José Horacio Gómez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Excellency, The Most Reverend José Horacio Gómez Velasco |
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| Archbishop of Los Angeles | |
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| Archdiocese | Los Angeles |
| Appointed | April 6, 2010 (Coadjutor) |
| Enthroned | March 1, 2011 |
| Predecessor | Roger Mahony |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | August 15, 1978 |
| Consecration | March 26, 2001 by Charles Chaput, Joseph Fiorenza, and Javier Echevarría Rodríguez |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | José Horacio Gómez Velasco |
| Born | December 26, 1951 Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico |
| Nationality | Mexican & American |
| Denomination | Catholic |
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| Alma mater |
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| Motto | Adeamus cum fiducia ad thronum gratiae (Let us confidently approach the throne of grace) |
| Styles of José Horacio Gómez Velasco |
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| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Archbishop |
José Horacio Gómez Velasco (born December 26, 1951) is a Mexican-American leader in the Catholic Church. He is known as a prelate, which is a high-ranking religious official. Since 2011, he has been the fifth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in California.
Before this, he served as an Auxiliary Bishop in Denver, Colorado, from 2001 to 2004. He was also the Archbishop of San Antonio, Texas, from 2004 to 2010.
From 2016 to 2019, Archbishop Gómez was the vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). He was then elected president of the USCCB in 2019, serving until 2022. He was the first person of Hispanic background to hold both of these important positions.
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Early Life and Education
José Horacio Gómez Velasco was born in Monterrey, Mexico, on December 26, 1951. His parents were José H. Gómez and Esperanza Velasco. He has three older sisters and one younger sister.
He studied at the Monterrey Institute of Technology. Later, he attended the National University of Mexico. There, he earned degrees in Accounting and Philosophy in 1975. While in college, he joined Opus Dei. This is a Catholic organization that teaches people to find holiness in their everyday lives.
From 1975 to 1980, Gómez continued his studies in Spain at the University of Navarre. He earned a bachelor's degree and a special license in theology there.
Becoming a Priest
On August 15, 1978, José Gómez became a priest for Opus Dei. He was ordained by Cardinal Franz König in Spain. In 1980, he earned a doctorate degree in theology from the University of Navarre.
After becoming a priest, Opus Dei assigned him to work with college and high school students. He did this in both Spain and Mexico.
In 1987, Father Gómez moved to San Antonio, Texas, to serve as a priest. He also helped in the Diocese of Galveston-Houston. In 1995, he became a citizen of the United States.
Father Gómez was involved with the National Association of Hispanic Priests. He served as its president from 1995 to 2001. He also helped create the Hispanic Seminary of Saint Mary of Guadalupe in Mexico City in 2000. This seminary trains priests to serve Hispanic communities in the United States. He also helped start Centro San Juan Diego in Denver, Colorado. This center helps train leaders and supports immigrants.
Becoming a Bishop
Auxiliary Bishop of Denver
On January 23, 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed Gómez as an auxiliary bishop for Denver. An auxiliary bishop helps the main bishop of a diocese. He became a bishop on March 26, 2001. His motto as a bishop means "Let us confidently approach the throne of grace."
Archbishop Gómez was the first member of Opus Dei to become a bishop in the United States. Once he became a bishop, he was no longer a member of Opus Dei. This is because bishops report directly to the Pope.
He served as the leader of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Denver from 2001 to 2003. He also served as a pastor at Mother of God Church in Denver.
Archbishop of San Antonio
Pope John Paul II appointed Gómez as the archbishop of San Antonio on December 29, 2004. In San Antonio, he started the Catholic Community Foundation. This group helps with Catholic social services. He also helped create the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders (CALL) in 2007. This group brings together bishops and Hispanic community leaders.
During his time in San Antonio, Archbishop Gómez was known for being a strong leader. He was a member of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. He also served on the board for The Catholic University of America. As part of the USCCB, he led a group of bishops to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake to see what help was needed.
