Richard John Garcia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Excellency, The Most Reverend Richard John Garcia D.D. |
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| Bishop of Monterey in California | |
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Bishop Garcia in 2008
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| Archdiocese | Los Angeles |
| Diocese | Monterey in California |
| Appointed | December 19, 2006 |
| Enthroned | January 30, 2007 |
| Predecessor | Sylvester Donovan Ryan |
| Successor | Daniel E. Garcia |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 15, 1973 |
| Consecration | January 28, 1998 by William Weigand, John R. Quinn, and Pierre DuMaine |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 24, 1947 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | July 11, 2018 (aged 71) Monterey, California, U.S. |
| Previous post | Auxiliary Bishop of Sacramento (1997–2006) |
| Education | Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas |
| Motto | EN ÉL VIVIMOS (In Him we live) |
| Styles of Richard John Garcia |
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| Reference style |
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| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Richard John Garcia (born April 24, 1947 – died July 11, 2018) was an important leader in the Catholic Church in America. He served as the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Monterey in California. He held this position from 2007 until his death in 2018. Before that, he was an Auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Sacramento in California from 1998 to 2007.
Contents
About Bishop Richard Garcia
Early Life and Becoming a Priest
Richard John Garcia was born in San Francisco, California, on April 24, 1947. His parents had moved to the United States from Mexico. He studied to become a priest at Saint Joseph College and at St. Patrick's Seminary in California.
On June 15, 1973, Garcia became a priest for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. He worked as an associate pastor and helped with the Hispanic community for seven years. From 1980 to 1984, he studied advanced theology in Rome at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas.
When the Diocese of San Jose in California was created in 1981, Garcia was officially transferred to this new diocese. He taught at Saint Joseph Minor Seminary and at Saint Patrick Seminary. By 1997, Garcia was the pastor of Saint Leo the Great Parish in San Jose. He also helped people interested in becoming priests or nuns.
Serving as a Bishop
Pope John Paul II chose Garcia to be an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Sacramento on November 25, 1997. An auxiliary bishop helps the main bishop of a diocese. He was officially made a bishop on January 28, 1998, at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento. Bishop William Weigand led the ceremony.
In Sacramento, Bishop Garcia had many important jobs. He was a vicar general, which means he helped manage the diocese. He also worked with priests, the Hispanic American community, and Catholic schools.
Bishop of Monterey
On December 19, 2006, Pope Benedict VI chose Bishop Garcia to be the main bishop of the Diocese of Monterey. He officially started his new role on January 30, 2007.
In 2009, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops elected Bishop Garcia to join several important groups. He became a member of Catholic Relief Services and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC). He also worked with groups focused on migration, refugees, and cultural diversity within the Church.
In April 2018, Bishop Garcia was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He passed away on July 11, 2018, at the age of 71, due to complications from the disease.
See also
In Spanish: Richard John García para niños
- Catholic Church hierarchy
- Catholic Church in the United States
- List of Catholic bishops of the United States
