Joshua Bennett
California is home to a large Catholic community, with several bishops serving the region. The state has a rich history of Catholic dioceses, with the Diocese of California being established in 1840, encompassing multiple western states and parts of Mexico. Over time, this diocese was divided into smaller regions, including the Diocese of Monterey in 1849 and the Diocese of San Francisco in 1859. The Los Angeles diocese was elevated to an archdiocese in 1936, and it has since been led by several prominent figures, including Archbishop John J. Cantwell, who served as its head for 30 years. Today, California continues to have a significant Catholic presence, with various bishops overseeing different areas of the state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholic Bishops in California | 12 (as of 2018) |
| Number of Catholics in California | 13 million (as of 2018) |
| Bishops in Los Angeles | Bishop Gerald Eugene Wilkerson, Bishop Joseph Sartoris, Bishop Edward Wm. Clark, Bishop Thomas Curry, Bishop Nunes |
| Bishops in Orange County | Bishop Kevin Vann |
| Bishops in San Diego | San Diego auxiliary Bishop John Dolan |
| Bishops in San Francisco | Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone |
| Bishops in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt, and Del Norte counties | Bishop Robert F. Vasa |
| Bishops in San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Alpine, and Mono counties | Bishop Myron J. Cotta |
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What You'll Learn
- Bishop Gerald Eugene Wilkerson, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the San Fernando Pastoral Region
- Bishop Joseph Sartoris, Auxiliary Bishop from 1994-2002
- Bishop Edward Wm. Clark, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles
- Bishop Myron J. Cotta, serving Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt, and Del Norte counties
- Bishop Kevin Vann, Bishop of the OC Diocese
Bishop Gerald Eugene Wilkerson, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the San Fernando Pastoral Region
Bishop Gerald Eugene Wilkerson: Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the San Fernando Pastoral Region
Bishop Gerald Eugene Wilkerson, born on October 21, 1939, in Des Moines, Iowa, served as the Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the San Fernando Pastoral Region, one of the five Pastoral Regions in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He attended St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, California, and was ordained as a priest for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on January 5, 1965, by Cardinal James McIntyre. After his ordination, Bishop Wilkerson served as an associate pastor at three Southern California parishes: Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Habra; St. Michael in Los Angeles; and American Martyrs in Manhattan Beach.
Bishop Wilkerson's dedication to his ministry was recognized by Archbishop Gomez, who expressed gratitude for his zealous service to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He served the Archdiocese for over fifty years, including a notable tenure as Auxiliary Bishop from 1998 until his retirement in 2015. Appointed by Pope John Paul II, Bishop Wilkerson led the San Fernando Pastoral Region with 54 parishes, 12 high schools, two hospitals, and five missions.
Following his retirement as Auxiliary Bishop, Bishop Wilkerson continued to serve the Church. On September 12, 2022, Archbishop Jose Horacio Gomez appointed him as interim episcopal vicar after Bishop Alejandro Aclan suffered a stroke. Additionally, he served as apostolic administrator for the Diocese of Monterey for six months in 2018 and 2019. Bishop Wilkerson's contributions to the Diocese of Monterey came at a crucial time, as he stepped in after the passing of Bishop Richard Garcia.
Currently, Bishop Wilkerson serves as President for the Executive Committee for the California Catholic Conference. His enduring commitment to the Church and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has left a lasting impact, and his service has been greatly appreciated.
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Bishop Joseph Sartoris, Auxiliary Bishop from 1994-2002
There are 439 active and retired archbishops in the United States, according to the most recent data. This includes bishops in the American territories of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Now, let's focus on Bishop Joseph Sartoris, who served as Auxiliary Bishop from 1994 to 2002.
Bishop Joseph Sartoris:
Bishop Joseph Sartoris was ordained in 1953. He served as an associate pastor and then became the assistant principal at Bishop Conaty High School. He dedicated several years to Catholic education before returning to parish work as an associate pastor. He became the Administrator Pro Tempore at Dolores Mission and the Administrator at Nativity Parish in Los Angeles. He then assumed his first pastorate at St. Madeleine Parish in Pomona. In 1978, he was named pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Lomita, where he served until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop in 1994.
On February 8, 1994, Pope John Paul II appointed him as the titular bishop of Oliva and as an auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles. He was consecrated by Cardinal Roger Mahony on May 19, 1994, at St. Vibiana Cathedral in Los Angeles. During his tenure as Auxiliary Bishop, he led the archdiocese's San Pedro Pastoral Region from 1994 to 2002.
Bishop Sartoris' time in Lomita was marked by his contributions to developing various pastoral ministries and fostering lay involvement. He is also remembered for his keen dedication to the Second Vatican Council. After serving as Auxiliary Bishop, he continued to serve the Church until his retirement.
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Bishop Edward Wm. Clark, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles
There are 439 active and retired archbishops in the United States, as per the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). One such bishop is Edward Wm. Clark, the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles.
Bishop Clark was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and raised in Minnesota, Idaho, and California (Orange County). He attended local schools in Los Angeles and graduated from St. John's Seminary College in 1968. He was ordained for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1972 and served as an associate pastor at Saint James Parish in Redondo Beach and Saint Joseph Parish in Pomona. He received a Master's Degree in Religion from Saint John's Seminary in 1972 and a Master's Degree in Education from Mount St. Mary's College in Los Angeles in 1983.
Bishop Clark was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles in January 2001 and was ordained by Cardinal Roger Mahony to the Episcopacy in March 2001. He served as the regional bishop for the Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region. From 1988 until 1990, he served as the Coordinator of Religious Formation and Instruction for the Catholic High Schools within the Archdiocese. He was then assigned to Saint John's Major Seminary as an Assistant Professor of Theology and became a Full Professor in 1999. From 1994 until 2001, he also served as President and Rector of Saint John's Seminary College and was promoted to Professor Emeritus in May 2001.
Bishop Clark is the author of the book Five Great Catholic Ideas, published in 1999 by Crossroad Press, and he has also published several articles in magazines and professional journals. Within the USCCB, he served as co-chair of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Theological Consultation and as a member of various committees, including the Committee on Doctrine, the Committee on African American Catholics, and the Committee on Interfaith Activities. Within the California Conference of Catholic Bishops, he served as chair of the Committee on Education, chair of the task force on Native American Historic Concerns, co-chair of the Serra Committee, and member of the Strategic Concerns Committee.
Bishop Clark reached the retirement age of 75 years in 2021 and tendered his resignation, which was accepted by Pope Francis on February 15, 2022.
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Bishop Myron J. Cotta, serving Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt, and Del Norte counties
Bishop Myron Joseph Cotta, born on March 21, 1953, is the serving Bishop of the Diocese of Stockton, California. He was installed as the sixth Bishop of Stockton on March 15, 2018, and currently serves Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt, and Del Norte counties.
Bishop Cotta grew up on a dairy farm in the Merced County community of Dos Palos, California, and is of Portuguese heritage. He attended both public and Catholic schools in Dos Palos and graduated from Dos Palos High School. After graduating from high school, he went on to attend West Hills Junior College before enrolling in St. John's College Seminary in Camarillo, California. At St. John's, he completed his undergraduate studies and received a Master's Degree in Divinity.
On September 12, 1987, Bishop Cotta was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Fresno. Following his ordination, he served in various pastoral roles within the Diocese of Fresno, including as parochial vicar at St. Anthony Parish in Atwater, administrator of Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Laton, and pastor of Our Lady of Miracles in Gustine. In 2002, Pope John Paul II named him a Chaplain of His Holiness, bestowing upon him the title of Monsignor.
In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI honoured Cotta with the title of Prelate of Honor. Following the death of Bishop John Steinbock of Fresno in 2010, Cotta was elected by the Diocesan College of Consultors as the Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Fresno. He served in this role until February 1, 2012, when Bishop Armando Ochoa assumed leadership of the diocese.
On January 24, 2014, Pope Francis appointed Cotta as the Titular Bishop of Muteci and Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento. He was consecrated on March 25, 2014, by Bishop Jaime Soto and served the Diocese of Sacramento as Vicar General and Director of Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs. During his time in Sacramento, he also played a significant role in overseeing the diocese's prison and jail ministry.
As a member of the California Catholic Conference of Bishops (CCC), Bishop Cotta serves on the Restorative Justice Committee. He is also a member of the Region XI Council of Priest Senates (RECOPS) and represents Region XI on the Priorities and Plans Committee and the Administrative Committee for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
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Bishop Kevin Vann, Bishop of the OC Diocese
Bishop Kevin Vann, born on May 10, 1951, in Springfield, Illinois, is the Bishop of Orange in the OC Diocese. He is the oldest of six children born to William M. Vann, Jr. and Theresa Jones Vann. After graduating from Springfield's St. Agnes Grade and Griffin High Schools, he attended Springfield College and earned a bachelor of science in Medical Technology from Millikin University.
Before entering the seminary in 1976, Vann worked as a medical technologist for three years. He spent a year at the Immaculate Conception Diocesan Seminary in Springfield and four years at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, majoring in theology. On May 30, 1981, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois by Bishop Joseph McNicholas. Following his ordination, Vann travelled to Rome to study at the seminary of the Pontifical North American College. He was awarded a Doctor of Canon Law degree from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in early 1985.
Upon returning to Springfield in 1985, Vann was assigned as parochial vicar at Blessed Sacrament Parish. During this time, he served as a judge, defender of the bond, and procurator on the diocesan tribunal until 1994. He also served on the metropolitan court of appeals for the Province of Chicago. In 1989, he briefly served as parochial administrator of several parishes in Illinois, including St. Mary Parish in Pittsfield, Holy Redeemer Parish in Barry, and Holy Family Parish in Griggsville.
In 2001, Vann became the pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, where he oversaw a $2.2 million capital campaign for the church's 75th-anniversary celebration. On February 19, 2002, the Vatican elevated him to the rank of honorary chaplain. On May 17, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Vann as coadjutor bishop of Fort Worth, and he was consecrated as Bishop of Fort Worth on July 13, 2005.
On September 21, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI announced the appointment of Bishop Kevin Vann as the fourth Bishop of Orange in the OC Diocese. He has since led the Diocese of Orange, the 11th largest diocese in the country, in its mission to serve the diverse Catholic population in the region.
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