Los Angeles archbishop encourages Good Samaritan-like compassion
At memorial service for homeless persons, Los Angeles archbishop encourages Good Samaritan-like compassion
Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles led an interfaith memorial service Dec. 21 for homeless men and women who died on city streets in 2025, and he urged people of goodwill to spread compassion in their communities to honor the deceased and the parable of the Good Samaritan.
In the reflection, shared with CatholicVote by Angelus News, the archbishop began by stating that those gathered for the service at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels do so “to remember our brothers and sisters who died without a home and with no one to pray for them.”
“Each was a child of God, created in love, and created in God’s image. God knew their name and had a plan for their life,” Archbishop Gomez said. “This is what troubles us. Year by year, so many of our brothers and sisters lose their way and end up on the streets; too many cannot find a place in our society and wind up falling through the cracks.”