Archbishop Laurent Ulrich. / Mory Hugo via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Vatican City, Apr 26, 2022 / 04:03 am (CNA).
Pope Francis on Tuesday named Archbishop Laurent Ulrich as the new Catholic archbishop of Paris.
Ulrich, the archbishop of Lille, northern France, succeeds Archbishop Michel Aupetit, who resigned in December.
The new Paris archbishop was born in 1951 and ordained a priest of the diocese of Dijon, eastern France, in 1979.
He was appointed archbishop of Chambéry, southeastern France, by Pope John Paul II in the year 2000. He was transferred to Lille in 2008 by Benedict XVI.
Among the challenges facing the 70-year-old archbishop will be to heal the divisions exposed in the Paris archdiocese during Aupetit’s tenure from 2017 to 2021.
He will also oversee the restoration of the interior of Notre-Dame Cathedral following a devastating fire in 2019. The cathedral is expected to reopen for worship on April 16, 2024, five years after the blaze.
In his first message to his new flock, dated April 25, Ulrich said: “It is a joy for us to wait for the day of its reopening so that we can still proclaim the living Christ there, while obviously not neglecting the many reasons that attract people to it.”
“I am aware of the complexity of the challenges that will be presented to us in the years to come, and this should not worry us, but it requires our cooperation: a profoundly synodal attitude, ‘it is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium,’ according to Pope Francis.”
Archbishop Michel Aupetit of Paris. Ibex73 via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Aupetit submitted his resignation to Pope Francis in November 2021 after the magazine Le Point published a report portraying the archbishop as a divisive and authoritarian figure.
The report also raised concerns about Aupetit’s contacts with a woman dating back to 2012, when he was vicar general of the archdiocese. The archbishop said he was not in a relationship with the woman.
Pope Francis accepted Aupetit’s resignation on Dec. 2, 2021, but later expressed doubt about the validity of the criticisms of the archbishop.
During an in-flight press conference a few days later, the pope told journalists that he had accepted Aupetit’s resignation “on the altar of hypocrisy” because the archbishop had “lost his reputation so publicly.”
Aupetit announced in February that he would continue to serve as a member of the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops, after receiving encouragement from Pope Francis.
The Paris archdiocese, which dates back to the 3rd century, serves an estimated 1.3 million Catholics out of a total population of around 2.2 million people.
The archdiocese said on April 26 that Ulrich will be installed as the 142nd archbishop of Paris at 6:30 p.m. local time on May 23 at the Church of Saint-Sulpice.
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Vatican City, Feb 13, 2019 / 03:32 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis Wednesday approved the canonization of Bl. John Henry Newman, a Roman Catholic cardinal, scholar, and founder of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England.
A memorial Mass for the late Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell was held at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Hacienda Heights, California, on March 1, 2023. / Credit: YouTube/St. John Vianney Hacienda Heights
Boston, Mass., Mar 2, 2023 / 13:27 pm (CNA).
As three days of memorial services began Wednesday for the late Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell, who was murdered in his Hacienda Heights home on Feb. 18, Pope Francis and President Joe Biden commended the man known as a “peacemaker.”
News of O’Connell’s murder and the subsequent arrest of his housekeeper’s husband in connection with the killing came as a shock to Catholics across the nation. Among those mourning the late bishop was Pope Francis, whose message was read at Wednesday’s memorial Mass at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Hacienda Heights, California.
Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez was the main celebrant of a 7 p.m. memorial Mass in which O’Connell’s younger brother attended and shared memories of growing up together in Ireland.
Pope Francis: O’Connell had ‘profound concern for the poor’
In a message from Pope Francis read aloud at the beginning of Mass by Gomez, the Holy Father commended O’Connell, 69, for his efforts to uphold the sanctity of life and his profound concern for the poor.
The pope sent his “heartfelt condolences and the assurance of his spiritual closeness” to all the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles after the bishop’s “untimely and tragic death.”
Pope Francis remembered the bishop for his “profound concern for the poor, immigrants, and those in need; his efforts to uphold the sanctity and dignity of God’s gift of life; and his zeal for fostering solidarity, cooperation, and peace within the local community.”
“In commending the late bishop’s soul to the love and mercy of Christ the Good Shepherd, His Holiness prays that all who honor his memory will be confirmed in the resolve to reject the ways of violence and overcome evil with good,” said the message, which was signed by Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
“To those gathered for the Mass of Christian burial and to all who mourn Bishop O’Connell’s loss in the sure hope of the resurrection, the Holy Father cordially imparts his blessing as a pledge of peace and consolation in the Lord.”
‘Dave got us through tough times’
O’Connell’s younger brother, Kieran O’Connell, thanked the local Catholic community for the outpouring of support and said that his brother had a strong belief in the power of prayer.
“I know he has been a source of solace for myself and my family as well,” he said.
“As my older brother, he was an immense support to me during the passing of our parents and also my brothers and sister. Dave got us through these tough times. He always said it was God’s plan and thanked God for their wonderful lives,” O’Connell said.
