Auxiliary Bishop David G. O’Connell of Los Angeles climbs a high summit in the San Gabriel Valley April 23 to bless the most populous counties of Southern California and beyond during the coronavirus pandemic. (CNS photo/Kenny McCann, Ronin 7 Entertainment courtesy Virgin Most Powerful Radio)
By Catholic News Service
LOS ANGELES — Auxiliary Bishop David G. O’Connell of Los Angeles climbed a high summit in the San Gabriel Valley April 23 to bless the most populous counties of Southern California and beyond during this pandemic.
Asked by Terry Barber, founder and president of Virgin Most Powerful Radio, why he was on this high point, Bishop O’Connell replied: “Because I am asking the Lord for a restoration of life. … We must extend the healing power of Jesus.”
Bishop O’Connell, who oversees the San Gabriel pastoral region of the Los Angeles Archdiocese, invoked the power of God “to bring us out from the darkness of the pandemic to the light of the Lord’s glory.”
The evening began with the rosary and continued with canticles of praise and ended with the bishop’s blessing of the four corners of Southern California as he held up the monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament.
“Jesus was brought to the people as a show of solidarity and hope,” said a news release from Virgin Most Powerful Radio. The intention of Bishop O’Connell’s blessing “was to demonstrate love, caring and compassion by our church leaders.”
“We are all praying for all those who are suffering in so many ways by the sheltering in place order and we are praying for an end to this pandemic,” it added.