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Bishop Richard John Garcia (Monterey)

Helpful sources:

--"Bishop Garcia to Succeed Bishop Ryan in Monterey," The Tidings, December 22, 2006

--Wikipedia
--Catholic-Hierarchy.org

Bishop Garcia was born in San Francisco. His parents were born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States with their parents when they were children. He studied at St. Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park, CA, and was ordained a priest in 1973.

In 1981, San Jose, which had previously been part of the archdiocese of San Francisco, became its own diocese. At that time, Bishop Garcia--then, of course, a parish priest--became one of the priests of the newly formed diocese.

He earned a doctorate in theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (a.k.a.: "the Angelicum") in 1984. He went on to teach at St. Patrick Seminary, his alma mater, and at the now defunct St. Joseph's Minor Seminary. In 1992 he was made the director of vocations of the diocese of San Jose.

He was appointed auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Sacramento in 1997. Actually, during his time as he wore a number of important hats. This is no pointy-headed academic; here is a pastor and an able administrator. He served as vicar general and moderator of the curia, vicar for clergy, episcopal vicar for the Hispanic community, and vicar for education. In 2007 he was named Bishop of Monterey.

Bishop Garcia has been a member of the National Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production. He was also a member of the USCCB's Ad Hoc Committee on Agricultural Issues and serves on the board of directors of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. He is also on the California bishops' steering committee for prison ministry.

In 2000 he was among a number of bishops who traveled to Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to learn about migration problems facing thousands of Central Americans. The Tidings reported, "The delegation subsequently denounced the inhumane treatment of migrants who were apprehended in a U.S.-supported regional initiative targeting human smugglers."

In Monterey, the bishop has also made it his top priority to work to suppress gang violence. See the video here (I am unable to embed it in this post). See the fuller story here.

In addition, Bishop Garcia has made a point of ensuring that the Extraordinary form of the Mass is available in his diocese

He has also given his support to the prolife movement. The Walk for Life website has a quote from him:

"From very early on in my life, I have had profound respect for life and the quality of life. My grandparents and my parents treasured the value of life within the womb and in the total course of all human life.

They taught us what a gift we have in one another and how precious we should consider all life as created, nurtured and sustained by God. And during my priestly life, I have tried to be very attentive to and engaged in the Pro-Life Movement looking at it as the “Seamless Garment” of life as God has lent it to us."

Unfortunately, videos of Bishop Garcia are scarce on the internet. He appears to keep his hands busy with humble pastoral ministry. However, I found one story that speaks volumes about him. A kid reporter, Gabriella Castaneda, writing for Scholastic News Online apparently decided to devote an entire article to Bishop Garcia. In the story she writes about how the bishop has impacted her life and in glowing terms describes the leadership he provides in the community. She writes,

"The people who work in his office really look up to him.

He is always praying for others; he always keeps his promises; he is a joy to work for," said Kim from the Bishop's office."

The bishop has clearly touched this young reporter's life in a profound way.

A Non-Hispanic?
Of course, while some have suggested that Pope Benedict may likely choose a Hispanic, there's no reason to think that he must. In fact, other names have been mentioned of late as possible successors. Who would those be?

Stay tuned for my next post on this.