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In his role as episcopal vicar for the archdioceses San Gabriel Pastoral Region, it fell to OConnell to accompany the parish community of Mission San Gabriel, the oldest Catholic outpost in the archdiocese, when it was almost completely destroyed in an. We provide news about the Church and the world, as seen through the teachings of the Catholic Church. He praised Bishop OConnell as a good friend of Los Angeles who had served the city for more than 40 years. The bishops simple, red, mahogany casket with bronze knobs and ivory lining sat at the front of the Cathedral. "Your sudden departure has left us extremely sad," Pimentel said. He said Bishop OConnell was a kindly uncle who always had an encouraging word for them growing up. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG). Bishop Robert Barron, a former auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles who now serves in Minnesota, said he first met Bishop OConnell when they were appointed as bishops on the same day in September 2015. Gartland said she knew OConnell through working with Catholic schools in South L.A. when he was a pastor at St. Michaels, among a series of L.A. churches where he rooted his ministry in a community afflicted with poverty and violence. The Rev. "It's been the great joy of my life to be the pastor of these people, especially the ones who are suffering or in need or facing difficulty," O'Connell told Angelus News in 2015. He wrote on mens hearts and in the minds of young children sublime words words of forgiveness, words of healing, with simple words like, Jesus, I trust in you., But more than anything else and thats the source of all that friendship we should say was a friend of Jesus Christ and Mary, our blessed mother.. In 2015, Pope Francis named him an auxiliary bishop for the archdiocese. He had a gift for telling stories and had a delightful, playful sense of humor, Bishop Barron said, adding that Bishop OConnell had once performed at a comedy clubs open mic night. I am here. OConnells casket followed shortly after. March 3, 2023 6:44 PM PT. We are heartbroken.. He said that Mr. Medina had not been formally charged and that investigators were continuing to examine evidence, including two firearms seized from Mr. Medinas home, where he was arrested after a standoff. He was 69. That story, as told by both Monsignor Timothy Dyer and the bishops own brother, was one of service, sacrifice and peacemaking in a city and county of L.A., where he built decades of goodwill after leaving his native Ireland. OConnells ministry will be forever memorialized by the people he helped and the support be it assistance with an asylum application, or merely a friendly smile. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), People attend Bishop David OConnells Vigil Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on Thursday evening, March 2, 2023. Your monthly donation will help our team continue reporting the truth, with fairness, integrity, and fidelity to Jesus Christ and his Church. Los Angeles County Roman Catholics paid their respects to Auxiliary Bishop David OConnell during a public viewing and vigil Thursday, March 2, at the churchs Downtown L.A. cathedral that filled the 3,000-capacity house of worship. 270 Main Street Watertown, MA DAVID O'CONNELL OBITUARY O'CONNELL, David Michael Of Watertown, March 31, 2020. David OConnell was originally from Brooklodge, near Glanmire, Co Cork, and was one of five children born to David and Joan OConnell. At Catholic News Agency, our team is committed to reporting the truth with courage, integrity, and fidelity to our faith. Bishop David O'Connell, who was shot dead at his home in Los Angeles on Saturday. OConnell was shot and killed at his Hacienda Heights home on Feb. 18. OConnell was found shot at his Hacienda Heights home on February 18. But grateful to God for having had all those years a good friend to walk the road with, he said. The people have touched my heart the way they are sincere," he added. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), Archbishop Jose Gomez greets family members of Bishop David OConnell at the Funeral Mass held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, CA Friday, March 3, 2023. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), Archbishop Jose Gomez delivers the Funeral Mass for Bishop David OConnell at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, CA, Friday, March 3, 2023. He was the kind of person that, when he walked in the room, everyone felt better, Bishop Barron said. (Photo by Dean Musgrove), Flowers at the entrance for the viewing for Bishop David OConnell at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, in Downtown Los Angeles, March 2, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), Priests and bishops walk to the altar for Bishop David OConnells Vigil Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on Thursday evening, March 2, 2023. He was a peacemaker with a heart for the poor and the immigrant, and he had a passion for building a community where the sanctity and dignity of every human life was honored and protected, the archbishop said. OConnell, 69, was born in County Cork, in the south of the Republic of Ireland. He joked that he looked at him and the dog so at peace that sometimes he fancied that the dog had learned the rosary!. . The Sheriffs department has not offered further details on the circumstances of his death, which is under investigation. Apart from aiding neighborhood recovery efforts, OConnell pushed to restore trust between the inner-city residents and law enforcement. He said that his friend, who he first met when they studied for the