Bishop Oscar Cantú Archives

For bishop with Mexican roots, El Paso’s assault hit close to home
- Catholic News Service, Church in the US
- Oct 2, 2019
For Bishop Oscar Cantu of San Jose, California, the early August assault by a gunman who opened fire on El Pasoans and others doing weekend shopping at a Walmart in the border city this summer struck particularly deep.
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As migrants face a closing door to the U.S., bishops accompany them
- Catholic News Service, Church in the US
- Sep 26, 2019
In anticipation of the 2019 World Day for Migrants and Refugees, a group of bishops, women religious, lay ministers and others interested in the plight of migrants spent the days prior to the Sept. 29 observance listening to tales of hope, dashed dreams, resilience and uncertainty that are in abundance among migrants in this border region.
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A day of visiting the unwelcome, and a call to give them hope
- Catholic News Service, Church in the Americas
- Sep 25, 2019
A group of U.S. bishops visited Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, to get a firsthand look at the immigration crisis.
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Recent tragedy frames El Paso gathering in support of migrants

When local Catholic leaders Sept. 23 welcomed a delegation from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, including lay ministers who tend to migrants in various parts of the U.S., they proudly spoke of the “DNA” of the El Paso community, one that doesn’t treat those who aren’t from the area as strangers.

Hearts ‘heavy with sadness’ over shooting at garlic festival, bishop says

San Jose Bishop Oscar Cantu announced that a bilingual prayer vigil for victims, survivors and first responders would take place late July 29 at St. Mary’s Church in Gilroy in response to a shooting a day earlier that claimed the lives of three people and injured 12 others on the last day of a popular festival.