ARCHBISHOP GOMEZ, MAYOR GARCETTI JOIN SALVADORAN COMMUNITY TO INAUGURATE HISTORIC MONSIGNOR ROMERO PLAZA
November 22, 2013  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

 

Archbishop José H. Gomez to bless plaza honoring slain Salvadoran Archbishop

 

Archbishop José H. Gomez will join the Salvadoran American Leadership and Educational Fund

(SALEF), Mayor Eric Garcetti, elected and local leaders to inaugurate the Monsignor Oscar A. Romero

Memorial Plaza on Saturday, November 23, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at MacArthur Park. Archbishop Gomez

will deliver the invocation and bless the newly constructed plaza during the 12:00 p.m. ceremony

honoring the Catholic Archbishop who was assassinated in 1980 during the civil war in El Salvador.

“Archbishop Romero filled the hearts of the Salvadoran people with hope and strength,” said Archbishop

Gomez. “He reminded us that true peace is based on justice. More than 30 years later, his witness inspires

all of us to build a better world — a world that promotes human dignity and the common good of the

human family.”

The Monsignor Romero Plaza, a community-driven project by SALEF, was constructed with funds from

the City of Los Angeles through the office of former Councilmember Ed P. Reyes. The Plaza is a longawaited

project for residents of the City’s Westlake neighborhood, home to one of the largest

concentrations of Central Americans. Msgr. Romero, revered by many Central Americans, spoke out

against poverty, social injustice and violence. He was assassinated on March 24, 1980 while celebrating

Mass. The Plaza, designed by Mia Lehrer and Associates, features a crescent wall reinforced by greenery,

a Msgr. Romero statue by Salvadoran artist Joaquin Serrano, and a spire of doves representing the desire

for peace and a better future for Central American immigrants in Los Angeles and their countries of

origin.

 

RECAP

 

WHO:     José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles

                Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles

               Carlos Vaquerano, Executive Director, SALEF

               Gilbert Cedillo, Councilmember, First District

               Mitch O’Farrell, Councilmember, Thirteenth District

               Kevin de León, State Senator

               More than 300 locals including members of the Salvadoran community

RECAP

 

 WHAT:    Inauguration of Historic Msgr. Romero Memorial Plaza

 WHEN:   Saturday, November 23, 2013 from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Invocation at 12:00 p.m.)

 WHERE: MacArthur Park (corner of 7th Street and Alvarado Street in Los Angeles)

METRO Red Line: MacArthur Park stop

 

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