priesthood at All Hallows College in Dublin in 1971, was as at ease with the movers and the shakers and also with the moved and the shaken. Editor's note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated with new details as they become available. Surrounding the casket stood four Knights of Columbus from the churchs fraternal organization and off to the side was a white floral arrangement under his portrait. Visitation Anyone can read what you share. He was the loving husband to Lynnette (Strople) O'Connell with During the COVID-19 pandemic, OConnell made headlines when he led a blessing of the San Gabriel Valley and surrounding areas as he held up a monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament from a nearby lookout. (Photo by Dean Musgrove), The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem stand during the viewing for Bishop David OConnell at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, in Downtown Los Angeles, March 2, 2023. O'Connell was born in County Cork, Ireland, and ordained in the Los Angeles Archdiocese in 1979, the diocesan news site Angelus News reported. David D. OConnell Sr., 80, of Chicopee passed away, Monday, April 27, 2015 at Palmer Health Care Center. David G. OConnell, a Roman Catholic bishop, was shot in his home in Hacienda Heights, Calif., on Saturday. The suspect in the shooting, 61-year-old Carlos Medina, has been charged with the murder. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), The casket of Bishop David OConnell arrives at the Funeral Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, CA Friday, March 3, 2023. "And it's been a great privilege, a great blessing to be given these parishes all these years, to be pastor all these years. It was solemn yet emotionally riotous. Funeral services will take place over a three-day period, beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday with a memorial Mass at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Hacienda Heights. Archbishop Jose H Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles celebrated the Mass. "Bishop O'Connell was a guiding light for so many, and his legacy will continue to live on," the department said in a statement. The Wednesday and Thursday night Masses also included a message from Pope Francis, who wrote of how deeply saddened he was on OConnells death, but praised OConnells 45 years of ministry as being marked especially by his profound concern for the poor, immigrants, and those in need, his efforts to uphold the sanctity and dignity of Gods gift of life, and his zeal for fostering solidarity, cooperation, and peace within the local community.. Those who knew him testify that he seemed most at ease with the working people he spent all those years with in South LA. OConnell would later tell how he was in Washington, D.C., testifying before a panel on Capitol Hill about violence in urban America when the riots started. A Catholic bishop who church leaders remembered as a "peacemaker" was found dead of a gunshot wound on Saturday. John Meyer flew in from Rome to celebrate the OConnells. His nephew, also called David OConnell, said the late Bishop was the rock of his family who liked to be a comedian but thankfully had a day job that was going a bit better for him. Watch for these changes, Pope Francis approves miracle to pave way to beatification of Elisabetta Martinez. Among those present were the bishops family and local dignitaries, such as former L.A. Monsignor Cunnane said that Bishop OConnell had a particular fondness for Guinness which he described with his typical comedic touch as being all black with a white collar a bit like a priest. And its been a great privilege, a great blessing to be given these parishes all these years, to be pastor all these years. May Our Lady of Guadalupe wrap him in the mantle of her love, and may the angels lead him into paradise, and may he rest in peace, said the archbishop. OConnell was found shot at his Hacienda Heights home on February 18. Everyone the West, Putin, China learned the wrong lessons from the Gorbachev era, We dont know when this war will be over, but we know this: Ukraine will be a strong, sovereign and independent nation, Arrival of Pret a Manger is not actually an act of cultural vandalism. I O'Connell was a native of Ireland and had been a priest and later a bishop in Los Angeles for 45 years. Apart from aiding neighborhood recovery efforts, OConnell pushed to restore trust between the inner-city residents and law enforcement. 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OConnell, a native of Ireland who spent most of his four decades as a priest ministering in LAs inner city, has died. OConnell was shot and killed at his Hacienda Heights home on Feb. 18. Carlos Medina has admitted to murdering the bishop, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascn said in a press conference Wednesday. He made frequent visits to Ireland and liked to stress his Cork connections whenever possible. A priest kisses Bishop David OConnell during a public viewing at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on Thursday evening, March 2, 2023. Bishop Dave, as he was affectionately known among his mostly Hispanic congregation, was much admired for his peacemaking efforts during the 1992 riots in LA following the acquittal of four white policemen on all but one charge connected with the severe beating of African American Rodney King. And its very sad that were gathered here today to talk about his murder in this way.. OConnell was found shot at his Hacienda Heights home on February 18. When you have found an obituary of interest, you have the option of upgrading that obituary with more recent and relevant content unless the obituary is already He was the loving husband to Lynnette (Strople) O'Connell with whom he Julio Cortez/AP Many young immigrants, Hamilton added, likely would not have been granted asylum without OConnells work. Luna said two firearms were recovered at Medina's home, and they were being tested to determine if either weapon was involved in the Saturday shooting. The riots broke out during Father OConnells first tour at St. Frances X. Cabrini Church (1988-1998). (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), Sisters attend a public viewing for Bishop David OConnell at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on Thursday evening, March 2, 2023. