Pastor's Corner - March 29, 2019

The Fresno Diocese has two bishops; however, a diocese normally only has one bishop. Because of this, the second bishop is called an “auxiliary bishop.” Nevertheless, we actually have two bishops.

Bishop Joseph V. Brennan will be taking over our Diocese of Fresno on May 1. There will be a proper Mass of Installation a day after, on May 2, in Fresno at St. Anthony of Padua Church.

Our current bishop, Armando Ochoa, submitted a letter of retirement to Pope Francis a year ago. A year after that, last March, the Pope appointed the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to be our new bishop as he replaces Bishop Ochoa.

We are very grateful for Bishop Ochoa, that was serving as the Ordinary for this diocese for the last seven years, since 2011. He decided to retire but to stay around to continue helping the clergy and the people of God in this diocese. May God bless Bishop Ochoa, the fifth bishop of the Fresno Diocese.

We welcome our new-and-upcoming-sixth Bishop Brennan. Bishop Brennan was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. He received a B.A. in philosophy in 1976, and a master in divinity in 1980 from St. John Seminary in Camarillo.

Bishop Joseph is fully bilingual; he speaks English and Spanish. He has a great singing voice as well; I can honestly say that because I watched previous YouTube videos of Bishop Brennan singing. He does equally sing religious music and wears the mariachi costume very well.

We should raise a prayer for our Diocese of Fresno. God is good with us. He gives us good bishops to pastor all of us. Thanks to our retiring Bishop Ochoa and for our upcoming Bishop Brennan.

Father Raul A. Sanchez-Flores is leader of St. John the Evangelist Church in Wasco.