Joseph Vincent Brennan (born March 20, 1954) is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Bishop of Fresno since 2019. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles from 2015 to 2019.
Joseph Vincent Brennan | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Fresno | |
| Church | |
| Diocese | Fresno |
| Appointed | March 5, 2019 |
| Installed | May 2, 2019 |
| Predecessor | Armando Xavier Ochoa |
| Previous post(s) |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 21, 1980 by Timothy Manning |
| Consecration | September 12, 2015 by Archbishop José Horacio Gómez, Joseph Martin Sartoris, and Blase J. Cupich |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 20, 1954 |
| Alma mater | St. John's Seminary (California) |
| Motto | Caritas Christi urget nos (Latin for 'The love of Christ inspires us') |
| Styles of Joseph Vincent Brennan | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Biography
editEarly life
editJoseph Brennan was born on March 20, 1954, in Van Nuys, California. Deciding to become a priest, he entered Saint John's Seminary in Camarillo, California. Brennan received a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1976 and a Bachelor of Theology degree in 1980 from Saint John's.[1][2]
Priesthood
editBrennan was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles at the Cathedral of St. Vibiana in Los Angeles by Cardinal Timothy Manning on June 21, 1980.[3]
After his 1980 ordination, Brennan served as associate pastor at three parishes in Southern California:
- Immaculate Heart of Mary in Los Angeles (1980 to 1983)
- St. Linus in Norwalk (1983 to 1987)
- Cathedral of St. Vibiana (1987 to 1991)[1]
Brennan left St. Vibiana in 1991 to serve as a pastor at St. Linus. He would hold that position for the next 12 years. Starting in 1995, he also held the post of as chaplain to the Southern California Knights of Columbus. Brennan was appointed to the presbyteral council for the archdiocese in 2003.[1]
The archdiocese in 2004 transferred Brennan from St. Linus to Holy Trinity Catholic Parish in San Pedro, California. The Vatican named a him a chaplain of his holiness, with the title of monsignor, in 2005.[1]
In 2012, Archbishop José Gómez selected Brennan moderator of the curia for the archdiocese. At that time, he became priest in residence at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and at Mother of Sorrows Catholic Parish. Brennan also served as the vicar general for the archdiocese.[2]
Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles
edit
Brennan was appointed by Pope Francis as titular bishop of Trofimiana and auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles on July 21, 2015. He was consecrated at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles by Archbishop José Gómez on September 8, 2015.[3] Gómez made him his episcopal vicar for the San Fernando Pastoral Region.[1]
Brennan was a board member of the following organizations:
- Catholic Education Foundation
- Williams Charitable Trust
- Together in Mission, an archdiocesan appeal[2]
Bishop of Fresno
editOn March 5, 2019, Brennan was named bishop of Fresno by Pope Francis. He was installed on May 2, 2019.[4][3]
Viewpoints
editAbortion
editBrennan opposes abortion. When Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone announced that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, San Francisco resident Nancy Pelosi, was prohibited from receiving communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Brennan supported the decision.[5]
Unions
editIn August 2022, Brennan marched with farm workers in support of the 2022 Agricultural Labor Relations Voting Choice Act enacted by the California State Legislature. The bill allowed farm workers to use mail-in ballots for union elections.[6]
Vaccinations
editIn November 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Brennan urged Catholics not to take the COVID-19 vaccines. He claimed that embryonic stem cells used in the development of these vaccines violated Catholic ethics.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "Pope Names Three Auxiliary Bishops to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Accepts Resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Wilkerson". US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ a b c "BISHOP JOSEPH V. BRENNAN". Diocese of Fresno. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Bishop Joseph Vincent Brennan [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ "New bishop officially takes the reins of Diocese of Fresno". Fresno Bee. May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
- ^ Jones, Kevin J. (June 8, 2022). "Archbishop Cordileone 'stood up for what's right' in actions toward Pelosi, Fresno bishop says". Catholic News Agency.
- ^ Bunderson, Carl (August 19, 2022). "Fresno Bishop Joins March for Farmworkers' Union Voting Rights Bill". Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ Smith, Hayley (2020-11-19). "Fresno bishop urges Catholics not to 'jump on the COVID-19 vaccine bandwagon'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
External links
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