Pope Leo's appointment of the first Vietnamese American bishop sends a message supporting all immigrants

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San DIego's Bishop Michael Pham is the first Vietnamese American bishop.

As one of his first acts as head of the Catholic church, Pope Leo XIV picked Bishop Michael Pham to head the Diocese of San Diego. 

Pham is the first Vietnamese American to lead an American diocese and is the seventh Bishop of San Diego. But more significantly, he is a refugee, having fled communist Vietnam as a child.

Pham's appointment may be a statement by the new Pope because Pham, as a refugee, is an outspoken critic of Donald Trump's immigration policies.

In one of his first acts as San Diego's new bishop, Pham, along with auxiliary bishops Revs. Ramon Bejarano and Felipe Pulido, sent a letter to faith leaders in the Diocese of San Diego suggesting they visit federal court buildings next week “to stand in solidarity” with immigrants making court appearances.

“We know that migrants and refugees find themselves in the difficult predicament of being called to appear, which is what the government asks of them, and then being given orders for expedited removal from our country,” the group wrote in the letter.

“This group of priests and faith leaders will simply be present during this process as it has been experienced that the presence of faith leaders makes a difference in how migrants are treated. Unfortunately, it will most likely not change the outcome.”

Not coincidentally, the day chosen for this act of support for immigrants is June 20th, is also International Refugee Day.

Pham's Mass installing him as San Diego's bishop will be held on July 17.

The new Bishop sent this letter to clergy and faith leaders in the San Diego diocese.

“With profound gratitude and blessing, I receive my appointment to be the seventh Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego. I cannot express enough how grateful I am to God for blessing me with graces to serve God’s people. I am deeply thankful to Pope Leo XIV who entrusted me with this portion of the Lord’s vineyard. It brings an added sense of awe as I am a son to this diocese. It is an honor to serve ‘my home,’ where I received my call and vocation to the priesthood more than 31 years ago," Pham said.

“‘The Good Shephed knows his sheep, and they know him.’ I find great joy and hope in these words as I assume my new role as bishop, shepherd, and brother to a wonderful community of bishops, priests, religious men and women, deacons, and lay leaders who have ministered alongside me all these years. I look forward to continuing the mission of our diocese as we embrace the call to be a synodal church where we listen, dialogue, and advance forward with a grateful heart.”

Pham fled Vietnam as a 13-year-old refugee in 1980, accompanied by his older sister and a younger brother, arriving first at a refugee camp in Malaysia, before being sponsored a year later in 1981 by an American family and relocating to Minnesota. A few months later, another sister came to live with them and in 1983 the remainder of his family – four more siblings and his parents – arrived in Minnesota. His family moved to San Diego in 1985.

He graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s and started a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering before transferring to St. Francis Seminary at the University of San Diego. He completed his seminary training at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park. He was ordained a priest of the San Diego Diocese in 1999. In 2009, he completed a Master of Science in Psychology. In 2020, he completed a Licentiate in Sacred Theology.

He has been serving as diocesan administrator since mid-March, following the departure of Cardinal McElroy to the Archdiocese of Washington.

In one of his most noteworthy assignments, he served as Vicar for Ethnic and Intercultural Affairs, where he did groundbreaking work bringing together more than 20 of San Diego’s ethnic Catholic communities.

Pham's appointment is underscore's Pope Leo's sentiment against Trump's harsh policies of immigrants, citizens and those without documentation.

Pham's call to action by Catholic leaders highlights growing faith-based opposition to Trump's mass deportation policy, which has drawn criticism from religious groups and the Vatican.

Just after Pope Leo was elected in May, his brother John Prevost told the media that his sibling is "not happy with what's going on with immigration."

Since he took office, Trump has used immigrants, US citizens or undocumented,  to whip up fear and hate against those people (of color) entering the US. Last week, federal agents arrests of immigrants at their workplaces and at immigration offices sparked mass protests in Los Angeles.

The protests grew so much so fast that Trump federalized California National Guard and called up a contingent of US Marines to protect federal property and the agents from ICE and Homeland Security.

Pham's letter went on to say, that on June 20 they hope "the presence of faith leaders makes a difference in how the migrants are treated."

"The people of faith stand with immigrants and refugees," the letter said.

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