Catholics across the nation have offered prayers in memory of Los Angeles Bishop David G. O’Connell who was killed Feb. 18.

"Out of his love for God, he served this city for more than 40 years as an immigrant from Ireland,” said Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez in an L.A. Catholics' report. "I would say that among the many things that I admired in him in his life and ministry was that he was fluent in Spanish with an Irish accent.” 

O’Connell, 69, had served the city of Los Angeles almost four decades as a priest and was beloved by many. He was found dead at his home on the afternoon of Feb. 18, the National Catholic Register reported, with a gunshot wound in his upper torso. 

“Every day he worked to show compassion to the poor, to the homeless, to the immigrant, and to all those living on society’s margins,” Gomez said on Twitter. “He was a good priest, a good bishop and a man of peace.” 

Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies have arrested Carlos Medina, 65, identifying him as the primary suspect in the slaying. At a Monday news conference, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said help from citizens prompted an exhaustive search that resulted in that morning’s arrest, Angelus News reported. 

Medina’s wife had worked as a housekeeper at O’Connell’s home in Hacienda Heights. 

Parishioners publicly mourned the loss of the bishop Monday night in front of a small outdoor shrine devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe. About 150 people gathered in the parking lot of St. John Vianney Church in Hacienda Heights for a prayer vigil, Angelus News reported. 

Members of the local Knights of Columbus chapter and the parishioners organized the vigil in memory of O’Connell. It was the second consecutive night of prayers, with the first occurring outside O’Connell’s home.

Mourners held candles and embraced each other during the prayers, expressing their love for a man who was widely known throughout the community as a peacemaker. 

O’Connell also served as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ subcommittee on the Catholic campaign for human development. His selfless dedication to the Los Angeles community and the church earned him recognition, as he was awarded the Evangelii Gaudium Award from St. John's Seminary in Camarillo in September, the National Catholic Register reported. 

O’Connell, who was born in Ireland in 1953, studied for the priesthood at the former All Hallows College in Dublin. 

He earned a bachelor of arts in philosophy and english Literature from University College Dublin in 1975, then a bachelor of divinity in 1977 from Maynooth College, and a masters of spirituality in 1987 from Mount St. Mary's College, L.A. Catholics said. 

Upon ordination, O'Connell worked as associate priest in several parishes before taking over as pastor at the South Los Angeles parishes of St. Frances X, Cabrini, Ascension, St. Eugene and St. Michael's.

"Every day he worked to show compassion to the poor, to the homeless, to the immigrant, and to all those living on society’s margins,” Gomez said. “He was a good priest and a good bishop, and a man of peace. We are very sad to lose him.”