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"I am humbled and
honored to be called to assist Archbishop Charles Chaput in his ministry,
and I look forward to serving the people of Colorado with enthusiasm,"
Bishop-Elect Gomez said during a news conference this morning. "For me,
the new millennium is a moment of great optimism for the Church."
Bishop-Elect Gomez
is the first auxiliary bishop to be appointed in the Archdiocese of Denver
since 1974, when Bishop Richard C. Hanifen was named by Pope John Paul
II to assist Archbishop James Casey.
An ordination Mass
for Bishop-Elect Gomez has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday, March
26, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Colfax Avenue and Logan
Street in Denver.
"We've been given
a tremendously gifted man as a brother and a bishop," said Archbishop
Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. "In my own contact with him over the past
year on a project for the American bishops, I've been tremendously impressed
by his intelligence, energy, balance, warmth and humor."
Bishop-Elect Gomez
has become known nationally by his leadership of the National Association
of Hispanic Priests and his commitment to increasing vocations to the
priesthood. As a longtime member of the Opus Dei, a Catholic institution
similar to a diocese without geographical boundaries, he has also been
deeply involved in strengthening the faith among the Catholic laity.
The Archdiocese
of Denver has had three auxiliary bishops in its 113-year history: Bishop
David M. Maloney, who served with Archbishop Vehr from 1961-67; Bishop
George Evans, who served with Archbishop James Casey from 1969-85; and
Bishop Hanifen, who served until 1984 when he became the bishop of the
Colorado Springs Diocese.
An auxiliary bishop
is appointed by the pope at the request of the diocesan bishop or archbishop
in order to assist him in his ministry. Large dioceses may have more than
one auxiliary. The word "auxiliary" comes from the Latin word "auxilior,"
which means to help or assist.
While a local bishop
may submit a list of suggested names for an auxiliary bishop, the appointment
is made by the pope. Archbishop Chaput said the growth and increasing
needs of the people in northern Colorado made the appointment necessary.
"The Church in northern
Colorado is so big, so alive and growing so fast, that nobody can do God's
work without a lot of help every day," Archbishop Chaput said. "An auxiliary
bishop shares in the service of his bishop in a unique way. In effect,
his presence is the archbishop's presence; his work is the archbishop's
work."
The Archdiocese of
Denver currently has more than 373,500 registered Catholics in a geographical
region that stretches from the Wyoming border to the southern tips of
Pitkin County in the west and Jefferson County along the Front Range.
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