How did you learn of your appointment?

It’s interesting that both times now that I’ve been called — both about being named the auxiliary bishop here as well as the new bishop of Monterey — I’ve been called directly by the apostolic nuncio (or delegate).

I still know the time of the call — it was 3 p.m. on Dec. 4, because I was in a meeting with our vicars and we had just started the meeting. The call was from Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the apostolic nuncio. We spoke in Spanish because he knows Spanish well, although he said his Spanish is “Cuban.” So I said do you smoke Cuban cigars? And he said, “No I don’t smoke.”

He has a good sense of humor. He basically said now you’ve been on a journey in Sacramento and the Lord asks us to take other journeys — just as he’s asked me — and now he’s asking you to be the new bishop of Monterey. That was basically it — he didn’t say do you accept or do you not accept. He just said you are named.

What was your reaction?

I was surprised — very happily surprised. I didn’t think it would be Monterey, but I’m blessed to know that I was considered for it. I didn’t think it would be Monterey for a couple of reasons: It’s not in our province and there are other bishops with seniority over me. So I was very blessed to learn of this.

Did Bishop (William K.) Weigand find out at the same time?

They didn’t call Bishop Weigand — I told him. I came back to receive the call from the nuncio and the vicars were still meeting and I walked him back and I told him privately on the way what had happened. I think he was a bit shocked but not surprised, because he knew that it was very imminent. But I am very happy — happy to stay in California, happy that it is Monterey, as I have lots of friends and priest-classmates there. It’s already been a vacation spot for me, so I will have to find another place to go on vacation — perhaps Mount Shasta!

You already know many of the priests, religious and laypeople in the Diocese of Monterey. What can you tell people about the diocese and the people there?

It’s very diverse, economically and ethnically. I’ve been in contact with some of the people there already. For example, when we had the regional youth celebration in Burbank, I was seated at a table with a lot of people from the Monterey Diocese — a lot of their youth and a couple of their leaders. So I got a good sense of where the Hispanic leadership is and that was wonderful. I look forward to the opportunity to get to know all of the people more. I know them by being in contact with them at events such as the youth celebration, but not at the depth that I would like to know them.

You already know Bishop Sylvester Ryan well.

Yes, he’s been somewhat of a mentor to me. I’ve asked him for advice on a few situations and he’s always been there for me. He’s an extremely gracious person. And it’s very interesting that even though I know the Monterey Diocese is in the Province of Los Angeles, Bishop Ryan has related a great deal with the Northern Province of San Francisco.

And I probably will continue to do that — certainly be present for the province in the South, but also go on some retreats with the Northern California bishops. And also, Monterey is so close to San Jose, which was my home for many years. And that’s another advantage for me — I will be closer to where I spent 25 years of my ministry prior to coming to Sacramento.

Bishop Ryan has a condo in Nipomo, which is the very south end of the diocese, right on the border with the Los Angeles Archdiocese near Santa Maria. But also, as you may know, he was born and raised on Catalina Island, and his family still has a home there, so he’ll be spending a lot of time there. But he’s willing to help and I’m very happy about that because I think he’s such a wonderful presence there. I certainly will call on him to help and maybe he could continue to guide me and help in that way.

From what I’ve observed, the Monterey Diocese has many pastoral ministries already in place and a lot of laypeople involved. What have you seen?

Laypeople are very involved in the diocese. Bishop Ryan has been a proponent on the local and national levels for stewardship, and he’s done a great job with getting that implemented and many ministries in all the parishes.

The Monterey area is actually only 5 percent of the diocese. The four counties of San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz will be lot of area for you to cover.

It will be. And the counties are very mixed and diverse. I think another great blessing Bishop Ryan has told me about is that the diocese has seven of the historic California missions. That’s also part of the great history of the diocese.

What do you see as the challenges of leading the Monterey Diocese?

I think the issues of farm workers and immigration will be a priority. And being on these various committees I’m on now for the U.S. bishops’ conference, including CLINIC (Catholic Legal Immigration Network) and the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, the diocese is kind of up my alley in the sense that I’ll have firsthand experience — I’ve had it here in the Sacramento Valley, but it will be more so down there.

Another priority will just be going around to visit everyone in the parishes and institutions. Bishop Weigand has been a great mentor to me in that way here by the example of visiting everyone. I’ll continue to visit prisons, because I really enjoy that ministry.

Being the middle child of my family, I have sometimes been the mediator. My family might laugh at that, but I think they know that I’m the one who tries to bring them together at times. So I think that’s what I will try to do in my ministry as bishop there, because I’m sure there are still tensions in various areas of agriculture.

The diocese has areas of great wealth and great poverty. I’m wondering if there’s a way to do some consciousness-raising among people to share more and to really recognize that all these things come from our God who sees us as God’s children. We should be brother and sister to one another and working to alleviate poverty. It means seeing the needs of the people and trying to help them out of their misery.

Where will you live?

For the next year, I will be living where Bishop Ryan has been living, at what was previously the convent at the Carmel Mission in Carmel. That will be until they finish remodeling a house for me in Monterey that was donated to the diocese. But I’m going to try and find a way to be very present to Salinas, Watsonville, Gonzales and all of the poorer communities — maybe even staying there a few days a week, because I don’t want to give the sign that I’m only there to live with the rich.

You have been known by people in the Diocese of Sacramento as having such a personal interest in them as individuals. You have many friends here. How have you been able to do that with all of your responsibilities as the auxiliary bishop?

I think it’s been a very good balance for me. I could probably work very long days and every day. But even though I might not see some people for a month or two months at a time, I try to keep a link by a phone call or a little note — some way to keep the contact. And then when I do have time it’s a matter of switching my schedule so I do get the work I need to get done completed, but at the same time I have some time to visit.

That balance has been very healthy for me, because people energize me, people give me that love and support that I need, and the affirmation that I’ve needed in the ministry here.

Of course it will be difficult to keep the same contact with people in the Sacramento Diocese and I’m not sure I can. Certainly when I moved from San Jose to here I did visit people a little bit, but now maybe twice a year will be all I can manage to see some people.

What will be some of the things you will remember about your ministry here?

Certainly the people, above all. Just the wonderful people here in the Pastoral Center and in our parishes, our communities. I’ll remember all the driving I did — thousands and thousands of miles — and the beautiful area the diocese encompasses.

The main places I’ve gone that I’ve loved so much have been our schools, the prisons, Camp ReCreation, Camp Pendola, and the farm labor and migrant camps. It was wonderful to see the farm workers who came in for all the different seasons. It will be hard to leave all of this.

How many miles have you traveled in your ministry here?

My first car had 160,000 miles on it. Another one I turned in at 99,052. That’s 259,000, but I’ve gone more than that, because sometimes I would have friends drive me on some of the long drives. I have flown more this past year, especially when Bishop Weigand was recuperating from his liver transplant. I have a wonderful friend who has flown me by private plane to some places, including Tulelake in one day.

Any other special memories?

There are so many. I can’t remember all the confirmations I’ve done, but it’s in the thousands. One year I had 52 ceremonies and seven graduations so that was a little tough. But that’s always been fun to be with our high school students and spend time with them. And I so enjoyed my ministry with inmates in the prisons.

What message would you like to give the people of the Diocese of Sacramento as you leave?

I think the whole process of the Diocesan Synod has brought so many people to see their role in the church. I would really encourage them to never lose that hope and the way that they have something so beautiful to contribute to the church. I hope that spirit of collaboration will continue here with Bishop Weigand and with everyone involved in our parishes and Catholic institutions — that the spirit of the synod will be born and born again.

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