Cirilo Flores facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Excellency, The Most Reverend Cirilo Flores |
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| Bishop of San Diego | |
Flores in 2013
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| Diocese | San Diego |
| Appointed | January 4, 2012 (coadjutor) |
| Enthroned | September 18, 2013 |
| Reign ended | September 6, 2014 |
| Predecessor | Robert Brom |
| Successor | Robert W. McElroy |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 8, 1991 |
| Consecration | March 19, 2009 by Tod Brown |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 20, 1948 Corona, California, US |
| Died | September 6, 2014 (aged 66) Nazareth House, San Diego, California, US |
| Nationality | American |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Previous post |
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| Motto | For the greater glory of God |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Cirilo Flores |
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| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Monsignor |
| Posthumous style | not applicable |
Cirilo B. Flores (born June 20, 1948 – died September 6, 2014) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as a bishop in California. From 2013 until his death in 2014, he was the Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego.
Before that, he was a coadjutor bishop for the same diocese from 2012 to 2013. He also served as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Orange from 2009 to 2012.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Education
Cirilo Flores was born in Corona, California, one of six children. He had three brothers and two sisters. His father came from Sinaloa, Mexico. Cirilo went to schools in the Corona area, including St. Edward School.
After finishing Notre Dame High School in 1966, he studied at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. In 1968, he joined the Society of Jesus (a religious order), but later decided to study law. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1970.
Flores once said he was unsure if he wanted to be a priest or a lawyer. He then attended Stanford University School of Law. He earned his law degree, called a Juris Doctor, in 1976.
For ten years, he worked as a lawyer in Southern California. He focused on business cases. He worked at law firms in places like Beverly Hills and Newport Beach. Feeling called to the priesthood again, he entered St. John's Seminary in 1986. There, he earned a Master of Divinity degree, which is needed to become a priest.
Becoming a Priest
Cirilo Flores became a priest for the Diocese of Orange on June 8, 1991. Bishop Norman McFarland ordained him. As a priest, Flores served in several parishes. He was a parochial vicar (like an assistant pastor) at St. Barbara Parish in Santa Ana, California. He also served at St. Joachim Parish in Costa Mesa, California.
Later, he was briefly the administrator of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish. In 1997, he became a parochial vicar at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in La Habra, California. He then became the pastor (main priest) of St. Anne Parish in Santa Ana in 2000. In 2008, he became pastor of St. Norbert Parish in Orange.
Flores was also involved in other church groups. He was on the Diocesan Finance Council. He was also part of the Clergy Personnel Board. He helped with the Orange County Catholic, the local church newspaper. He was also a commander in the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, a Catholic order.
Auxiliary Bishop of Orange
On January 5, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Flores as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Orange. An auxiliary bishop helps the main bishop of a diocese. He was also given the title of Titular Bishop of Quiza.
He became a bishop on March 19, 2009. Bishop Tod Brown led the ceremony, called an episcopal consecration. Bishops Dominic Mai Luong and Norman McFarland also helped. The ceremony took place at St. Columban Church in Garden Grove, California. Bishop Flores chose his motto: "For the Greater Glory of God."
Bishop of San Diego
On January 4, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI named Flores the coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of San Diego. A coadjutor bishop is like an assistant bishop who is set to become the next bishop. This meant he would take over from Bishop Robert Henry Brom when Bishop Brom retired.
Bishop Brom reached the age for mandatory retirement in 2013. On September 18, 2013, Pope Francis accepted Bishop Brom's retirement. Cirilo Flores then automatically became the Bishop of San Diego.
On April 16, 2014, Bishop Flores had a stroke in his office. He was taken to the hospital. The diocese said he was "alert and in good spirits" and asked for prayers for his recovery. On September 4, 2014, it was announced that Bishop Flores was suffering from aggressive cancer. He was receiving care in San Diego.
Cirilo Flores passed away on September 6, 2014, at Nazareth House in San Diego. His cousin, Dr. Tom Martinez, Monsignor Steven Callahan, and Sisters of Nazareth were with him.
See also
In Spanish: Cirilo Flores para niños
