Gerald Wilkerson

For the past decade, Catholics in the San Fernando Valley area of the Los Angeles Archdiocese have had their own regional bishop to oversee 50 parishes with hundreds of thousands of parishioners. But the seat became vacant in June when Auxiliary Bishop Armando Ochoa left to serve as bishop in El Paso, Texas. If the usual Vatican pattern for filling vacancies holds, a new bishop may be named by Easter for the San Fernando Pastoral Region, which stretches from Palmdale to Woodland Hills to Highland Park and has its headquarters in Mission Hills.

The Catholic Church would consider opposing the San Fernando Valley's secession from Los Angeles if it represented an attempt by the middle class to shake off the urban poor, but otherwise is unlikely to take sides on the secular political issue, said the Encino priest ordained Wednesday as bishop of the Valley region. "We would take a position only if in some way it affected human dignity for the worse," said the Most Rev. Gerald Wilkerson.

The Catholic Church would consider opposing the San Fernando Valley's secession from Los Angeles if it represents an attempt by the middle class to shake off the urban poor, but otherwise is unlikely to take sides in the secular political issue, said the Encino priest who was ordained Wednesday as bishop of the Valley region. "We would take a position only if in some way it affected human dignity for the worse," said the Most Rev. Gerald Wilkerson.

The Catholic Church would consider opposing the San Fernando Valley's secession from Los Angeles if it represents an attempt by the middle class to shake off the urban poor, but otherwise is unlikely to take sides in the secular political issue, said the Encino priest who was ordained Wednesday as bishop of the Valley region. "We would take a position only if in some way it affected human dignity for the worse," said the Most Rev. Gerald Wilkerson.

The Catholic Church would consider opposing the San Fernando Valley's secession from Los Angeles if it represented an attempt by the middle class to shake off the urban poor, but otherwise is unlikely to take sides on the secular political issue, said the Encino priest ordained Wednesday as bishop of the Valley region. "We would take a position only if in some way it affected human dignity for the worse," said the Most Rev. Gerald Wilkerson.

Pope John Paul II has named an Encino pastor, Msgr. Gerald Wilkerson, a new auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, with special responsibility for the San Fernando Valley area. The papal appointment, announced Wednesday by Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, fills an opening that has been vacant for 16 months and brings to five the number of auxiliary bishops in the nation's largest Roman Catholic archdiocese.

When Cardinal Roger M. Mahony ordains Gerald Wilkerson as a Roman Catholic bishop Wednesday, the longtime parish priest will become an auxiliary bishop of the Los Angeles archdiocese charged with responsibilities for the San Fernando Pastoral Region.

A look at selected Friday games INTERSECTIONAL SCORE * Venice 52 * Santa Monica 20 SYNOPSIS J.P. Losman passed for 393 yards and six touchdowns, five to Gerald Wilkerson,who had 250 receiving yards and a 70-yard punt return for the Gondoliers (3-0). * SCORE * Santa Barbara 12 * Carson 6 SYNOPSIS Carlos McCall rushed for 87 yards for Carson, but Nick Dominelli threw two touchdown passes to Joey Vega to lead Santa Barbara (3-0).

Pope John Paul II has named Msgr. Gerald Wilkerson, an Encino priest, as a new bishop in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The papal appointment announced Wednesday by Cardinal Roger M. Mahony fills an opening that has been vacant for more than a year and brings to five the number of auxiliary bishops in the nation's largest Roman Catholic archdiocese.

For the past decade, Catholics in the San Fernando Valley area of the Los Angeles Archdiocese have had their own regional bishop to oversee 50 parishes with hundreds of thousands of parishioners. But the seat became vacant in June when Auxiliary Bishop Armando Ochoa left to serve as bishop in El Paso, Texas. If the usual Vatican pattern for filling vacancies holds, a new bishop may be named by Easter for the San Fernando Pastoral Region, which stretches from Palmdale to Woodland Hills to Highland Park and has its headquarters in Mission Hills.

The Canoga Park/West Hills Chamber of Commerce will honor the nation's war dead today during its 10th annual Memorial Day Parade. Grand Marshal Nichelle Nichols, who played Lt. Uhura in the "Star Trek" television and motion picture productions, will lead the procession themed "Proud to Be an American." The parade steps off at 11 a.m. from Owensmouth Avenue, going east on Sherman Way, south on De Soto Avenue and west along Vanowen Street, ending up back at Owensmouth.