Oscar Cantú

Oscar Cantú (born December 5, 1966) is a U.S.-born prelate of the Catholic Church who is the third Roman Catholic Bishop of San Jose. He was Bishop of Las Cruces, New Mexico, from 2013 to 2018 and before that Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio, Texas, beginning in 2008.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Oscar Cantú
Bishop of San José in California
ArchdioceseSan Francisco
DioceseSan Jose
AppointedJuly 11, 2018
InstalledSeptember 28, 2018
PredecessorPatrick Joseph McGrath
Orders
OrdinationMay 21, 1994
by Joseph Fiorenza
ConsecrationJune 2, 2008
by José Horacio Gómez, Joseph Fiorenza, and Joe S. Vásquez
Personal details
Born (1966-12-05) December 5, 1966
Houston, Texas
Previous postAuxiliary Bishop of San Antonio
Bishop of Las Cruces
MottoZelus Domus Tuae Comedit Me (Zeal for the Lord's house consumes me)
Styles of
Oscar Cantú
Reference styleHis Excellency
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

When he became a bishop in 2008, he was the youngest bishop in the United States. He is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, and French.[1]

Early years

Oscar Cantú was born on December 5, 1966, in Houston, Texas, the son of Ramiro and Maria de Jesus Cantú, natives of small towns near Monterrey, Mexico. He is the fifth of eight children.

He attended Holy Name Catholic School and St. Thomas High School in Houston and graduated from the University of Dallas. He received his master’s in divinity and master’s in theological studies from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. He attended the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome from 1998 to 2002, earning a licentiate in sacred theology and a doctorate dogmatic theology.

Cantú was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Houston on May 21, 1994.

Priesthood

Cantú spent his early career as a priest working in parishes throughout the Houston metropolitan area. His first assignment was as curate at St. Christopher Parish. He taught at the University of St. Thomas and at St. Mary’s Seminary, and served as pastor of Holy Name Parish.

Cantú participated in a number of ministries and movements in Houston. He was involved in the Christian Family movement, conducted retreats with the youth of the CFM movement in the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese, and worked with the Engaged Encounter ministry. He was also involved in The Metropolitan Organization (TMO), which addresses fair housing, immigration, and education.

Episcopal appointments

Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cantú titular bishop of Dardanus and auxiliary bishop of San Antonio in 2008. He was consecrated a bishop on June 2, 2008, by Archbishop José Horacio Gómez.[2] At the time, he was the youngest bishop in the United States.[3] He chose as his episcopal motto Zelus domus tuae comedit me (Zeal for the Lord's house consumes me).[4]

Bishop of Las Cruces

On January 10, 2013, Cantú was named the second bishop of the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico. He was installed there on February 28, 2013.[3] At the time he was the youngest bishop to head a diocese in the United States.[5]

Coat of Arms as Bishop of Las Cruces

Bishop of San Jose

Pope Francis appointed him coadjutor bishop of San Jose, California, on July 11, 2018.[6] He was installed on September 28, 2018.[7] As of May 1st, 2019, after the Holy Father accepted the request to retire of Bishop Patrick J. McGrath, Bishop Oscar Cantú became the third Roman Catholic Bishop of San Jose.

He has served on several committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). He chaired its Committee on International Justice and Peace from 2015 to 2017. In that role he visited churches in some of the most troubled areas of the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Asia to represent the U.S. bishops in showing solidarity with the local churches like those of South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo that are under great duress. He twice visited Iraq and Cuba. In the Middle East, he visited churches in Gaza, Jerusalem, Israel, and the West Bank, advocating on behalf of the two-state solution, the long-held position of the church. And he spoke at the United Nations and in London in defense of the church's teaching in opposition the proliferation of nuclear weapons. He called for religious liberty in the Middle East, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India.

He visited Japan in 2015 for the ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.[8] He was one of two delegates chosen by the bishops' conference to represent the USCCB at Pope Francis' visit to Mexico in February 2016.[1]

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See also

References
  1. Brockhaus, Hannah (July 11, 2018). "New Mexico bishop made coadjutor of San Jose". Crux. Catholic News Agency. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  2. "Bishop Oscar Cantú receives prayerful welcome to San Antonio at vespers, ordination". Catholic News Agency. June 5, 2008. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  3. "Vatican appoints Oscar Cantú as bishop in San Jose". Las Cruces Sun News. July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  4. "Coat of Arms of new Las Cruces bishop and its meaning". KVIA. February 28, 2013. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  5. Levy, Abe (January 10, 2013). "S.A. archdiocese's No. 2 man will take over No. 1 job in Las Cruces". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  6. "United States: Pope Francis Names Coadjutor Bishop of San Jose". Zenit. July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  7. "Bishop Oscar Cantú Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of San Jose, California" (Press release). Diocese of Las Cruces. July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  8. Jeffrey, Paul (10 August 2015). "U.S. bishop says personal stories in Nagasaki, Hiroshima changed him". Catholic News Service. Retrieved 2 July 2018.

Episcopal succession
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Patrick Joseph McGrath		 Bishop of San Jose
2019-Present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
-		 Coadjutor Bishop of San Jose
2018-2019		 Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
Ricardo Ramírez, CSB		 Bishop of Las Cruces
2013-2018		 Succeeded by
Peter Baldacchino
Preceded by
Thomas Flannagan		 Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio
2008-2013		 Succeeded by
Michael Joseph Boulette
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