The Catholic community continues to be shocked by the murder of Bishop David O’Connell, 69.
Throughout the day, people from different cities and counties traveled to the scene of the events to bring flowers and candles as a sign of mourning.
A religious ceremony, a rosary and personal prayers were part of what was experienced during this Sunday in honor of the memory of Bishop O’Connell.
This evening, more than a hundred people from different cities and some members of the Catholic community responded to the call of those who organized a rosary to pray for the eternal rest of the bishop.
“I live in Long Beach. When the information came out on WhatsApp that there was going to be a rosary, I really came because I identified very much with Father David,” said Ana Ramírez, a resident of Long. Beach.
Very early, during religious services in some churches of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, prayers were dedicated to a religious loved by entire communities.
“I found out last night and it was shocking because it was something sudden, I think we all felt it,” added local resident Lupe González.
Bishop O’Connell, originally from Ireland, was born in 1953, devoted himself to the priesthood for more than 45 years, became a bishop and later, in 2015, was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles by Pope Francis.
According to the Catholic faithful, Bishop O’Donnell was a man dedicated to serving God and the most vulnerable.
“He was truly a man for immigrants, for the homeless, the street poor, and we really can’t believe it, we’re speechless,” said Hacienda Heights resident Guadalupe Ñanez.
But it was on the Saturday that someone took his life, Los Angeles Department Sheriff’s officers arrived at an address in the 1500 block of Janlu Avenue in Hacienda Heights where the cleric’s lifeless body was was found inside a bedroom, a tragedy for which many are calling for the facts to be clarified.
“There is no reason to kill a righteous man, a holy man, a man of God, and we really need the whole truth to be uncovered,” Ramírez said.
Also this afternoon, a mass was celebrated in the presence of more than a dozen people who, with great respect and solidarity, dedicated the religious service to the memory of the bishop.
Detectives from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department announced Sunday that Bishop’s death was a homicide and they are looking for clues to find those responsible for the crime.