New Monterey bishop asks faithful to work, minister, 'build with me'

Published: 2007-02-01

MONTEREY, Calif. (CNS) -- Asking Catholics of California's central coast to "work with me, minister with me, collaborate with me, build with me and love with me," Bishop Richard J. Garcia was installed as the fourth bishop of Monterey during a multilingual Mass Jan. 30. More than 1,700 people gathered in the Monterey Conference Center to welcome their new shepherd and participate in a festive liturgy radiant with color and multicultural tradition. The ceremony included a choir of more than 100 people with trumpets blaring, liturgical dancers carrying incense in procession, and prayers of the faithful offered in seven different languages. Bishop Garcia, 59, was a Sacramento auxiliary from 1997 until December, when he was named to replace Monterey Bishop Sylvester D. Ryan, 76, who retired after 14 years as head of the diocese. He will lead some 200,000 Catholics in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo and San Benito counties. He is one of 25 active Hispanic Catholic bishops in the United States.

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