More than 800 people gathered at the San Gabriel Mission Church on Saturday, Feb. 24, to remember San Gabriel Valley Bishop David O’Connell, a year and one week since the beloved Los Angeles Catholic priest was fatally shot at his Hacienda Heights home.
“We gather this morning for this memorial mass for Bishop Dave O’Connell, it is a moment to give thanks to God for his life and his ministry among us and celebrate his beautiful life,” said L.A. Archbishop Jose Gomez to parishioners, after he and priests from all over the Los Angeles diocese followed a procession led by his picture.
It was one year ago, Feb. 18, when O’Connell, 69, was found shot and killed in the bedroom of his Hacienda Heights home. The priest’s death stunned Southern California’s Roman Catholic community, including Pope Francis, who had appointed him to administer churches in the San Gabriel Valley under Gomez.
O’Connell was long on the front lines of leading and organizing for the poor, and for helping migrants find a foothold.
His ministry in the Southland began in 1979, mostly serving South L.A. It would grow to serve the poor and the marginalized – a theme that ran through his work, even when he was named auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles by Francis in July 2015.
Archbishop Jose H. Gomez blesses an exhibit dedicated to Bishop David O’Connell at the San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The exhibit was opened to the public following a memorial Mass for O’Connell who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Photos and personal items belonging to Bishop David O’Connell are displayed at the San Gabriel Mission to memorialize his life in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The exhibit was opened to the public following a memorial Mass for O’Connell who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Photos and personal items belonging to Bishop David O’Connell are displayed at the San Gabriel Mission to memorialize his life in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The exhibit was opened to the public following a memorial Mass for O’Connell who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, right, leads a memorial Mass for Bishop David O’Connell at the San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The Mass follows the one year anniversary of O’Connell’s death, who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Photos and personal items belonging to Bishop David O’Connell are displayed at the San Gabriel Mission to memorialize his life in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The exhibit was opened to the public following a memorial Mass for O’Connell who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds of people attended a memorial Mass for Bishop David O’Connell at the San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The Mass follows the one year anniversary of O’Connell’s death, who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Photos and personal items belonging to Bishop David O’Connell are displayed at the San Gabriel Mission to memorialize his life in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The exhibit was opened to the public following a memorial Mass for O’Connell who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Monsignor Timothy Dyer holds up a cross as he delivers the homily during a memorial Mass for Bishop David O’Connell at the San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The Mass follows the one year anniversary of O’Connell’s death, who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Archbishop Jose H. Gomez blesses an exhibit dedicated to Bishop David O’Connell at the San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The exhibit was opened to the public following a memorial Mass for O’Connell who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds of people attended a memorial Mass for Bishop David O’Connell at the San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The Mass follows the one year anniversary of O’Connell’s death, who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds of people attended a memorial Mass for Bishop David O’Connell at the San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The Mass follows the one year anniversary of O’Connell’s death, who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds of people attended a memorial Mass for Bishop David O’Connell at the San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The Mass follows the one year anniversary of O’Connell’s death, who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Photos and personal items belonging to Bishop David O’Connell are displayed at the San Gabriel Mission to memorialize his life in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The exhibit was opened to the public following a memorial Mass for O’Connell who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds of people attended a memorial Mass for Bishop David O’Connell at the San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The Mass follows the one year anniversary of O’Connell’s death, who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Religious leads gather around the altar the San Gabriel Mission as they lead a prayer during a memorial Mass for Bishop David O’Connell at the San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The Mass follows the one year anniversary of O’Connell’s death, who was found should shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
During the homily at Saturday’s Mass, Msgr. Timothy Dyer – a good friend of O’Connell’s and pastor at St. Patrick Church in South L.A. – shared how many may still remember hearing the news of O’Connell’s death.
“Jesus and Dave O’Connell were not concerned about appearance,” Dyer said. “Like Jesus, Dave’s whole life was genuine. That’s why we’re here, we saw something. Dave did not care how he looked. He cared about who he was looking at.”
It was that intense focus on the other that Dyer said O’Connell will long be remembered for.
“I won’t be here when Rome proclaims him a saint, they wisely take a long time for a canonization,” Dyer said. “But our archbishop has said he’s in heaven and that’s enough for me.”
The Mass was a chance for many in the diocese to reflect publicly on a year since the shooting.
“I miss my friend,” said Msgr. Jarlath Cunnane, pastor of St. Cornelius Catholic Church in Long Beach. “It’s just not the same.”
Cunnane, a fellow Irish native whose ministry in L.A. overlapped with O’Connell’s as young priests, said the late leader’s humor and compassion have had a lasting impact on ongoing initiatives within the diocese.
“It’s quite lovely to still see the impact Bishop Dave has had on everyone,” said Nancy Nazarian-Medina, who works at the San Gabriel Pastoral Office.
She started working at the office after O’Connell’s passing, but she said “his spirit is very much still at the office and the culture there.”
Nazarian-Medina said that many are carrying on with his mission of helping people through their religious journey and other service work.
After the Mass, an exhibit on O’Connell was christened by Gomez. The exhibit shares O’Connell’s personal items, such as pictures, notes, a book of jokes, Bible, a statue of the Virgin Mary and more, which people can see when visiting the Mission on regular operating hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Tuesday through Sunday.
“I feel like Bishop David is at home here,” said Terri Huerta, director of Mission Development at the San Gabriel Mission. “He was a huge advocate for Mission San Gabriel, for the community of the Mission, for the renovations that we accomplished.
“We’re really honored, we feel privileged, it’s like having him home,” she said.