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department announced on Sunday that Los Angeles Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell was killed and said it was working to find "those responsible" for his death. It is a privilege to be part of peoples lives, especially in their time of suffering and need. Gomez said O'Connell had served as a priest and later a bishop in Los Angeles for 45 years. Tributes to O'Connell also poured in on social media, where people expressed shock and sadness at the bishop's sudden death. In it, he talks about his emotional visit to Lourdes, where he felt the presence of Our Lady. Helping, supporting and generally being the face of Jesus for me and many many others. Born December 17, 1947 in Allegan, Michigan, he was the son of the late James Joseph and Amelia (Hinkle) OConnell and the husband of his only true love, Donna Jean (Stratton) OConnell. OConnell was shot and killed at his Hacienda Heights home on Feb. 18. Apu Gomes/Agence France-Presse Getty Images, Bishop OConnell said in a July 2015 interview with Angelus. He studied for the priesthood at All Hallows College in Dublin and was ordained in 1979, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said. Reyes said that Bishop OConnell ordained his class of new priests two years ago. He added that he looks forward to returning to California from Rome to follow in ODonnells footsteps and mentor others into the faith. The suspect in the shooting, 61-year-old Carlos Medina, has been charged with the murder. As a pastor, OConnell also saw firsthand the effect of broken families on the community. ", Immigration attorney Linda Dakin-Grimm said O'Connell was "there for every child and family I have represented. Ted Chen reports for the NBC4 News on Feb. 21, He worked to restore trust between law enforcement and residents by bringing the two together in peoples homes for dialogue. In his role as episcopal vicar for the archdioceses San Gabriel Pastoral Region, it fell to OConnell to accompany the parish community of Mission San Gabriel, the oldest Catholic outpost in the archdiocese, when it was almost completely destroyed in an arson attack in July 2020. Maybe it was the Irish brogue, or the dog he had adopted, or the fact that he saw prayer as activism and activism as prayer, she wrote after his death. It was revealed in a press conference Monday that Medina is the husband of OConnells housekeeper, who remains unnamed. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a statement that Bishop OConnell was an active member of our Conference and a champion for the poor and marginalized who had previously led its antipoverty initiative. We have the opportunity to pick up where he left off and to carry the example that he set., He urged all those who attended the Mass to help those you can help.. Mourners broached the entrance of the cathedral, nestled in the heart of Downtown L.A., early on Friday to be part of the communion to honor OConnell. And yet I feel in all the outpouring of love and esteem and all of the inspiration and all the testimonies this week I feel a presence.. He began his day before dawn, ended it after midnight and filled almost every hour with people, all sorts of people in every state of emotion, need and grace., Archbishop of Los Angeles Jos Gmez described Bishop OConnell as a man of peace. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), The casket of Bishop David OConnell arrives at the Funeral Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, CA Friday, March 3, 2023. The suspect in the shooting, 61-year-old Carlos Medina, has been charged with the murder. The suspect in the shooting, 61-year-old Carlos Medina, has been charged with the murder. David R. O'Connell, 58, of Beverly died on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at Beverly Hospital. usually in the mountains focusing on how to be good fathers and husbands, something he saw as key to the health of a community. Why are womens bodies under attack from autoimmune diseases? A vigil Mass was held Thursday for Auxiliary Bishop David G. OConnell at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles. The authorities were called to the bishops home on Saturday afternoon by a deacon, who went there after Bishop OConnell, 69, did not show up for a meeting, Sheriff Luna said. I knew it was going to be a big turnout because he touched and impacted so many lives.. He spoke to the soul. He was a father figure for a lot of us, he said. The suspect had been at the bishops house before, doing work, Sheriff Luna said. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has announced the funeral arrangements for the late Auxiliary Bishop David OConnell, who was murdered in his Hacienda Heights home on Feb. 18. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. So there was some kind of a maybe working relationship, but were still trying to figure out what that relationship was.. Pope Francis named O'Connell an auxiliary bishop in 2015. The miracle involved the healing of an unborn baby girl in Rimini, Italy. (Jay L. Clendenin / LA Times) OConnell was found shot at his Hacienda Heights home on February 18. Carlos Medina, 61, was arrested around 8:15 a.m. Monday following an hours-long standoff at his home in the 2400 block of Kenwood Avenue in Torrance. People approached, some wiping away tears and others saying brief prayers before moving along. Its been the great joy of my life to be the pastor of these people, especially the ones who are suffering or in need or facing difficulty, OConnell said after being named a bishop in 2015. The Ballingeary native was at home on holidays in Cork at the time. But I didnt. Father Jay Cunnane, pastor of St. Cornelius Parish in Long Beach, California, and a close friend to OConnell, told EWTN News Nightly that the bishop had a great heart for people on the margins of society, specifically immigrants and the poor. OConnell was found shot at his Hacienda Heights home on February 18. The people have touched my heart the way they are sincere., Murder investigation underway into Bishop OConnells death, Suspect arrested in murder of Bishop OConnell; motive still unclear, Mourners pray for healing, forgiveness amid shock of Bishop OConnells murder. Deputies found the bishop in bed with at least one gunshot wound to the upper body, Sheriff Luna said. No matter what the configuration of the family is, the call is still to adults to think about how to provide the best, most loving, faithful environment for children possible. The comments were made in a video associated with the Catholic World Meeting of Families event in Dublin and generated some controversy when they were edited from a later version of the video. . A man in his sixties been charged with his murder. One day earlier, Gomez said O'Connell had "passed away unexpectedly," but gave no additional details. David Michael O'Connell, 64, passed away on September 25, 2017 after a battle with cancer. Im not standing here in front of you telling you its a dispute over money yet, Sheriff Luna said. Norma Seni Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, called O'Connell "truly a man of God" in a tweet. The people have touched my heart the way they are sincere.. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), Mass is given to 4,000 attendees at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels during the Funeral Mass for Bishop David OConnell in Los Angeles, CA, Friday, March 3, 2023. He was a friend of souls. The younger OConnell, as if speaking to the heavens, told his uncle he and everyone who knew the bishop was proud of him. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), People receive communion during a Vigil Mass for Bishop David OConnell at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on Thursday evening, March 2, 2023. Fr OConnell was lauded for leadership at that time, particularly for his efforts to build trust between residents and police officers. Cardinal Roger Mahony gives the homily doing the Vigil Mass for Bishop David OConnell at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on Thursday evening, March 2, 2023. He helped restore trust between residents and law enforcement by organizing meetings with police officers in peoples homes and providing opportunities for dialogue and reconciliation in the aftermath of the 1992 LA riots. He understood that grassroots organising was the only way that the poor and disenfranchised would win power and a better life.. The obituary was featured in Centre Daily Times on January 19, 2021, and Scranton Times on January The funeral Mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. March 3, also at the cathedral. Its something weve heard to this point, and that is something the detectives will go out and validate and see if its true or not.. Carlos Medina, the husband of O'Connell's housekeeper has been arrested for his murder. Well never make it up, but maybe we can make a dent.. The firearms will need to be tested to determine whether either one was used in the fatal shooting, Sheriff Luna said. (Photo by Dean Musgrove). The suspect in the shooting, 61-year-old Carlos Medina, has been charged with the murder. He organised retreats to help men become better parents and partners, and believed in the power of parish communities and schools to transform peoples lives. hide caption, Bishop David O'Connell, seen above at a meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2021, is being remembered as a peacemaker and "truly a man of God.". He was charged Wednesday with murder, and District Attorney George Gascn said at a news conference that Medina had confessed to the crime, although a motive remains unknown. OConnell played a key role in sponsoring the enrollment of several young immigrants in Catholic schools. He found the good in people, praised it, and spoke it into them., The recessional at the Funeral Mass for Bishop David OConnell at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, CA, Friday, March 3, 2023. The suspect in the shooting, 61-year-old Carlos Medina, has been charged with the murder. Michael David OConnell, Sr., 73 of Allegan, Michigan, passed away early Friday morning, October 1, 2021 at Holland Hospital. OConnell was fatally shot at his Hacienda Heights home on Feb. 18. Joe holds a bachelors degree in Political Science from The Catholic University of America. The murder charge against Medina includes an allegation of the personal use of a firearm, meaning he faces up to 35 years to life in state prison if he is convicted as charged. Those emotions were on display once again on Thursday, as Cardinal Roger Mahony wept as he embraced OConnells casket in prayer as he ended his homily. He came home days later to find widespread destruction in much of his parishs territory. He was a good priest and a good bishop and a man of peace.. He offered his condolences to the family of the late Bishop. OConnell, 69, a beloved priest in the diocese, who administered its San Gabriel Valley region, was found fatally shot on Feb. 18 at his Hacienda Heights home. He feared I was going to say goodbye. Have patience and give everyone the chance. During that time, OConnell ministered to a community afflicted by gang violence and poverty. It brought a lot of peace to come today and say goodbye, she said. It was as if the city where OConnell had dedicated much of his life wanted to provide a glimmer for him as a final send off. Photograph: Getty Images. When he heard the news of OConnells murder, Cunnane said he was speechless and shocked.. 