Archbishop of Los Angeles
On April 6, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Gómez as the coadjutor archbishop of Los Angeles. A coadjutor bishop is appointed to help a bishop and will automatically become the next bishop. At that time, Los Angeles was the largest Catholic diocese in the United States. More than two-thirds of its five million Catholics were Hispanic.
Archbishop Gómez took over from Cardinal Roger Mahony on March 1, 2011. He was the first Hispanic person to be the archbishop of Los Angeles. This made him the highest-ranking Hispanic bishop in the United States. He said he was thankful for the chance to serve the Church with Cardinal Mahony.
In September 2012, Pope Benedict XVI chose Archbishop Gómez to attend a meeting of bishops in Rome. This meeting was about spreading the Catholic faith. In November 2012, he was also appointed to a council that deals with social communication.
In January 2013, Archbishop Gómez announced that Cardinal Mahony would no longer have public duties for the Los Angeles Archdiocese. This happened as Gómez released files about past clergy misconduct. He said the files were "brutal and painful reading" and that the behavior was "terribly sad and evil."
With Archbishop Gómez's support, a special event was brought back in Los Angeles in 2011. This event is a procession and mass held every September 4th. It celebrates the founding of the City of Los Angeles in 1781. Since 2012, Gómez has led this annual mass.
In November 2016, he was elected vice-president of the USCCB. In November 2019, he became the president of the USCCB. He was the first Hispanic bishop to hold this position.
In March 2023, Archbishop Gómez led the funeral mass for Auxiliary Bishop David G. O'Connell. Bishop O'Connell had passed away in his home.
Archbishop Gómez is also the Grand Prior of the USA Western Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. This is a Catholic order of knights and ladies.
Views and Beliefs
Life Issues
Archbishop Gómez has often spoken about the importance of protecting human life. In 2008, he said that defending life is a key part of the Catholic faith.
..... In 2021, a statement from Gómez about the new US presidential administration was released.
..... He said it was a step towards protecting unborn lives.
In 2015, Gómez wrote a letter to lawmakers in California. He asked them to reject a law that would allow people with serious illnesses to end their lives with a doctor's help. He said that helping someone die, even if they ask for it, is still wrong. .....
Immigration
In 2013, Archbishop Gómez wrote a book called Immigration and the Next America. In this book, he talked about how the rights of immigrants are important to American values.
He has also spoken out about immigration policies. In 2025, he and other bishops criticized some government actions. These actions included plans to deport undocumented immigrants and end birthright citizenship. Gómez said that these actions caused fear in communities. He prayed that leaders would act with kindness and respect for everyone's rights.
Racism
In 2020, Archbishop Gómez spoke on behalf of the USCCB. He condemned the death of George Floyd, calling it "senseless and brutal." He said that the protests that followed showed the "frustration and anger of millions." He also spoke against racism and called for more understanding and equality in society.
Marriage
In 2011, Archbishop Gómez warned that legalizing same-sex marriage could threaten religious freedom. He mentioned that some Catholic adoption agencies had to close. This happened because they would not place children with same-sex couples.
Traditional Mass
Archbishop Gómez welcomed a 2007 document from Pope Benedict XVI. This document allowed wider use of the Tridentine Mass, an older form of the Catholic Mass. Gómez said this would help preserve the "rich heritage" of the Church.
Honors and Awards
- Named one of the most notable Hispanics in America by CNN (2007).
- Named one of the 25 most influential Hispanics in the United States by Time Magazine (2005).
- Received an honorary doctorate from Franciscan University of Steubenville (2013).
- Received an honorary doctorate from Loyola Marymount University (2018).
- Received an honorary doctorate from Catholic University of America (2018).
See also
In Spanish: José Horacio Gómez para niños
- Catholic Church hierarchy
- Catholic Church in the United States
- Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
- List of Catholic bishops of the United States
- Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops
