Oscar Solis Explained

Honorific-Prefix:His Excellency, The Most Reverend
Oscar Solís
Bishop of Salt Lake City
Diocese:Salt Lake City
Appointed:January 10, 2017
Enthroned:March 7, 2017
Predecessor:John Charles Wester
Ordination:April 28, 1979
Ordained By:Vicente Posada Reyes
Consecration:February 10, 2004
Consecrated By:Roger Mahony, Sam Jacobs, and Charles Michael Jarrell
Birth Name:Oscar Azarcón Solís
Birth Date:13 October 1953
Birth Place:San Jose, Nueva Ecija Philippines
Motto:Fiat voluntas tua
(Thy will be done)
Oscar Azarcon Solis
Dipstyle:

Oscar Azarcón Solís (born October 13, 1953) is a Filipino-American prelate of the Catholic Church who has served as Bishop of Salt Lake City since 2017. He was an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles from 2003 to 2017.

Solís is the first Filipino American Catholic bishop and the first Asian American to lead a Catholic diocese.[1] He speaks fluent English, Spanish, and Tagalog.

Biography

Early years

The son of Antonia Azarcón and Anselmo dela Fuente Solís, Oscar Solís was born in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija in the Philippines on October 13, 1953. He has three sisters and a brother, Ronald Solis, who is a Opus Dei priest in Hong Kong. Oscar Solis attended grade school at San Jose West Central School in San Jose and high school at Maria Assumpta Minor Seminary in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija.

After deciding to enter the priesthood, Solis studied philosophy at Christ the King Seminary in Quezon City and theology at the Pontifical Royal Seminary of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.[2] [3] He also pursued studies in Asian religions and cultures.

Priesthood

Solis was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Cabanatuan in the Philippines by Bishop Vicente Posada Reyes on April 28, 1979, at the San Jose Cathedral in San Jose.[4] Between 1979 and 1984, he served in his diocese as rector of the minor seminary, secretary of the priests senate, school chaplain, and director of vocations. Solis immigrated to the United States in 1984 and served for four years as parish vicar at Saint Rocco Parish in Union City, New Jersey, in the Diocese of Newark.[5] [6]

Solis relocated to Louisiana in 1988 to serve as associate pastor at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux. He was incardinated in, or transferred to, the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux on June 17, 1992. That same year, the diocese assigned Solis as pastor of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church in Golden Meadow, Louisiana. After six years at Our Lady, Solis was appointed as pastor at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral and St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Thibodaux.

Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles

On December 11, 2003, Pope John Paul II appointed Solis as titular bishop of Urci and as an auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles.[7] He was consecrated bishop by Cardinal Roger Mahony at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on February 10, 2004, with Bishops Sam Jacobs, and Charles Jarrell serving as co-consecrators.[8] Solis said at the time that he was familiar with Spanish, but he was out of practice speaking it.[7]

In Los Angeles, Solis served as episcopal vicar for ethnic ministry from 2004 to 2009.[9] He chaired and was later a member of the diocese Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs. He was an organizer of the first National Assembly of Filipino Priests in the United States in November 2011. He has held several positions with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bishop of Salt Lake City

Pope Francis named Solis bishop of Salt Lake City on January 10, 2017, when the position had been vacant for 20 months. He was installed on March 7, 2017.[10]

Solis has spoken on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the dominant faith in the diocese's territory, saying,

"We value our long-standing relationship with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our communities share a call to social justice and love for the poor. The task before us is one of building and strengthening our inclusive communities of faith. I look forward to continuing a culture of dialogue and encounter that leads us together to God.”
Latter-day Saint Apostles M. Russell Ballard and D. Todd Christofferson spoke about Solis when he was installed as the bishop of Salt Lake City. Ballard said, “We look forward to partnering with Bishop Solis as we stand together and give witness to Jesus Christ as His disciples.” Christofferson added, “We celebrate the installation of Bishop Solis as the leader of the Diocese of Salt Lake City and the newest member of our faith community in Utah."[11]

In 2018, Solis released the pastoral plan for the diocese. It focused on developing a comprehensive vision for strengthening faith formation, promoting vocations to the priesthood and a universal call for holiness to the laity, seeking new ways to support the diocese financially and support the needy, increasing the reverence and devotion of the Eucharist, and upholding the dignity of all in society. Implementation of the plan began in 2018 and was to end in 2023.[12]

In 2023, an honoree by the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrant Award.[13]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Robert E. Carbonneau . McGuinness . Margaret M. . Rzeznik . Thomas F. . The Cambridge Companion to American Catholicism . 2021 . Cambridge University Press . Cambridge, United Kingdom . 978-1-108-47265-4 . 320 . Asian-American Catholics . April 14, 2022.
  2. News: Novo Ecijano First Filipino Bishop in US . January 10, 2017 . February 11, 2004 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . Reuben V. . Nepales .
  3. News: Rinunce e nomine, 10.01.2017. it. 10 January 2016. 10 January 2017. Holy See.
  4. Web site: Bishop Oscar Azarcon Solis [Catholic-Hierarchy] ]. 2024-02-12 . www.catholic-hierarchy.org.
  5. Web site: Pope Names Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Solis as Bishop of Salt Lake City . 2024-02-12 . US Conference of Catholic Bishops . en.
  6. Web site: Most Reverend Oscar A. Solis, D.D. . 2024-02-12 . Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City.
  7. News: First Filipino-American bishop installed in L.A. . December 12, 2003 . San Diego Union Tribune . January 10, 2017.
  8. News: Sciaudone. Christiana. Filipino American Bishop Is the First. January 11, 2017. Los Angeles Times. February 11, 2004.
  9. News: Most Rev. Bishop Oscar Solis: The Blessed Life of LA's first Filipino Bishop . dead . 17 January 2013 . https://archive.today/20130117085449/http://www.asianjournal.com/aj-magazine/midweek-mgzn/11728-most-rev-bishop-oscar-solis-the-blessed-life-of-las-first-filipino-bishop.html . January 10, 2017 . Prosy . Arnaquez-Delacruz . Asian Journal . August 3, 2011 .
  10. News: January 10, 2017 . Filipino-born Oscar Azarcon Solis named 10th bishop of Salt Lake Diocese. Marjorie . Cortez . Deseret News . January 10, 2017 .
  11. Web site: LDS Apostles Welcome Utah's New Catholic Bishop: "We Stand Together and Give Witness to Jesus Christ" . LDS Living . 8 March 2017 . 10 October 2022.
  12. Web site: Solis . Oscar . Charting Our Mission: Pastoral Plan . Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City . 10 October 2022.
  13. Web site: 2023-06-28 . Pedro Pascal and World Bank's Ajay Banga among those named to Carnegie's 2023 Great Immigrants list . 2024-06-17 . AP News . en.