Michael Pham

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Michael Phạm
Auxiliary Bishop of San Diego Titular Bishop of Cercina
Native name	Micae Phạm Minh Cường
Diocese	San Diego
Appointed	June 6, 2023
Installed	September 28, 2023
Other post(s)	Titular Bishop of Cercina
Orders
Ordination	June 25, 1999 by Robert Brom
Consecration	September 28, 2023 by Robert W. McElroy, Joseph J. Tyson, and John P. Dolan
Personal details
Born	(1967-01-27) January 27, 1967 (age 57) Da Nang, Vietnam
Motto	Unitatem in Christus (United in Christ) (Hiệp nhất trong Chúa Kitô)

Styles of Michael Phạm

Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Michael Phạm Minh Cường (or simply known as Michael Phạm^[1]) born January 27, 1967) is a Vietnamese-born priest of the Catholic Church who has been serving as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of San Diego in California since 2023.

Biography

Early life

Michael Pham was born on January 27, 1967, in Da Nang in what was then South Vietnam. In 1980, when Pham was 13, his family fled Vietnam, arriving at a refugee camp in Malaysia. The family emigrated to the United States in 1981, settling in Blue Earth, Minnesota. They relocated to San Diego in 1985.^[1]Pham graduated from San Diego High School and then entered San Diego State University. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree aeronautical engineering. ^[2]^[1]

While working on his master's degree at San Diego State, Pham decided to enter the priesthood instead. He then attended Saint Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, California. He received a Systematic Theology Baccalaureate and a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Patrick.^[2]^[1]

Priesthood

On June 25, 1999, Pham was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of San Diego by Bishop Robert Henry Brom at Saint Michael Church in Poway, California.^[3]

After his 1999 ordination, the diocese assigned Pham as parochial vicar at St. Mary, Star of the Sea Parish in Oceanside, California. He left St. Mary in 2001 to become vocation director for the diocese. In 2004, the diocese appointed Pham as pastor at Holy Family parish in San Diego. He would serve at Holy Family for the next ten years.^[2]

The diocese transferred Pham in 2014 to St. Therese Parish in San Diego to serve as pastor there. After two years, he was moved to Good Shepherd Parish in San Diego. In 2017, Bishop Robert McElroy named Pham as episcopal vicar for ethnic and intercultural communities and in 2018 as vicar general.^[2]He completed a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from St. Patrick’s Seminary in 2020.^[2]

Auxiliary Bishop of San Diego

Pope Francis appointed Pham as an auxiliary bishop of San Diego on June 6, 2023.^[4]^[2] On September 28, 2023, Pham was consecrated as a bishop at St. Therese of Carmel Church in San Diego by McElroy, with Bishops Joseph J. Tyson, and John P. Dolan serving as co-consecrators.^[3] As auxiliary bishop, Pham serves as the vicar for clergy.^[1]

On his coat of arms is a beehive, which represents Saint John Chrysostom, who is also his baptismal patron saint.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Auxiliary Bishop Pham". The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Pope Francis Names New Auxiliary Bishops of San Diego". US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Bishop Michael (Micae) Phạm Minh Cường [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
^ "Resignations and Appointments, 06.06.2023". Retrieved June 6, 2023.
^ Selvester, Guy. "Two for San Diego". EXARANDORUM: Fr. Guy Selvester's blog of Ecclesiastical Heraldry. Retrieved 10 April 2024.