Pontiff Confirms Plans for Visit to L. A. in 1987

Pope John Paul II has confirmed that he will visit Los Angeles in the fall of 1987 for two days, according to Roman Catholic Archbishop Roger Mahony.

Mahony recently disclosed further details of the trip, whose rough outlines have been known for months. It is planned for September or October of next year.

The 10-day journey will begin at Miami and proceed to New Orleans, Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Francisco, Mahony told a meeting of the Catholic Press Council of Southern California.

Each city has been asked to prepare activities on certain themes. “Religious life,” or vocations as sisters and priests, is the theme for San Francisco, a region with many seminaries and headquarters for religious orders.

Los Angeles has two themes assigned: communications, because of the large entertainment industry, and immigrants and refugees, because of the influx of Asians and Latin Americans to the area.

“We are going to need some very creative ways to fill the Holy Father’s time in Los Angeles with these themes,” Mahony said

In an effort to put Roman Catholics in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties in closer touch with their “own” bishop, Archbishop Mahony has assigned three auxiliary bishops and two priests to newly created “pastoral regions” of the archdiocese.

Bishop John Ward, an auxiliary since 1963, will head the Our Lady of the Angels region, which extends westward from downtown Los Angeles to the Malibu area. The Santa Monica Mountains form the northern border and the Century Freeway route and Los Angeles International Airport form the southern edge.

Bishop Juan Arzube, vicar for the Spanish-speaking, will lead the San Gabriel region, which includes the heavily Latino East Los Angeles.

Bishop William Levada, who had been living in Santa Barbara as vicar for that area, will head the San Fernando region, which embraces all of the San Fernando Valley, Glendale, Canyon Country and Antelope Valley.

Pending the Vatican’s appointment of two more auxiliary bishops for Los Angeles, two monsignors have been named to head the other regions. Msgr. John M. Young, pastor of a Downey parish, will lead the San Pedro region at the southern end of the archdiocese, and Msgr. Patrick O’Brien, pastor of San Buenaventura Mission in Ventura, will lead the Santa Barbara region, the smallest of the five regions with 35 parishes.

A spokesman for the archdiocese said Mahony will continue to visit parishes but that role will be the primary work of the regional bishops. The regional plan takes effect on Easter Sunday, March 30.

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