Armando Xavier Ochoa

Armando Xavier Ochoa, D.D., (born April 9, 1943) was the Bishop of Fresno from 2011 to 2019. He was formerly the Bishop of El Paso from 1996 to 2011.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Armando Xavier Ochoa
Bishop Emeritus of Fresno
ChurchRoman Catholic
ArchdioceseLos Angeles
DioceseFresno
AppointedDecember 1, 2011
InstalledFebruary 2, 2012
Term endedMarch 5, 2019
PredecessorJohn Thomas Steinbock
SuccessorJoseph Vincent Brennan
Orders
OrdinationMay 23, 1970
ConsecrationFebruary 23, 1987
by Roger Mahony, Joseph Martin Sartoris, Thomas John Curry, and Gabino Zavala
Personal details
Born (1943-04-09) April 9, 1943
Oxnard, California
Previous postBishop of El Paso (1996-2012)
Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles/Titular Bishop of Sitifis (1987-1996)
MottoPREPAREMOS EL CAMINO DEL SEÑOR
Styles of
Armando Xavier Ochoa
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Early life

Armando Ochoa, who is of Mexican American descent, grew up in Oxnard, California,[1][2] and was educated at Ventura College and St. John's Seminary. He was ordained a priest on May 23, 1970. He served at three parishes in Los Angeles before becoming an administrator of Sacred Heart Parish in Lincoln Heights, California, in 1984.[3]

Episcopal appointments

Ochoa was named titular bishop of Sitifis and an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles by Pope John Paul II in December 1986.[4] He was consecrated on February 23, 1987, by Cardinal Roger Mahony.

On April 1, 1996, Pope John Paul II named Ochoa Bishop of El Paso and he was installed there on June 26. Between 1999 and 2009, there were only two ordinations to the priesthood in the Diocese of El Paso.

On December 1, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Ochoa Bishop of the Diocese of Fresno, California,[5] succeeding Bishop John Steinbock who had died of lung cancer in December 2010.

On March 5, 2019, Pope Francis accepted Ochoa's resignation.[6][7]

Positions

Ochoa considers the ordination of woman priests to be a moot point due to papal opposition; he believes that homosexuals should remain celibate in accordance with Church doctrine requiring all unmarried people to remain celibate; he believes that the priest shortage will be solved through faith rather than through allowing a married priesthood; and he fears that teaching children about condoms in a school setting would send a "mixed message" regarding pre-marital sex.[8]

Ochoa is an advocate of diocesan foster care programs and responsible water use.[9]

References
  1. "Official of L.A. Diocese Named Bishop of El Paso". Los Angeles Times. 1996-04-02. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
  2. "Pope Benedict XVI appoints Mexican-American Bishop to Diocese of Fresno | USHM". Retrieved 2020-05-02.
  3. "Official of L.A. Diocese Named Bishop of El Paso". Los Angeles Times. 1996-04-02. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
  4. "Pope Names California Bishop". New York Times. Associated Press. January 1, 1987. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  5. "Rinunce e Nomine, 01.12.2011" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. December 1, 2011. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  6. "Pope names an Angeleno as new bishop of America's 'food basket'". Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  7. "Resignations and Appointments, 05.03.2019" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. March 5, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  8. Rifkin, Ira (January 14, 1988). "Bishop Moves With Deliberation in Taking Over San Fernando Region". Los Angeles Times.
  9. "Bishops of Texas Retrieved: 2010-03-18". Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
John Steinbock		 Bishop of Fresno
2012-2019		 Succeeded by
Joseph Vincent Brennan
Preceded by
Raymundo Joseph Peña		 Bishop of El Paso
1996-2012		 Succeeded by
Mark J. Seitz
Preceded by
-		 Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles
1987-1996		 Succeeded by
-
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