Reflecting on his brother’s ordination, O’Connell said: “It was the proudest moment for our family and for the whole community when he said his first Mass in our local parish church.”
O’Connell noted the many “great memories” he had of visiting his brother in Los Angeles and the active role that the bishop played in the raising of his children.
“He was present at every milestone in our lives, baptism, holy Communion, graduation, weddings,” he said. “We forever cherish those memories.”
“Just thank you most sincerely for taking care of Dave for these 45 years and know that he was happiest here among his people,” he said, fighting back tears.
Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell’s brother, Kieran O’Connell, speaks at the bishop’s memorial Mass on March 1, 2023. Credit: YouTube/St. John Vianney Hacienda Heights
‘Christ was looking Dave right in the eyes’
Monsignor Timothy Dyer, pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Los Angeles, gave the homily and opened his remarks by recalling Archbishop Gomez’s presence at the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Feb. 22 press conference following the arrest of O’Connell’s alleged murderer, Carlos Medina.
The archbishop had fought back tears as he struggled to get through his brief comments during that press conference.
“Before we begin to reflect on the Scripture readings I would like think that I represent each of you when I say to the archbishop that on the day he spoke in the news conference with the officials from the city and the state and the county around him, his inability to put into words his feelings, was the best way to speak for all of us,” Dyer said.
Dyer said that the Catholic community has been “overwhelmed” at the “pouring out of praise and gratitude” and sympathy from both the Catholic community and the secular community for O’Connell.
“If ever there was a man of prayer that I’ve known it was Dave,” he said. O’Connell would often begin meetings with the prayer method of lectio divina, he said, joking that “and he didn’t worry about how much time it took.”
O’Connell was passionate about standing up for immigrants, standing against racism, and standing up for the unborn and women, Dyer said.
“You could not pigeonhole him. If you wanted to put him up on your banner and let him be your patron for your particular cause, you could only do it if you embraced all of the things that he embraced, and all of the places he fished because it was an ethic of life from beginning to end,” he said.
Dyer’s recommendation that “it would be wise” for the seminary to hold an annual seminar to study O’Connell’s spirituality and ministry, was received with applause from those gathered at the church.
Dyer said that O’Connell had a “great devotion to Mary” that was “reflected in his respect and his admiration for women in religious life.”
Speaking briefly abuse the clergy sex abuse crisis, Dyer said that O’Connell would say to his fellow priests: “Wear it like a hairshirt. Let it irritate you so that it will never happen again.”
For O’Connell, becoming a bishop was a cross rather than a promotion, Dyer said, adding that “it almost broke his heart.”
O’Connell did not want to leave the flock that he pastored, Dyer said. “We need to take care of our bishops. It is not an easy life,” he said.
Fighting back tears, Dyer reflected on the last moments of O’Connell’s life.
“When the bullets were being fired, Christ was looking Dave right in the eyes, and he said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You may lay down the nets now Dave. I’ve prepared a place for you in the Father’s house,’” he said.
Dyer continued: “And there’s someone there who’s waiting too, the one you’ve always called the Blessed Mother, as well as your own mother, waiting to fold you in her arms. And Dave, you don’t have to be a bishop anymore. But in front of your dwelling place, there’s a great big lake. And we have a lot of fishing to do on behalf of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles still,” he said.
Biden White House statement
In response to a question from EWTN White House Correspondent Owen Jensen, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said March 1 that “the president and the first lady join Archbishop Gomez, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and the entire Catholic community in the mourning of Bishop David O’Connell.”
“We also express our sympathy and prayers for the family and friends of the bishop, who will certainly remember his legacy of service to those on the margins of society. And so, again, we offer up our condolences to the community.”
The White House responds to the murder of Bishop David O’Connell from Los Angeles and to the leaked FBI document comparing Catholics to violent extremists.
— EWTN News Nightly (@EWTNNewsNightly) March 1, 2023
There will be a public viewing on Thursday at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. The viewing will take place from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
A vigil Mass will be held following the public viewing at 7 p.m. and will be livestreamed both here and here.
O’Connell’s funeral Mass will be held on Friday, March 3, at the same Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels at 11 a.m. local time. The funeral Mass will be livestreamed both here and here.
Archbishop Aupetit was effectively removed by His Holiness on the pontiff’s alleged “Altar Of Hypocrisy” following submission of resignation [recall the difference with Cardinal Reinhard Marx who was instead retained on similar grounds]. “The problem with the altar of hypocrisy is that the weight of public opinion becomes unbearable. And this also influences the criteria for the selection of new bishops, because their positions must be those that public opinion can understand so that the Church is not under attack. It is an original sin that has been with us since the election of Pope Francis” (Andrea Gagliarducci MondayVatican 4.25.22).
Gagliarducci waxing objectively perceives Francis’ Altar of Hypocrisy rationale for dismissing/accepting removal as a seeming benevolent bow to public opinion, although he does name it a sin. Or is it more pretext to reconstitute [Archbishop Aupetit practiced medicine from 1979 to 1990 and taught bioethics until 2006. His book, L’Embryon, Quells Enjeux? The Embryo: What Are the Stakes? Paris: Éditions Salvator, 2008 is a vigorous defense of the unborn child in NCReg]. Perhaps too rigorous a defender of the unborn to meet Dicastery science?
