November 21, 2019

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ST. AUGUSTINE:

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‘Reflect, rejoice, renew’ is parish jubilee theme

Memorial tribute to nation’s servicemen, women

Archbishop salutes San Mateo group’s work to end abortion

CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO Newspaper of the Archdiocese of San Francisco

SERVING SAN FRANCISCO, MARIN & SAN MATEO COUNTIES

www.catholic-sf.org

NOVEMBER 21, 2019

$1.00  |  VOL. 21 NO. 22

Pope: Open your hearts to the poor as ‘beggars before God’ CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY - The poor are the church’s treasure because they give every Christian a chance to “speak the same language as Jesus, that of love,” Pope Francis said, celebrating Mass for the World Day of the Poor. “The poor facilitate our access to heaven,” the pope said in his homily Nov. 17. “In fact, they open up the treasure that never ages, that which joins earth and heaven and for which life is truly worth living: love.” Thousands of poor people and volunteers who assist them joined Pope Francis for the Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. After the liturgy and the recitation of the Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis hosted a luncheon for 1,500 of them while thousands more throughout the city enjoyed a festive meal at soup kitchens, parish halls and seminaries. SEE POPE, PAGE 19

(PHOTO BY DENNIS CALLAHAN/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)

USF remembers El Salvador’s martyred Jesuits

A Mass and candelight procession at the University of San Francisco Nov. 17 marked the 30th anniversary of the political massacre of six Jesuit priests, their household cook and her teenage daughter during El Salvador’s civil war, their names inscribed here on white crosses at a newly inaugurated campus memorial. In El Salvador and elsewhere, the martyrs’ writings and legacy as men of action who remained close to the people continue to inspire those serving the poor and vulnerable. More on Page 9.

‘I just wanted to be a priest’: LA’s Gomez elected USCCB president JD FLYNN CATHOLIC NEWS AGENCY

WASHINGTON, D.C. - When he became a priest four decades ago, Archbishop Jose Archbishop Gomez did not expect that he would one day lead the largest archdiocese in the U.S., or the country’s bishops’ conference. “I just wanted to be a priest,” Archbishop Gomez told CNA with a laugh, speaking about his election. “Somehow God wanted me to do what I am doing, and I’m just counting on the grace of God to be able to be faithful to what God is asking me to do.” “And also on intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe,” he added, explaining that he has entrusted all of his ministry as a bishop to the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Archbishop Gomez, 67, was elected Nov. 12 as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The archbishop, born in Monterey, Mexico, and ordained a priest in Spain, is the first

(CNS PHOTO/CHAZ MUTH)

Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez holds his rosary Nov. 10, 2019, in a Baltimore hotel where he attended the U.S. bishops’ fall general assembly. Latino to lead the bishops’ conference. He is also the first immigrant to head the conference.

His election is historic, but it was no surprise. Archbishop Gomez became vice president of the conference, a central organizing body of almost 200 Catholic bishops with more than 300 employees, in 2016. The vice president is traditionally elected to the top job, so Archbishop Gomez knew his election was likely. But, he told CNA, the real surprise was becoming vice president three years ago. “I was not expecting to be the president. Some people put my name forward for election as vice president in 2016.” “To my surprise I was elected vice president, then once you are the vice president, it is more likely that they elect you president. The whole process was a surprise to me, but I see that God is asking me to do it, and I just pray that with the grace of God I can do a good job.” Archbishop Gomez laughed, noting that he had never expected to become a Denver auxiliary bishop

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SEE GOMEZ, PAGE 11

INDEX On the Street . . . . . . . . 4 National . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . 26


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