The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has a much greater impact on the area economy than you might think.

High schools, hospitals, missions, colleges and seminaries make it one of the largest employers in the Santa Barbara-Ventura county area.

And it was not always apparent that the outlying counties were a priority for outgoing Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahoney.

As a progressive, Mahoney was a champion of labor and social causes, issues not exactly at the top of a business agenda.

On April 5, the Vatican announced that the archbishop of San Antonio, Jose Gomez, will succeed Mahoney. Gomez will have a lot to tackle — paying for the mammoth sex abuse court settlement, working with a debt-ridden Los Angeles municipal government that’s flirting with insolvency, and providing services to families hard-hit by recession.

But Gomez, 58, who counts a CPA in his educational background, might also understand better that prosperity comes from entrepreneurship and success.

We hope that as cardinal, Gomez pays more attention to the economic needs of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties and our amazing ability to innovate and foster self-sufficiency. 

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