'God bless you for all you’re doing,' he said. 'You’re our best hope — not just for your own communities, but for the church and our society. For America, right now.'"
[Photo Credit: Wally Skalij, LA Times]
"Over a 43-year career across Los Angeles County, the Spanish-speaking Irish immigrant stood up for his working class parishioners against federal and local officials and even his own bosses. Even after Pope Francis appointed him as a bishop in 2015, O’Connell never lost his common touch....
'He had a very fierce passion for justice, for the dignity of people,' said [One LA] lead organizer Robert Hoo, who had known him since 2005....Hoo sent me two video clips, [one] from a Zoom meeting last month, where O'Connell greeted IAF members who had recently met with Pope Francis about their organizing efforts. In it, the bishop stood in his office and beamed.
‘He Brought Us In Closer’: The LA Journey of Bishop O'Connell, Los Angeles Times
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