Pope’s appointment of new Los Angeles archbishop Jose Gomez comes with some concern for Gomez’ traditional political stance

After Archbishop Jose Gomez was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI last week to lead the Los Angeles Archdiocese, some Catholics have expressed concerns over his stance on issues and speculated about his leadership ability.

In the L.A. area, Gomez’ appointment is seen as representative of the large Hispanic population in the American Catholic Church.

Ivan Tou, a pastor at the University Catholic Center, said the role of archbishop of Los Angeles is significant for whoever takes it because it is the largest archdiocese in the United States and probably the most diverse. He added that the role is also important because immigration is a big issue in America, and he believes the L.A. Archdiocese is a place for leadership when it comes to working on those issues.

In regard to the UCLA students Tou works with, he said he feels that, while students have not heard much about Gomez, they are aware that he has been selected and have speculations about the type of leader he will be.

Gomez, previously the archbishop of San Antonio, will succeed outgoing Cardinal Roger Mahony next year.

Like Mahony, Gomez is committed to inclusiveness among all cultures in the church, said Rev. Thomas P. Rausch, professor of Catholic theology at Loyola Marymount University. However, since he is a member of the conservative movement, Opus Dei, some suspect he may be more conservative than his predecessor, Rausch said.

However, Rausch said the archbishop’s exact stance won’t be evident until he takes office.

“I’m a little concerned because he seems to be very traditional in some ways, and Los Angeles is such a progressive area and a lot of the churches are very progressive,” said Austin Rose, a second-year sociology and geography student who is Catholic.

He said he does not agree with Gomez’ stance on banning gay marriage and abortion and feels that the Church should stay out of political issues and focus on other priorities.

Los Angeles is the largest Catholic community in the United States, and 70 percent of its members are Hispanic, Rausch said.

The archbishop previously served on a number of committees for Hispanic Catholic bishops. The fact that more than a third of all Catholics in the United States are Hispanic likely played a role in the appointment of the Mexican-born Gomez, Rausch added.

As a result of these issues, the new archbishop will face several challenges when he takes the role, from promoting evangelism to dealing with the sex-abuse scandal.

“What’s going to be most challenging for him is bringing the values of the gospel into dialogue with a very secular culture,” Rausch said.

He added that Gomez will face a trend of Hispanics who leave the Catholic Church for Pentecostal and Evangelical churches or leave religion altogether.

Rausch also said Gomez will be concerned with evangelism by calling Christians back to their faith and promoting faith among Hispanics who feel that religion is not important.

Referring to the sex-abuse scandals concerning Catholic bishops, Rausch said Gomez will have to be alert to that issue as well as deal with a financial crisis to pay off its legal settlements.