The Rev. Canon Richard Estrada died in March after scores of years of brilliant and brilliantly effective witness for the love of the Risen Christ. Founder of Jovenes, Inc., a nonprofit serving unhoused and housing-insecure youth in southeast LA county, he was a Roman Catholic priest and then — by the grace of God, as mediated by his friend from Garfield High School days, former Bishop Jon Bruno — a beloved priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.
For over 400 of his family, friends, and fellow activists, St. John’s Cathedral hosted a celebration of Canon Richard’s life today. As our homilist, the Rev. Dr. Francisco Garcia, told us, Richard witnessed faithfully across the decades for the rights of farmworkers, Chicanos y Chicanas, and immigrant workers. When Francisco asked for a show of hands from those who had been arrested with Richard during demonstrations, a not-inconsiderable minority of the congregation complied.
Eulogists were the Rev. Thomas Carey, former vicar of Church Of the Epiphany in Lincoln Heights, where Richard served until his death; Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farmworkers of America; Supervisor Hilda Solis, who said Richard counseled and prayed her through her long confirmation process as President Obama’s secretary of labor; and a profoundly moved and moving Andrea Marchetti, Richard’s successor as CEO of Jovenes Inc.
The Very Rev. Anne Sawyer, our cathedral’s acting dean and priest in charge, collaborated on the liturgy with the Rev. John Watson, Fr. Tom’s successor as priest in charge at Epiphany as well as friend of Richard. I was along as presider and celebrant of the bilingual service. Richard Estrada, presente!
