Nation's largest archdiocese to cut gay outreach

The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles, trying to eliminate a $4.3 million deficit, will cut at least 60 jobs in the archdiocese's headquarters, church officials confirmed Thursday. Among the programs to be slashed include outreach ministries to gays and lesbians.

The announcement comes just after the archdiocese's financial council refused to approve a proposed $600 million budget for 2003 and two weeks after the opening of the $189 million Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles.

Critics of the cathedral have said for years that the cost of the building would harm other programs in the archdiocese. But Cardinal Roger Mahoney said the fiscal woes have nothing to do with the cathedral project. The deficit is due to losses from investments made in the stock market, Mahoney said. "I feel very, very saddened for people who are not going to be on the payroll," he said. "We're trying to handle it as gently as we can."