“Pope Francis, over the years, has become the protagonist of what has been defined by many as “a pastoral turning point.” The profile of some new bishops immediately made cardinals testifies to this: in the United States, Blase Cupich, transferred to Chicago; Wilton Gregory, moved to Washington; and Joseph Tobin, transferred to Newark. In Latin America, the creation of the archbishop of Huancayo Pedro Carlo Barreto as cardinal” (Ibid).
Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, Aupetit’s replacement, reveals little of the moral character and expertise of the latter. Despite allegation that Aupetit had an unacceptable shoulder rubbing relationship with his secretary warranting Aztec sacrifice on the Altar of Hypocrisy when His Holiness upgrades those who are far more engaged.
But wait, Fr. Morello, we find biblical reference to the likes of the rainbow-bannered Marx, Bats-sing and Hollerich who, now with complicit media accompaniment (!), would hijack the synodal process to sabotage inborn human morality and settled Catholic teaching on faith and morals…
BIBLICAL! Without commenting on either Archbishop Ulrich or the former Archbishop Apetit, we find the relevant scriptural passage right here in the Liturgy of the Hours for today (the second Tuesday after Easter):
“…I know you cannot tolerate wicked men; you have tested those self-styled apostles [!] who are nothing of the sort, and discovered that they are imposters [!]” (Rev 2:2). Sinodize that!
Pope Francis who, in 2017, appointed Bishop Aupetit as Archbishop to Paris, accepted the latter’s resignation because there was much media backlash.
However, a few months later the Archbishop said: “He also wanted to show his confidence by asking me to remain in the Roman Congregation for Bishops.” This is the “department of the Roman Curia responsible for identifying and selecting candidates for bishop, before presenting them to the pope for a final decision.” https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2022/02/05/archbishop-aupetit-pope-francis-asked-me-to-stay-in-congregation-of-bishops-after-paris-resignation/
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Archbishop Aupetit was effectively removed by His Holiness on the pontiff’s alleged “Altar Of Hypocrisy” following submission of resignation [recall the difference with Cardinal Reinhard Marx who was instead retained on similar grounds]. “The problem with the altar of hypocrisy is that the weight of public opinion becomes unbearable. And this also influences the criteria for the selection of new bishops, because their positions must be those that public opinion can understand so that the Church is not under attack. It is an original sin that has been with us since the election of Pope Francis” (Andrea Gagliarducci MondayVatican 4.25.22).
Gagliarducci waxing objectively perceives Francis’ Altar of Hypocrisy rationale for dismissing/accepting removal as a seeming benevolent bow to public opinion, although he does name it a sin. Or is it more pretext to reconstitute [Archbishop Aupetit practiced medicine from 1979 to 1990 and taught bioethics until 2006. His book, L’Embryon, Quells Enjeux? The Embryo: What Are the Stakes? Paris: Éditions Salvator, 2008 is a vigorous defense of the unborn child in NCReg]. Perhaps too rigorous a defender of the unborn to meet Dicastery science?
“Pope Francis, over the years, has become the protagonist of what has been defined by many as “a pastoral turning point.” The profile of some new bishops immediately made cardinals testifies to this: in the United States, Blase Cupich, transferred to Chicago; Wilton Gregory, moved to Washington; and Joseph Tobin, transferred to Newark. In Latin America, the creation of the archbishop of Huancayo Pedro Carlo Barreto as cardinal” (Ibid).
Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, Aupetit’s replacement, reveals little of the moral character and expertise of the latter. Despite allegation that Aupetit had an unacceptable shoulder rubbing relationship with his secretary warranting Aztec sacrifice on the Altar of Hypocrisy when His Holiness upgrades those who are far more engaged.
But wait, Fr. Morello, we find biblical reference to the likes of the rainbow-bannered Marx, Bats-sing and Hollerich who, now with complicit media accompaniment (!), would hijack the synodal process to sabotage inborn human morality and settled Catholic teaching on faith and morals…
BIBLICAL! Without commenting on either Archbishop Ulrich or the former Archbishop Apetit, we find the relevant scriptural passage right here in the Liturgy of the Hours for today (the second Tuesday after Easter):
“…I know you cannot tolerate wicked men; you have tested those self-styled apostles [!] who are nothing of the sort, and discovered that they are imposters [!]” (Rev 2:2). Sinodize that!
Pope Francis who, in 2017, appointed Bishop Aupetit as Archbishop to Paris, accepted the latter’s resignation because there was much media backlash.
However, a few months later the Archbishop said: “He also wanted to show his confidence by asking me to remain in the Roman Congregation for Bishops.” This is the “department of the Roman Curia responsible for identifying and selecting candidates for bishop, before presenting them to the pope for a final decision.”
https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2022/02/05/archbishop-aupetit-pope-francis-asked-me-to-stay-in-congregation-of-bishops-after-paris-resignation/