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Pope Francis pays tribute to murdered Irish bishop ahead of LA funeral

Cork-born Bishop David O’Connell, who worked with the disadvantaged, shot to death last month

Pope Francis praised Bishop David O'Connell's 'profound concern for the poor, immigrants and those in need'. Photograph: Getty Images

Olivia Kelleher
Fri Mar 3 2023 - 14:48

Pope Francis has paid tribute to murdered Irish born Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, David O’Connell, who will be laid to rest in a crypt in the Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels in the Archdiocese on Friday evening following his requiem mass.

Bishop O’Connell (69) was found dead on February 18th last at his home in Hacienda Heights in Los Angeles. He died from a gunshot wound to the upper chest.

In a telegram sent on the Pope’s behalf to José H Gómez, the Archbishop of Los Angeles, Pope Francis offered his “heartfelt condolences” to the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the Archdiocese “following the tragic loss of Bishop O’Connell”.

Pope Francis said he joined in giving thanks for Bishop O’Connell’s “years of devoted priestly and episcopal ministry to the Church in Los Angeles”.

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The Holy Father said the ministry of the late Bishop “was marked especially by his profound concern for the poor, immigrants and those in need, his efforts to uphold the sanctity and dignity of God’s gift of life and his zeal for fostering solidarity, co-operation and peace within the local community”.

“In commending the late Bishop’s soul to the love and mercy of Christ the Good Shepherd, His Holiness prays that all those who honour his memory will be confirmed in the resolve to reject the ways of violence and overcome evil with good,” the message said.

Bishop O’Connell was predeceased by his parents Joan and David; sister Geraldine; brothers Liam and Don; and Don’s wife Ann. He is survived by his brother Kieran; sister-in-law Paula; his nieces and nephews Ciara, Orla, David, Aoisha, Chloe and Brian; extended family; and a large circle of friends in Ireland and abroad.

Ordained as a priest at All Hallows College, Dublin for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1979 and subsequently ordained as an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 2015, Bishop O’Connell served his mission in many parishes across Los Angeles.

His requiem mass can be viewed by live stream at 7pm on Friday Irish time. A Mass of remembrance will take place at a later date in his home parish of Glounthaune in Co Cork.

Meanwhile, a Sligo born friend of five decades of Bishop O’Connell has spoken of his “shock and devastation” at the violent passing of the Bishop.

Fr Jarlath Cunnane, Pastor at St Cornelius’ Church in Los Angeles, first met Bishop O’Connelll in 1971 at All Hallows College in Dublin, where they both studied for the priesthood.

He recently told Morning Ireland, on RTÉ Radio 1, that Bishop O’Connell was his “anam cara”.

“In Ireland we used to talk about the ‘anam cara’ – the soul friend. So we were soul friends all those years. We travelled together, we prayed together, we worked together. There is a level of tremendous shock and devastation but yet I am grateful to have known him all these years.”

He said the Bishop had a talent for friendship.

“He had a very wide range of friendships. I suppose notably up and down the social scale. He had friendships with the poor, the disenfranchised, people on the margins but he also had a capacity to develop friendships with the movers and the shakers. Not just the moving and the shaking but with the City Council, the Mayor, Police chiefs and all of that.

“It was that capacity especially when he was down town in the inner city in South LA that gave him the ability to bring people together and to bring people together who were not talking to one another.”

Fr Cunnane said that Bishop O’Connell assisted numerous individuals and families who had been affected by gun violence.

“He [encountered] many victims of gun violence. All of us have done way too many funerals of young men killed in gang violence and in violence in general. It was very much part of the environment,” he said.

“Because of that suffering he was driven to want to do something. Back when we were down in the city the police were like an occupying army and they were distrusted. It became clear to Dave that that all had to change and he began to develop those relationships and to bring the community ... their private pain to public speech and then develop a community action from there.”

Bishop O’Connell was praised by officials as a community peacemaker and was known for his advocacy work for the vulnerable in society.

Fr Cunnane said he last saw Bishop O’Connell face to face on the Thursday before he died.

The Bishop was “in great form, his humorous self” who had “an infinite fund of jokes and stories”.

He added that he was touched by the incredible outpouring of love and esteem for his friend.

“It is absolutely extraordinary. When you have the border supervisors of the county of LA flying the flags at half mast, that’s a big thing here. Civic leaders coming out, congress people and all of that, giving testimony to how they’d known him, what he’d meant to them, their friendship with him, their work with him. It’s been quite extraordinary,” he said.

A man has been charged with the murder of Bishop O’Connell. Carlos Medina was charged with one count of murder by use of a firearm. Mr Medina, who is in his sixties, is the husband of Bishop O’Connell’s housekeeper. There is no known motive for the shooting.

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