Pope Francis names new auxiliary bishop for Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Hollywood-born former dentist Msgr. Marc V. Trudeau has officially been named auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Pope Francis made the announcement early Thursday morning, and Archbishop Jose Gomez addressed the news at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

"I'm very very happy -- he's a wonderful priest and he'll be a great bishop," said Archbishop Gomez.

The bishop-elect was in dental school at USC when he realized a different calling. But he still draws on his experience as a dentist in his current work.

"We're always dealing with hurting, people in need. And just recognizing that we're able to remind them of God's presence in our lives is so powerful," he said.

Msgr. Trudeau was ordained to the priesthood in 1991, and has served in various roles all over the southland. He has served as Rector if St. John's Seminary since 2014.

He said the Pope's announcement came as a surprise. He received two phone calls -- one from the nuncio and one from Archbishop Jose Gomez. He described being stunned when he called the nuncio back and was given the news, and was grateful when he realized that the appointment would be local.

"That was the one saving factor, when I made sure that he had said Los Angeles, because I've lived here my whole life," he said.

Bishop-elect Trudeau will be ordained at a special mass in June at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.