A Los Angeles bishop resigned his post with the Catholic church after admitting he is the father of two teenage sons, the archdiocese confirmed today.

Bishop Gabino Zavala, an auxiliary bishop for the San Gabriel Pastoral Region, submitted his resignation to the pope, who accepted it.

"As the bishop, he's doing the right thing," Saints Felicitas & Perpetua Church Pastor's Associate Sister Eva told Patch Wednesday.

Sister Eva declined to comment further. Saints Felicitas & Perpetua Church in San Marino is one of the parishes in the San Gabriel Pastoral Region.

Archbishop José Gomez announced the news in a letter to members of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the largest in the United States covering Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

"I have some sad and difficult information to share with you,'' Gomez wrote.

Gomez said Zavala's sons had been living with their mother in another state.

"The archdiocese has reached out to the mother and children to provide spiritual care as well as funding to assist the children with college costs,'' Gomez said.

He urged respect for the family's privacy.

The Rev. James Loughnane was appointed by Gomez to temporarily fill Zavala's post, which oversees 66 parishes, Archdiocese spokesman Tod Tamberg said.

Zavala, who grew up in Los Angeles, was beloved by many in the diocese who considered him a friend, Tamberg said.

"It's sad, unexpected and disorienting news for many who know him well and respect him,'' Tamberg said.

City Councilman Jose Huizar, a Catholic, said he was shocked by the news. Huizar said he knew Zavala from running into him at public events and described the former bishop as "very down to earth. You almost felt like he was a neighbor.''