IN THE DIOCESE
tvc.dsj.org | August 21, 2018
3
Diocese of Monterey Bishop Richard Garcia Passes Away
Served in Diocese of San Jose for Many Years
Most Reverend Richard John Garcia,
the fourth bishop of the Roman Catholic
Diocese of Monterey died on July 11,
2018. Blessed with a deep faith in God
and a life of priestly ministry, he passed
into the loving embrace of his Heavenly
Father. Bishop Garcia was diagnosed
just three months ago with the onset of
Alzheimer’s Disease and experienced a
very rapid decline in health.
Bishop Garcia, a native of San Fran-
cisco, was born on April 24, 1947 to
Manual Garcia and Anita Maria Adame,
both natives of Jalisco, Mexico. He at-
tended Saint Joseph’s High School Semi-
nary in Los Altos Hills and received
both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees
from Saint Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo
Park. After pursuing doctoral studies in
Dogmatic Theology in Rome from 1980-
1984, he served on the faculties of both
the college and graduate seminaries at
Saint Patrick’s from 1985 to 1992.
Bishop Garcia was ordained a priest
on June 15, 1973 for the Archdiocese of
San Francisco at Sacred Heart Church
in San Jose. In 1981, with the creation
of the Diocese of San Jose, he contin-
ued to serve as a priest in Santa Clara
County. He served as an associate pas-
tor at Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Parish in Morgan Hill. Before being
appointed pastor of Saint Leo the
Great Parish in San Jose in 1995, Bishop
Garcia served as Vocations Director
and Vicar for Clergy.
In 1997, he was named Auxiliary
Bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento by
Pope John Paul II and was ordained a
bishop on January 28, 1997. In Decem-
ber 2006, he was named the fourth
Bishop of Monterey by Pope Benedict
XVI and installed as the new Ordinary
on January 30, Office
2007. of He
the served
Bishop the
Church faithfully for over forty-fi ve
years of his priesthood.
July 12, 2018
Very Reverend Peter A. Crivello Diocese of Monterey
P.O. Box 2048
Monterey, CA 93942-2048
Office of the Bishop
Dear Father Crivello,
July 12, 2018
Our
hearts
July 12,
2018 are heavy at the news of the death of Bishop Rich. Words cannot adequately express the
sorrow that we share with the Church of Monterey.
Very Reverend Peter A. Crivello Diocese of Monterey
Bishop Rich served as an exemplary priest and bishop and was a man of faith and love, leaving all
P.O. Box 2048
whom
touched Peter
the undeniable
the Lord indeed is with us.
Very he Reverend
A. Crivello knowledge
Diocese of that
Monterey
Monterey,
CA 93942-2048
P.O. Box 2048
As
the Church
of Monterey grieves, the Church of San Jose stands in the solidarity of prayer and faith
Monterey,
CA 93942-2048
in the Resurrection, in which Bishop Rich now shares.
Dear Father Crivello,
Please be assured that if there is any way that we can be of assistance to you during this time, we will
gladly
so. Crivello,
Dear do
Father
Our hearts are heavy at the news of the death of Bishop Rich. Words cannot adequately express the
sorrow Our
that hearts
we share
with at
the the
Church
of the
Monterey.
are heavy
news of
death of Bishop Rich. Words cannot adequately express the
every
wish and kind regard, I remain,
sorrow that we share with the With
Church
of best
Monterey.
Bishop Rich served as an exemplary priest and
bishop
and was a man of faith and love, leaving all
Sincerely
yours, and was a man of faith and love, leaving all
Bishop Rich served as an exemplary priest
and bishop
whom
he touched
the the
undeniable
that the
the Lord
Lord indeed
indeed
is with
whom
he touched
undeniable knowledge
knowledge that
is with
us. us.
the Church
of Monterey
grieves,
the Church
of San
Jose
stands
the solidarity
solidarity of
of prayer
prayer and
As the As
Church
of Monterey
grieves,
the Church
of San
Jose
stands
in in the
and faith
faith
in the Resurrection, in which Bishop Rich now shares.
in the
Resurrection, in which Bishop Rich now shares.
Patrick J. McGrath
Please be assured that if there is any way
that we
of assistance to you during this time, we will
Bishop
of can
San be
Jose
Please
be assured
gladly
do so. that if there is any way that we can be of assistance to you during this time, we will
gladly do so.
With every best wish and kind regard, I remain,
With every best wish and kind regard, I remain ,
Sincerely yours,
Sincerely yours,
Patrick J. McGrath
Patrick J. McGrath
Bishop of San Jose
Bishop of San Jose
The Chancery ● 1150 North First Street ● Suite 100 ● San Jose, California 95112-4966
(408) 983-0100 ● www.dsj.org ● Fax (408) 983-0295
In addition to serving as the Chair-
man of the Restorative Justice Com-
mittee for the California Catholic
Conference of Bishops, Bishop Garcia
also served as the chairman of CLINIC
and on various committees for the
United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops including the Migration and
Refugee Committee and the Cultural
Diversity Committee.
Bishop Garcia was known for his
very personable, welcoming and
friendly demeanor. As a spiritual
shepherd, he had a special concern
for the poor, the incarcerated, migrant
workers and immigrant communities.
He always had time for his priests,
deacons, religious, seminarians and the
people of God throughout the Diocese
of Monterey.
Bishop Garcia had a special delight
for children and was most compassion-
ate to those with special needs. He was
proud of his Mexican-American heritage
and the diversity of cultures that are
represented in the Church.