiocese has four other active auxiliary bishops and two other retired ones.
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Keywords: Pope Francis, appointment, auxiliary bishops, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, Bishop-elect Joseph V. Brennan, Bishop-elect Robert Barron, Bishop-elect David G. O’Connell, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Archbishop José H. Gomez
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MEDIA CONTACT
Don Clemmer
O: 202-541-3206
