Los Angeles archbishop shares his experience after meeting Pope Leo

Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez said in a recent op-ed that it was a joy to have an in-person meeting with Pope Leo XIV earlier this month and discuss updates in the archdiocese related to vocations, wildfire recovery, Catholic schools, and immigration. 

“I found Leo to be warm and easygoing and we had a good conversation,” Archbishop Gomez wrote in an Aug. 13 Angelus News article about the Aug. 1 meeting with the Pontiff.

“He was enthusiastic about what’s happening here in Los Angeles, as I was telling him about our new vocations, the faith of our young people, all the energy and creativity in our schools and parishes, and our many ministries to the marginalized and the poor,” he continued. 

In June 2024, 11 men were ordained to the priesthood in the archdiocese, and this year eight men were set to be ordained to the transitional diaconate on their way to becoming priests. 

Wildfires devastated the Los Angeles area in January, displacing nearly 1,000 students across 76 archdiocesan schools, as CatholicVote previously reported. In the wake of the fires, Los Angeles archdiocesan schools launched a number of initiatives to support fire victims. In February, neighboring Catholic schools stepped up to welcome affected families who were faced with relocation. 

Archbishop Gomez also wrote that Pope Leo expressed concern regarding the wellbeing of the archdiocese after it was hit by the wildfires, and they talked about challenges faced this summer related to immigration. 

“The Holy Father expressed his solidarity and support for our parishes and families,” Archbishop Gomez wrote.

The archbishop’s meeting occurred during the Jubilee of Youth in Rome, which about one million people attended. 

“What also came across in our meeting is [Pope Leo’s] eagerness to spread the Gospel,” he wrote. 

According to the archbishop, the Pope’s Augustinian formation was clear in his approach to the Jubilee events, as he often referred to St. Augustine when addressing the pilgrims. 

Archbishop Gomez explained that throughout his own ministry he has been blessed to know and work with Pope Saint John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. He added: “To be in the presence of Christ’s new vicar on earth was a joy.”