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Bishop Dave, as he was known, was episcopal vicar for the archdioceses San Gabriel Pastoral Region since, 2015, when Pope Francis named him an auxiliary bishop, The riots broke out during Father OConnells first tour at St. Frances X. Cabrini Church (1988-1998). He had previously served as a pastor at several parishes in Los Angeles, including St. Michaels and St. Frances X. Cabrini. Bishop David O'Connell, auxiliary bishop for the San Gabriel Pastoral Region, visits the damaged San Gabriel Mission church the afternoon of Saturday, July 11, 2020. He said that they always joked about which was the better county his native Sligo or the Bishops beloved Co Cork. The final goodbye for Bishop David OConnell was grievous and joyous. There were no signs of forced entry, and no weapon was found at the home, Sheriff Luna said. In contrast to recent days, often taken up with spoken words at prayers services and masses that mourned the pastor, the viewing was a quiet event, focused on the singular image of the bishops casket amid the vast open interior space of the Cathedral. He wore a white bishop mitre. OConnell was dressed in a white alb robe with the Virgin de Guadalupe in color on the front. OConnell was found shot at his Hacienda Heights home on February 18. in communication and M.S. A Sligoman would say goodbye but wouldnt leave. Age 85. I am very sad this afternoon to report that our beloved Auxiliary Bishop David OConnell has passed away unexpectedly, said Archbishop Jos H. Gomez of Los Angeles in a, soon after receiving word of his death. Always. Catholics say final farewell to their friend,, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Catholics say final farewell to their friend, Bishop David OConnell, Three women arrested for alleged fraudulent federal student loans from Fullerton college, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies at 61, 7 house fires prompt fears about gas meters buried in snow. OConnell was found shot at his Hacienda Heights home on February 18. There, OConnell ministered to a community afflicted by gang violence, poverty, broken families, as well as tensions between locals and members of the Los Angeles Police Department and the LA Sheriffs Department. He was loved. OConnell was shot and killed at his Hacienda Heights home on Feb. 18. "He was a peacemaker with a heart for the poor and the immigrant, and he had a passion for building a community where the sanctity and dignity of every human life was honored and protected," the archbishop added. It was standing-room only in the cavernous Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, where the funeral Mass for Bishop David G. OConnell was held Born in County Cork, Ireland in 1953, OConnell studied for the priesthood at All Hallows College in Dublin and was ordained to serve in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1979. Someone what was caring, forgiving, and merciful with the community and people.. OConnell, who was known as Bishop Dave, served the San Gabriel Pastoral Region of the archdiocese, which covers East Los Angeles through the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys. But now I wouldnt, A sad day for republicans: Sinn Fin activist Rita OHare dies aged 80, Ukraine under increased pressure as Russian onslaught in Bakhmut continues, Who to fire? Bishop OConnell, who was born in County Cork, Ireland, on July 16, 1953, was appointed an auxiliary bishop in 2015. The suspect in the shooting, 61-year-old Carlos Medina, has been charged with the murder. Born in Springfield on February 20, 1935, he was a son of the late Thomas and Mary (Lacey) OConnell. On Saturday, Feb. 18, authorities found OConnell, 69, dead by gunshot wound at his Hacienda Heights home. He was ordained in June 1979 and returned to Glounthaune to say his first Mass in the Sacred Heart Church where he had been baptised almost 26 years earlier. A Catholic bishop who church leaders remembered as a "peacemaker" was found dead of a gunshot wound on Saturday. OConnell then began serving in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and held many different positions during his priesthood, in which he ministered to immigrants and those affected by both gang violence and poverty. Bishop David OConnell who has died, aged 69, was originally from Cork but spent his Catholic ministry in Los Angeles where he was a community leader and vocal campaigner on behalf of immigrants and marginalised people. Father Robert Young, his friend from his secondary school days, remembered him as a very bright and capable student who was warm and sincere. The Los Angeles Times described him as one of the regions most beloved clerics. Los Angeles county has the highest poverty rate in California and his work focused on helping marginalised people in communities affected by gang violence, drugs and poverty.