Bishop-elect Michael Pham of San Diego, the first Vietnamese American head of a US diocese, hopes the Catholic Church can recognize its “multicultural” nature so that different races and ethnicities can celebrate their faith together.

Pham, 58, is the first American bishop to be appointed by Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff born in the United States. The Vatican announced his appointment on Thursday.

He is set to be installed on July 17.

In a press conference after his appointment was made public, Pham said: “It’s a wonderful news to know that a Vietnamese American, and representing my heritage to the United States, and hopefully as a church, we come to recognize multicultural in the country, that we can all come together, celebrate our faith, united in Christ in this country.”

“I believe, if we can do that, we will be such a sign of the beacons of light, the beacons of hope, for our country and for our society,” said the incoming seventh bishop of San Diego.

The Catholic Church in America can also bring this hope to different parts of the world, he said, as the United States “consists of many races, ethnicities, and languages.”

“But if we can come together as a people, and for us, particularly Catholics in this diocese, we have 22 ethnic communities. And on the Pentecost celebration, we come together as a people of God, celebrating. It’s such a beautiful sign of unity as a Church, as a people, as a human family, that we are able to come to be together,” Pham said.

Born in Da Nang, Vietnam, on January 22, 1967, Pham joined his older sister and younger brother in fleeing their native country in 1980. He was a 13-year-old Vietnamese refugee back then.

They first arrived at a Malaysian refugee camp, then moved to Minnesota after being sponsored by an American family in 1981, according to a news release by the Diocese of San Diego. Their other siblings and parents arrived in Minnesota in 1983.

In 1985, their family relocated to San Diego.

It was in San Diego that he finished his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and eventually attended Saint Francis Seminary at the University of San Diego. He finished his seminary formation at Saint Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park.

He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of San Diego on June 25, 1999.

The Diocese of San Diego said one of Pham’s most noteworthy assignments was when he served as their vicar for ethnic and intercultural affairs. In this capacity, he “did groundbreaking work bringing together more than 20 of San Diego’s ethnic Catholic communities.”

It was under Pham’s leadership that the Diocese of San Diego, in 2018, launched an annual Pentecost Mass for All Peoples, as well as a festival “celebrating our ethnic and cultural diversity.”

In June 2023, Pham was appointed auxiliary bishop of San Diego.

Then, in mid-March 2025, he was named diocesan administrator after the sixth bishop of the diocese, Cardinal Robert McElroy, was appointed archbishop of Washington by the late Pope Francis.

Pham was asked, in Thursday’s press conference, if he thinks McElroy helped influence Leo to appoint him as the new bishop of San Diego. Pham replied, “I think, with his voice, I’m sure he has some sort of a thumb on that.”

Regarding McElroy’s legacy, Pham said the groundwork laid out by his predecessor was “wonderful.” In his term as bishop, Pham said he plans to implement his predecessor’s programs, such as the synod of the family and the synod of the youth and young adults. “Now we want to implement those two synods together,” he said.

He was also asked about the way McElroy “has been perceived or portrayed as a member of the left-wing part of the Church, whereas the right wing has been attacking him.” Is he concerned that he might be criticized by the right wing of the Church?

Pham said: “I hope that people can remember me or see me as a person who stays focused on Christ, and we move forward. And life is very important. And so it’s important that we need to pay attention and stay focused on how we take care of the people of God in our life, in our society today.”

The Diocese of San Diego is composed of 1.38 million Catholics, or around 40% of a total civilian population of 3.45 million.