Roger Cardinal Mahony

Roger Michael Cardinal Mahony

His Eminence Roger Michael Cardinal Mahony (b. February 27, 1936) is the fourth Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles.

Born in Hollywood, Mahony was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Fresno on May 1, 1962. While in Fresno, he taught social work at California State University, Fresno. On March 19, 1975, he was ordained titular bishop of Tamascani, and auxiliary bishop of Fresno. That year, Governor Jerry Brown appointed Bishop Mahony the first chair of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board, where he worked with the United Farm Workers and various growers in the state to resolve labor disputes.

On February 15, 1980, Mahony was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Stockton. Mahony has admited to firing atleast two priests for sexual abuse while Bishop of Stockton, although critics believe there were additional cases of abuse during Mahony's tenure. See: Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal.

On July 16, 1985, Mahony was appointed Archbishop of Los Angeles, the first native angeleno to do so. Mahony was made a Cardinal by Pope John Paul II in the consistory of June 28, 1991, and was appointed Cardinal Priest of Ss. Quattro Coronati.

After the Cathedral of St. Vibiana was damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, Mahony began plans to build the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, one of the largest Catholic churchs in the United States.

Mahoney was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI.

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