WELCOME BISHOP CANTÚ
tvc.dsj.org | September 25, 2018
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Bishop Oscar Cantú
Most Rev. Oscar Cantú, S.T.D., was
born December 5, 1966, in Houston, TX,
the son of Ramiro and Maria de Jesus
Cantú, natives of small towns near Mon-
terrey, Mexico. He is the fi fth of eight
children, fi ve boys, and three girls. Bish-
op Cantú attended Holy Name Catholic
School and Saint Thomas High School
in Houston, and he earned his Bachelor
of Arts degree from the University of
Dallas, TX. He received his Masters in
Divinity and Masters in Theological
Studies from the University of Saint
Thomas also in Houston. He attended
the Pontifi cal Gregorian University in
Rome Italy where he earned his Licenti-
ate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.), as well as
his Doctorate in Sacred Theology (S.T.D.)
in Dogmatic Theology. Bishop Cantú
was ordained a priest of the Diocese of
Houston in 1994.
He spent his priestly career working
in par ishes throughout the Houston
metropolitan area. His first assign-
ment was as parochial vicar at Saint
Christopher Parish. He also taught at
the University of Saint Thomas and at
Saint Mary’s Seminary. He also served
as pastor at Holy Name Parish, the par-
ish of his own baptism.
Bishop Cantú also participated in a
number of ministries and movements
in Houston. He was involved in the
Christian Family Movement; con-
ducted retreats with the youth of the
CFM movement in the Archdiocese of
Galveston-Houston; and worked with
the Engaged Encounter ministry. Bishop
Cantú also worked with local commu-
nity organizers that helped him address
housing issues in his parish community.
Bishop Cantú was ordained a bishop
June 2, 2008, by Archbishop Jose Gomez
(then Archbishop of San Antonio), and
was then appointed Titular Bishop of
Dardano and Auxiliary Bishop of San
Antonio. In 2013, Bishop Cantú was
app ointed bishop of the Diocese of Las
Cruces, NM, and was installed as bishop
on February 28, 2013, by The Most Rev-
erend Michael J. Sheehan, Metropolitan
Archbishop of Santa Fe, in the presence
of The Most Reverend Carlo Maria Vi-
ganó, Apostolic Nuncio to the United
States of America.
Bishop Cantu has served on several
committees of the United States Con-
ference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB),
such as the Committee on Catholic
Education, the Doctrine Committee, the
Sub-Committee on Hispanic Aff airs,
and the Committee on International
Justice and Peace. He chaired the Com-
mittee 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. He spoke on behalf of
the USCCB at the United Nations and
in London in defense of the church’s
teaching on non-proliferation of nu-
clear 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 bomb-
ing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. He
was one of two delegates chosen by the
bishops’ conference to represent the
USCCB at Pope Francis’ visit to Mexico
in February 2016.
Bishop Cantu was appointed by Pope
Francis as Coadjutor Bishop of San Jose,
on July 11, 2018.
Liturgies to Welcome
Bishop Oscar Cantú
September 27 & 28
The Diocese of San Jose will welcome
Bishop Oscar Cantú
as Coadjutor Bishop of San Jose
at Vespers (Evening Prayer)
this coming Thursday at 7 p.m.,
and at a Mass beginning at 2 p.m.
on Friday afternoon.
Because of the size of the churches in
which we will celebrate these liturgies,
seating is restricted. However, both
events will be available via livestream
at http://bit.ly/dsjvyoutube.
Bishop Emeritus Ricardo Ramírez
and the faithful of the Diocese of Las Cruces send
heartfelt congratulations and the promise of prayer to
B ishop Oscar Cantú
in honor of his installation as Coadjutor Bishop of San Jose,
and express gratitude to him for his years of ministry
to the Church of Southern New Mexico.
May our Lord continue to bless you
and the people of the Diocese of San Jose