The Rotary Club of Los Angeles (LA5), will host Archbishop Gomez at a luncheon at noon on Friday, Jan. 10, and Town Hall Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan. 14

Archbishop José Gomez will address immigration reform and related issues during speeches delivered to business, government and community representatives during a luncheon hosted by The Rotary Club of Los Angeles (LA5) on Friday, January 10, at the new City Club, City National Bank Tower (555 South Flower St., 51st Floor, Los Angeles), and at a Town Hall Los Angeles meeting on Tuesday, January 14, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel (506 South Grand Ave., Los Angeles).

Finding a path to citizenship while recognizing the human needs of Southern California’s undocumented residents is a priority for Archbishop Gomez, who just completed his term as Chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration and is a Consultant to the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

“Right now, it’s urgent for us to address the daily injustices and offenses to human dignity being caused by our broken immigration system,” said Archbishop Gomez, who will offer the Catholic Church’s view on the topic during his Jan. 10 speech “The Catholic Church, immigration reform and the social fabric of Los Angeles,” as part of LA5’s “Newsmakers and Thought Leaders” Speaker Series.

“In our neighborhoods and parishes we know the reality — that families, especially children, are the ones suffering the most,” said the archbishop. “We hear many arguments and justifications for why our leaders can’t fix this broken system. But nothing they say can answer the tears of a child whose mother or father has been deported or locked in an immigration jail.”

After delivering his keynote speech “Immigration and the Next America,” at the Jan. 14 Town Hall Los Angeles meeting, Archbishop Gomez will be answering questions from the public.

The speeches come one week after National Migration Week (Jan. 5-11), when all dioceses and archdioceses in the country raised awareness on the imminent need of an immigration reform that leads to citizenship.

Archbishop Gomez has been writing, speaking and advocating on immigration issues for 20 years. His most recent book on this topic was released in 2013. A native of Monterrey, Mexico, in 2011 Archbishop Gomez became the first Latino Archbishop of Los Angeles, which contains the nation’s largest Catholic community.

Today, there are approximately 11 million immigrants in America without legal status. According to a 2013 study from the Public Religion Research Institute, 63% of Americans support a path to citizenship for these immigrants.

RECAP
WHO: Archbishop José Gomez, members of Rotary Club Los Angeles and Town Hall Los

Angeles.

WHEN: Friday, Jan., 10. Lunch: 12:15 p.m. Speech by Archbishop Gomez: 12:45-1:15 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14. Registration, Networking Reception 8 a.m.; Breakfast 8:30 a.m.; Address and Q&A 9-10 a.m.

WHERE: The new City Club, City National Bank Tower, 555 South Flower St., 51st Floor, Los Angeles, 90071. Complimentary tickets for media. Valet parking for $8 with validation in the building.
Town Hall Los Angeles meeting, Millennium Biltmore Hotel, 506 South Grand Ave.; Los Angeles, CA 90071

WHAT: “The Catholic Church, Immigration Reform and the Social Fabric of Los Angeles,” a speech to be delivered by Archbishop José Gomez, as part of Rotary Club of Los Angeles (LA5) “Newsmakers and Thought Leaders” Speaker Series. [RSVP for lunch: John Lockhart, The Rotary Club of Los Angeles (LA5), (213) 674-4346 x 224, john@peoplemedia.la]

“Immigration and the Next America,” speech by Archbishop Gomez to Town Hall Los Angeles, followed by Q&A session. [RSVP: Deborah Weinberg, Town Hall Los Angeles: (213) 312-9307 or dweinberg@townhall-la.org]

NOTE: A COPY OF THE LETTER FROM ARCHBISHOP GOMEZ TO PRIESTS OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES IS ATTACHED ARCHBISHOP JOSÉ GOMEZ TO ADDRESS IMMIGRATION ISSUES DURING SPEECHES TO BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY LEADERS