CHAPEL IN HONOR OF BISHOP DAVID G. O’CONNELL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT THE CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS
March 17, 2023  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

A chapel to honor the life, ministry and legacy of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell, who died February 18, 2023, is open to the public at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, in downtown Los Angeles, 555 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, 90012.

“We have made a beautiful, prayerful chapel to our beloved friend. I hope many will be able to come and celebrate the life of Bishop O’Connell, which was truly a life lived for Jesus,” said Archbishop of Los Angeles José H. Gomez.

The chapel features an exhibit of photos of Bishop O’Connell’s family and ministry, an assortment of his liturgical vestments such as his chasuble, miter and pectoral cross, as well as personal items such as handwritten notes, his Bible and rosary, books of jokes he consulted and a wooden plaque from his office with his episcopal motto “Jesus, I trust in you,” which he embodied.

“We hope this exhibit not only honors the life and ministry of Bishop Dave, but above all, inspires us to follow his example of joyful witness to Jesus Christ,” said Fr. Parker Sandoval, Archdiocese’s vice-chancellor, in charge of the exhibit.

Bishop O’Connell, who was born in County Cork, Ireland on July 16, 1953, was named an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles by Pope Francis in 2015 and was appointed to serve the San Gabriel Pastoral Region. He studied for the priesthood at All Hallows College in Dublin and was ordained to serve in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1979. After ordination, he served as associate pastor in several parishes and as pastor at St. Frances X. Cabrini, Ascension, St. Eugene and St. Michael’s parishes, all in South L.A.

He was the chairman of the interdiocesan Southern California Immigration Task Force, helping coordinate the church’s response to immigrant children and families from Central America in recent years. He was key in sponsoring the enrollment of young immigrants in Catholic schools, several of whom have advanced to college.

For more information and to order a Bishop David O’Connell prayer card, visit https://lacatholics.org/bishop-connell/ The Archdiocese’s publication Angelus News has released a commemorative issue honoring Bishop David O’Connell. To read featured stories, visit https://angelusnews.com/tag/bishop-dave-commemorative-issue/.

To coordinate media coverage of the chapel please reach above contacts.

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